The Ellesmere Port–Warrington line operates between the towns of Ellesmere Port and Warrington in the north-west of England. The line previously used to operate from Hooton to Helsby. This service was relatively frequent, operating via Ellesmere Port. It was withdrawn after the line was electrified west of Ellesmere Port. Station signs at Ince and Elton railway station still display signage relating to services to/from Hooton.
did, until May 2019, operate a Department for Transport-set minimum service of three trains daily in each direction between Ellesmere Port and Helsby, Cheshire. There are currently 6 passenger services each day : 05:10 Liverpool Lime Street to Ellesmere Port
06:33 Helsby to Ellesmere Port
18:50 Helsby to Ellesmere Port 06:19 Ellesmere Port to Helsby
19:10 Ellesmere Port to Manchester Victoria In previous years, services have operated towards Hooton via Ellesmere Port and Liverpool Lime Street via Warrington Bank Quay. Since the May 2019 and the introduction of the "Northern Connect" Chester to Leeds services the Ellesmere Port line timetable was altered. There still are 6 services per day excluding Sunday. Services are: 05:10 Liverpool Lime Street to Ellesmere Port 06:17 Ellesmere Port to Helsby 06:34 Helsby to Ellesmere Port 07:15 Ellesmere Port to Leeds All of the above are operated by the same unit. Another unit operates the below services: 15:38 Leeds to Ellesmere Port 18:23 Ellesmere Port to Manchester Victoria - Unit then goes to Newton Heath Depot just north of Manchester Victoria.
Stations
There are four stations on the Helsby to Ellesmere Port line, three of which are unstaffed.
Helsby, Change here for services to Chester, North Wales and Manchester
Ince and Elton
Stanlow and Thornton
Ellesmere Port, Change here for services to Hooton, Birkenhead and Liverpool
Facilities at Ince and Elton and Stanlow and Thornton are basic, comprising little more than covered waiting areas and timetable information. Ellesmere Port has full ticket selling capabilities, including a Ticket Vending Machine and a staffed ticket office, along with real-time information displays and help points. Helsby has real timeinformation displays and a Ticket Vending Machine. Only Ellesmere Port and Ince and Elton are accessible for those in wheelchairs. Stanlow and Thornton and Helsby both have footbridges as their only means of exit.
Future
Quinn Glass is located in Elton, and in 2008 was planning expansion near the Ince & Elton railway station. Network Rail Route Strategy states that Quinn Glass is interested in additional passenger and freight services on this line. It is also thought that planning permission requires Quinn Glass to maximise upon existing public transport links. As of 2012, no rail based enhancements have occurred as a result of any expansion. In February 2015 the Department for Transport issued an Invitation to Tender for the new Northern franchise which will start in April 2016. The Train Service Requirement for the new franchise requires, from December 2017, two trains per day between Ellesmere Port and Helsby, 6 days a week. Mondays to Fridays, one train in the morning will run from Ellesmere Port to Manchester Victoria via Warrington Bank Quay, arriving in Manchester between 08:00 and 08:59, with a second service in the evening departing Ellesmere Port between 18:30 and 19:29. In the reverse direction, the TSR specifies a morning train from Warrington Bank Quay to Ellesmere Port, arriving at the latter station between 06:30 and 07:29, and an evening service to Ellesmere Port departing from Manchester between 17:00 and 17:59. All these services would call at Ince & Elton and Stanlow & Thornton. On Saturdays, the TSR specifies two trains in each direction between Ellesmere Port and Helsby, which must run through to/from Manchester or provide a connection of no more than 15 minutes at Helsby with a train to/from Manchester. There is no requirement for the new franchisee to provide any Sunday service. These trains, if introduced, would provide a limited service to/from Manchester, timed for commuters.
