Halton Curve

The Halton Curve is a railway line in the borough of Halton, Cheshire. It runs from Frodsham Junction (north of Frodsham station) to Halton Junction (south of Runcorn station), providing a link from the North Line to the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line.

The line can now be used only northbound because the southbound line and the associated points and diamond crossings at each end of the curve have been removed to permit higher speeds on the main line towards Crewe at the northern end and reduce maintenance costs, meaning that the line is rarely used. The journey from Chester to Runcorn in total is almost 14 miles in length, although the distance along the curve is only just over a mile and a half.

There are occasional freight workings and one scheduled passenger train service, a parliamentary train, operated by Northern Rail. This replaced the former Liverpool to Llandudno and return summer Saturday train that used the curve up until September 1994. Regular passenger services over the line had previously ceased in May 1975.

A rail user group, the North Cheshire Rail User Group, supports and actively campaigns for an improved service at this station and for this railway line.

The curve is single track and owned and maintained by Network Rail. The crossover to the Halton Curve at Frodsham Junction has a speed restriction of 20 mph, this then increases to 40 mph before decreasing to 20 mph as the line converges with the 90 mph West Coast Mainline near Runcorn.

Frodsham Junction signalbox controls access from the Chester direction, whilst Halton Junction signalbox controls access at the Runcorn end.