TRAIN enthusiasts were invited to watch a locomotive deliver coal to Fiddlers Ferry.

Members of Widnes 8D Association were then given guided tour of the power station.

Terry Callaghan, website editor of the Widnes 8D Association said: “The loco and its train pass through the discharge facility at a steady ½ mph using the slow speed control with an operative inside the facility inserting a key into each hopper wagon and then, using the controls, opening the hopper doors at the appropriate moment.

“The coal then drops into the large hopper beneath the track and is carried away, by conveyor, to the external coal store.

“It is a truly fascinating and slick procedure that requires precision and careful management.”

He said the visit gave his members a rare insight into a specialised function of rail freight for industry.

Fiddler’s Ferry station manager Jack Turner said: “We’re very pleased to have hosted the Widnes 8D Association for a visit to the power station which was made possible because some of the members had previously worked here.

“As Fiddler’s Ferry is a working power station generating energy to supply the National Grid, safety and performance are our main priorities.

“ As a responsible operator we accommodate tours like this only where there is team capacity and a specific interest area – in this case the quite intricate process of train cargo discharge”.