Freight Driver's Eye View: Ditton to Warrington Arpley via Fiddlers Ferry

You're watching a Class 66 travel light engine from Ditton Reception Sidings to Warrington Arpley Sidings via the rarely seen Latchford Goods lines past Fiddlers Ferry.
This video was filmed and edited on 19/04/2022 - the locomotive was 66126.
I've now been able to include current speed for the first time in one of my videos as well as the maximum permissible speed.
Enjoy the video and subscribe for more in the near future!

[@karlbbb]

Inclusion of current speed is such a great addition. Really gives context to the sights and sounds of the engine!

[@greenmanofkent]

You know a line has "light" traffic when the adjacent tree branches scrape along the side of the loco. It's a nice added dimension to hear the communications with the signaller. Thanks.

[@NorthumberlandSnapper]

Speedy work Ben, considering you only worked this turn earlier today. A brilliant bit of footage. Thanks very much for sharing such a unique perspective.

[@stephenrice4554]

Great trip like the speed indicator, helps with previous films and information 👍

[@ncc13701]

Around four years ago I was walking the towpath of the semi-derelict Sankey Canal alongside this line and noticed an enlarged gap in the palisade fencing close to the distant signal FF1. The canal at that point has a blockage in it allowing access up to the fence. I reported it to Network Rail, kept an eye on it on subsequent walks, and noted it had been fixed a couple of weeks later. It would appear to be an issue still!

[@datalasse]

Great video! Looking forward to more cab ride videos.

[@rowanlidbury]

Awesome, I especially enjoyed your chats with the signaller. Most others edit them out or mute them.

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

This is fascinating to me. So much detail on such a short trip. I know this area so well, and even more so now. Enjoyed the experience. Thankyou.

[@dlevoy]

the quality of the video image is unreal! Well done

[@nigelkthomas9501]

It’s about time this line via Warrington Bank Quay low level was reopened right through from Liverpool to Stockport!

[@AndreA-ke2id]

There is still a lit colour light signal on the bit of track left where this line joins the Chester-Stockport line at Skelton Jct, south Manchester. Its puzzling why the red is still blazing away. It's as if it's still protecting the Jct even though it will never see a train pass it ??

[@CalderTrains]

Love it!!! Great to see you back and on some freight routes. Live speed is an excellent inclusion, brilliant.

[@TheDave31london]

Who else expected a flashing minus points warning in the bottom left when he dipped into 21mph in the 20 zone ? great video as always.

[@davidsmith-wilson133]

Great to see current speed now available. Seen it used many times in European vide.

[@dieseldave3879]

👍 Great onboard views of industrial Cheshire.

[@dannylouisyu7311]

I have circled near the power station several times, but I never saw a train. Thank you for uploading.

[@ScottishNSRailFan]

Thoroughly enjoyable. So different to the usual driver eye views.

[@brrob8108]

Excellent video. Great picture quality and good sound. Live speed a great addition. More like this please.

[@philipalldred333]

Thanks Ben enjoyable to see other parts of the network.

[@Rowan66109]

Amazing! I love the live speed too

[@brianknowles7130]

Many thanks for posting this vid. Very enjoyable. Would like to see more trips if possible. Thks

[@train4905]

Brilliant ben,love the speedo.just subbed

[@skodass1]

Love the sound of the 66 and brilliant with the speed indicator

[@jonathanparry9505]

Excellent thank you for sharing

[@1903bretep]

Thanks for that Ben, keep em coming.

[@TheDaf95xf]

Morning Ben. Just come across your channel and have subscribed 🤩 Fantastic ride down one of the busiest freight lines back in the 70s when I was a lad train spotting lol 😆 love the speed showing as it gives an added dimension to your videos & also the commentary to the signalman was awesome 👏🏻 as we don’t usually have the privilege of that 👍🏻

[@HenrysAdventures]

Great video! Really enjoyed the ride!

[@TheTouristLine]

Fantastic video, really well done

[@railfanpolska]

Beautiful video! Excellent channel! Subscription 💪🙂

[@stevethomas5267]

Love the live speed.

[@brianrobinson2962]

Just awesome mate

[@brianjohnstone1790]

Well done Ben very enjoyable experience on the cab viewing. My son is a driver too for GBRF, Works from Buxton area at the moment. Home base is Tyne coal terminal near Jarrow. Thanks again. Brian 🙏👍

[@Scouse88lfc]

Great video ben look forward to the next one 👍

[@raysmith114]

Excellent thanks. Real time speed is a great addition.

[@transittown7891]

Awesome scenic view ride bro 😎👍😊

[@martinmarsola6477]

Nice ride. Thanks for the video and chat. Cheers mate!

[@andrewrice6596]

Loved this video, spot on.

[@richiep7812]

Yet again another amazing video. Looks like network rail need to do a bit of vegetation clearance.

[@sams9497]

cracking video mate!

[@railquest]

Cracking watch, this is

[@jennythescouser]

OO - A return journey from last week - thank you, thank you, thank you.

[@TwmUkLive]

Cool, great video, thanks

[@timstrainvideos142]

excellent video!

[@Adullamite]

Enjoyed that, thanks.

[@dalepenkethman6683]

Great Vid, again. Those signallers at FF, AJ and at the crossing boxes must get so bored though!

[@BuddyClubP1]

Headcode? Good video as always ben, glad to see you back uploading

[@mattyjc931]

0F16

[@fetchstixRHD]

Mentioned at 3:29 (and 12:38) 🙃

[@duxberry1958]

i always seam to miss this at warrington ...

[@TransportCambs]

so a DB loco on hire to DRS on hire to DB? good video, nice to see the current speed included too

[@luqmanhakimpens]

love the live speedometer.

[@hoagy_ytfc]

Sounds like a lot of new paint is going to be needed on the side of that loco from under-trimmed vegetation !

[@dolanbaker]

Driving the class 66 hedge trimmer today :) Two signal faults, could have ruined the day, at least they were out fixing one of the others.

[@ECMLTrains]

Love it

[@keffa1982]

Great video. Curious how you pulled and synced the speedo data? GPS I take it but how was the data/video sync achieved with the graphic?

[@57305northernprincess]

Some interesting EWS coal wagons dumped in the yard. Bet the National Wagon Preservation would like them

[@Cutstalk]

Did I see correctly that you, at 26:50 use the slow speed rocker, to enforce the 5mph limit? awesome video by the way, super cool to see the back roads of british freight

[@epj900]

Looks almost third world with the state of the vegetation, especially compared to the old black and white pictures from yesteryear that we are all so familiar with. Are they ever going to do something about it? (I think I already know the answer)

[@caramelldansen2204]

RIP Ditton station 😭

[@tardismole]

We hve a feight line behind us, which is frequented by Class 66 locomotives. My favourite. They stop at a red light behind the house before continuing on to Dow. I hope someone does a driver's eye view of that journey, to see where it comes from. Would be very fascinating. A question I've had for a while: what makes a line Up or Down?

[@tristacker]

In general, lines heading towards London are up lines and those heading away are down lines. Where say a line is not doing either there is an imaginary line drawn down the centre of the country and lines heading to the middle are up and those heading away are down. It's a bit arbitrary but that's how it is.

[@tardismole]

@@tristacker Thank you. That really is a great help.

[@hamshackleton]

I like the new graphics of line and loco speed. Do you know why that cross-over by Arpley box had the track painted white?

[@alancharles1681]

One reason could be to do with that there are switch diamonds points in that diamond crossing, so marking them out as a reminder to any P-Way workers.

[@joekidd9456]

Network Rail paint Track white at certain vulnerable locations to absorb heat less and thus expand less, which cuts down on maintenance costs. But why that would be a factor here beats me.

[@johnlightfoot9967]

Do you ever go Frodsham/Helsby way ?

[@ianhutchinson1783]

Nice video Ben. When you were authorised to pass signal DN302 at danger I expected a loud bast on the horn before proceeding. Are there local noise abatement instructions?

[@beneliastrains]

Cheers. No requirement to sound the horn when passing signals at danger anymore!

[@bryjones49]

I wonder how long it will be before this line is shut.

[@johnwebster3224]

An observation Ben! Your caption for Carterhouse Junction - should that not be Widnes West Junction or the junction for Widnes Shed? I think Carterhouse Jct. should be where the concrete fencing appears at around 9:13!! What do you think?

[@beneliastrains]

Yes you're quite right! The junction was long gone before my time!

[@johnwebster3224]

@@beneliastrains After consulting old maps I have come to the conclusion that the Junction going off to the left was a connection to the old line through Central and connected to it near Tahouse Lane Station to gain access to the Cheshire Lines main line.

[@railfangig6699]

A few colour light signals and the sprawling vegetation and the routes not changed much at all really - god help them trying to make this a electrified high speed route, never heard of Arpley sidings 2 end referred too as Arpley grid iron north junction makes it sound posh.

[@geoffhurrell8478]

Please explain the signal 302 passed at danger. I could not hear the conversation with the signaller, thank you.

[@martinjh999]

Where is the Ditton you started at?? Looking at Google Maps I can only find a Ditton south of London and I doubt it's that one!!

[@wam2610]

👍

[@robd2184]

Interesting. When you reversed direction back into the yard, the ground d signal came off rather than the main with a feather , I’m surprised at that

[@stevennewman9334]

You would never get a main aspect into a yard as far as I'm aware. Only exception would be arriving on a arrival/reception Road that has a signal at the end of it protecting the yard. The aspect he got tells him that the road is clear as far as he can see and should travel at a speed which he can stop short of any obstruction at. The "feather" would take you round the curve away from the route he took into the yard.

[@jacquesguay1125]

Will someone cut the brush?! The whole line looks abandoned! What an obstacle course. Other than that, looks fine.

[@mikkie444]

Do passenger train drivers only drive passenger trains or do they do freight and vice versa?

[@Newtownabbeyist208]

Is this line still in use anymore? I would like to film the level crossings at Crosfield’s, Monks Siding and Marsh House but I don’t know when trains would run on this line.

[@beneliastrains]

Yes there are some movements. Best to check RealTimeTrains for trains passing Fiddlers Ferry and you will see what's running.

[@Newtownabbeyist208]

Thanks, I was wondering because I think the power station at Fiddlers Ferry got decommissioned in 2020 so I thought it was disused as a result. Glad to know there are still movements, but I’ll not be going for a while yet because I’m across the water in Northern Ireland.

[@caramelldansen2204]

7:27 It's funny that the passenger speed would be lower; isn't it usually higher? I wonder why it's the other way around here.

[@markknight1011]

That red at the start. Who or what gave you the go ahead to proceed?

[@beneliastrains]

The person in charge of the yard.

[@markknight1011]

@@beneliastrains via radio ?

[@beneliastrains]

@@markknight1011 Telephone. Before the video started.

[@brrob8108]

7:27 speed restriction sign. Top figure (lower speed) - Applicable to all trains, except passenger and empty coaching stock trains not conveying four-wheeled vehicles. Bottom figure (higher speed) - Applicable only to passenger and empty coaching stock trains not conveying four-wheeled vehicles.

[@beneliastrains]

Not in this case, Bob. The higher speed applies to all non passenger trains and the lower speed applies to passenger trains only due to the state of the infrastructure.

[@brrob8108]

@@beneliastrains This is a case where route knowledge is essential.

[@KabukeeJo]

And just like that, it was over * sad face *

[@thegamingrascal494]

Never realised you went over to freight?

[@GeorgeSmiley77]

Resolution is too low. Don't get the true train experience without 4K.

[@beneliastrains]

Indeed, I'm going to redo this one. It is actually shot in 4k on the GoPro but for some reason when using narrow field of view the quality is crap. I'm going to reshoot on linear when I next go over the line.

[@kpdvw]

there is abit of intruding shrubbery which needs to be aggresivey cut back....!

[@grahamallen1970]

7m 22s PSR BOARD 30 OVER 40....30 for freight 40 for passenger and light engines or is deviation line different?

[@beneliastrains]

40 freight, 30 passenger

[@grahamallen1970]

@@beneliastrains thanks for clarification....but ....Differential permissible speed indicator The number below the line always shows a higher speed and applies to passenger trains, parcel and postal trains and light locomotives, while the top number applies to all other.This example therefore is displaying a maximum permissible speed of 40 mph for passenger trains, parcel and postal trains and light locomotives, in addition to a maximum permissible speed of 30mph for all other trains....May be a little peak into rule book may be required? Hope none of your managers are subscriber's or it will be tea and biscuits on Monday morning? If any of your depot Co workers are on line ask them....please don't tell me I've been getting it wrong since 1986 when I started on railway!

[@grahamallen1970]

have you had chance to read the rule book yet....?

[@beneliastrains]

@@grahamallen1970 I would invite you to open your LNW(N) sectional appendix to page 92 (or LOR NW2009 SEQ 003 if that's easier for you) and come back and apologise. Ta.

[@beneliastrains]

@@grahamallen1970 In addition to this, there is also a similar PSR where the higher speed applies to freight trains on the Farington Jn - Lostock Hall chord off the WCML just south of Preston

[@cannadineboxill-harris2983]

I wanted to know why don’t they dig a tunnel and do an extension for the main line Train so they extend the unused abandoned underground stations. Why couldn’t they use the part D78 Stock train doors on the sides and also restructure the front face of the A60 and A62 stock and remix and make them all together and also redesign them overhead line and also make them into 5 cars per unit and also having 2 Disabled Toilets on those 5 cars per unit A60 and A62 stock trains and also convert the A60 and A62 stock trains into a Scania N112, Volvo TD102KF, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Engines and also put the Loud 7-Speed Voith Gearboxes in the A60 and A62 stock and also modernise the A60 and A62 stock and make it into a 11 car per unit so it could have less doors, more tables, computers and mobile phone chargers. A Stock Trains and also having 8 Disabled Toilets on those A stock trains. why couldn’t we refurbish and modernise the waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel and make it more bigger and extend it to bank station, making it into a Triple-Track Railway Line so those 4 European countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden to convert the waterloo and city line Triple-Track Train tunnel into an High Speed train. The Third Euro tunnel Triple-Track Train line to make it 8 times better for passengers so they could go from A to B. then put the modernised 11 car per unit A Stock and put them on a bigger modernised waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel so it could go to bank station to those 4 European countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. The modernised refurbish 11 cars per unit A stock could be a High Speed The Third Triple-Track Euro Tunnel Train So it is promising and 37 times a lot more possible to do this kind of project that is OK for London Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. oh by the way, could they also tunnel the Triple-Track Railway Line so it will stop from Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex so that the Passengers will go to Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden and also extend the Triple-Track Railway Line from Bank to Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex Stations so that more people from there could go to Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden Easily. Why couldn't they extend the Piccadilly line and also build a brand-new underground train stations so it could go even further right up to Clapton, Wood Street and also make another brand new tunnel train stations in Chingford and could they extend the DLR. All of the classes 150, 155, 154, 117, 114, 105, 106, will be replaced by all of the Scania N112, Volvo TD102KF, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel five carriages to disabled toilets are air conditioning trains including Highams Park for extend doing roots which is the Piccadilly line and the DLR trains. Could you also convert all of the 1973 stock trains into an air-conditioned maximum speed 78 km/hours (48 MPH) re-refurbished and make it into a 8 cars per unit if that will be alright, and also extend all of the Piccadilly train stations to make more space for all of the extended 8 car per unit 1973 stock air condition trains and can you also build another Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive Companies and they can order Every 17 Octagon and Hexagon shape LNER diagram and unique small no.11 Boilers from those Countries such as Greece, Italy, Poland, and Sweden, can they make Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive speeds by up to 117MPH so you can try and test it on the Original Mainline so it will be much more safer for the Passengers to enjoy the 117MPH speed Limit only for HS2 and Channel Tunnel mainline services, if they needed 16 Carriages Per units can they use those class 55’s, class 44’s and class 43HST Diesel Locomotive’s right at the Back of those 16 Carriages Per Units so they can take over at the Back to let those Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s have a rest for those interesting Journeys Please!!, oh can you make all of those Coal Boxes’s 16 Tonnes for all of the 117MPH Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s so the Companies will Understand us PASSENGER’S!! so Please make sure that the Builders can do as they are Told!! And Please do something about these very important Professional ideas Please Prime Minister of England, Prime Minister of Sweden, Prime Minister of Germany, Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister of Poland and that Includes the Mayor of London.😉😅😅😀😀😅😀😀😅😅😀😀😀😀😀😉😉

[@peterdean8009]

WTF???

[@AndreA-ke2id]

Thanks for posting. Very enjoyable. Sorry to be a bit picky though. For me this is a front view. A driver's eye view would be what the driver actually sees.

[@oddities-whatnot]

Less view out the window for us if it was from the drivers seat position. Would you prefer that ?

[@peterg957]

Hi Ben... More More More please... Worked for British Rail in the class 43 days as a driver. Paxman turbo's on notch 5 pulling out of Kings X Hee Hee. Sod Greta Thunberg...