Engineering works have started to take place between Rosset Foot Crossing and Saltney Junction (Chester) Work is believed to last around 38 weeks. GBRF have been running two trains per night with 57306/57312 From Basford Hall to Wrexham General and then onwards to the work site in Rosset, When work is complete the Wrexham General - Chester route will be double tracked from Rosset to Chester and will allow more paths for passenger and freight trains. Here's my footage from last night (04/06/2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziqQIcwKlkM
It is alleged that 1 extra path per hour will become available, but much more needs to be done before that stage is reached, e.g.
>Closure of Croes Newydd and Gobowen & Crewe Jn Signal boxes abolished and control transferred to the Wales Region ROC (Cardiff)
>Absolute block sections removed and replaced with modern LED signalling with axle counter detection, with shorter signal sections.
>Line speed enhancements, sections of 90 mph.
It's all going to happen, eventually!
The question is how the extra path is used. Welsh Government have pondered a few options so far:
Wrexham-Chester-Frodsham-Runcorn-Liverpool
Cardiff-Shrewsbury-Wrexham-Chester-Frodsham-Runcorn-Liverpool
as well as additional services to Manchester/Holyhead/Llandudno via normal route.
I would like to see a local circular service at least considered, e.g. Wrexham-Chester-Crewe-Shrewsbury-Wrexham.
ATW is due up in 2018, so by the time all the infrastructure enhancement is complete, the franchise map will be getting redrawn, probably very substantially.