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The Halton Curve is a railway line in the borough of Halton, Cheshire. It runs from Frodsham Junction (north of Frodsham station)〔(Frodsham Jct via ''Wigan World'' )〕 to Halton Junction (south of Runcorn station), providing a link from the North Wales Coast Line to the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line. The curve is formally known as the "Frodsham Branch" and coded NW 3021 by Network Rail. The line is also coded FJH by railway engineers.〔(Engineers' Line Reference FJH via ''railwaycodes'' )〕 In early 2014, Merseytravel, in a briefing document, recommended that the line should be referred to as the ''Mersey Dee Link'' to counter the perception that "the project benefits fall to Halton and Halton alone".〔http://moderngov.merseytravel.uk.net/documents/s10894/Halton%20Curve%20Outline%20Design.pdf〕 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〔(Aerial view of line ) Wikimapia.org; Accessed 2008-12-18〕 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. Current use of the line is limited, with few, irregular 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.〔Broadbent, S; Article in RAIL Magazine issue 608, pp 33-34〕 Regular passenger services over the line had previously ceased in May 1975, though it was often used as a diversionary route (when the WCML south of Weaver Junction was closed for engineering work) until the early 1990s. 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.〔(Halton Curve Campaign )〕 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. Arriva Trains Wales and the North East Wales Integrated Transport Task Force have recently shown interest in upgrading the line, as a dual track could allow direct services from Liverpool Lime Street to stations on the North Wales Coast Line and also to South Wales via the Shrewsbury to Chester Line and the Welsh Marches Line.〔("Direct rail link between Liverpool and North Wales urged ) BBC News website article; Retrieved 2013-08-29〕 ==History== Whilst the line from Chester to Frodsham was built by the Birkenhead Joint Railway partnership, the Halton Curve was built entirely by the London and North Western Railway. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Halton Curve」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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