DISAPPOINTING DAY FOR SOME BRIGG PASSENGERS BUT THERE WAS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

As heavy rain lashed down, 10 passengers - that's a sizeable number for Brigg railway station - assembled to catch the first train of the day heading towards Barnetby, Grimsby and Cleethorpes yesterday (Saturday, November 4).
Sadly, eight of them gave up the ghost when the diesel unit from Sheffield was halted near Gainsborough due to track or signal-related problems. Two of them are pictured above leaving the station.
Only two people stuck it out and were rewarded when the train finally arrived at platform one 54 minutes late, Network Rail having responded quickly to fix the problem further along the line.
Sadly, the patient passengers missed their Lincoln-bound connection at Barnetby and decided to fill in time by riding through to Grimsby Town to enjoy a bacon sandwich and a cuppa in the excellent buffet on the station.
Brigg Blog was one of these hardly souls and is very pleased to report that prompt action by the on-train guard/conductors made our day.
There was no charge for the ride to Grimsby, and the guard on the subsequent train to Lincoln then issued a ticket in line with what we would have paid for a cheap day return journey from Brigg to Lincoln.
Indeed, there was even enough in hand to help fund the cuppa enjoyed in Grimsby!
So although our time in the county capital was shorter than expected, it still proved an enjoyable day out.
Due to the commonsense approach shown by the conductors, we won't be lodging a complaint or  submitting a claim for recompense.
It's just a shame that the other eight passengers who gathered on Brigg station left the platform with negative thoughts about the train service.
We hope very much that they will give it another go in the future.
There were leaves on the line at Brigg and probably others near Kirton Tunnel on Saturday, but this mulch, coupled with wet rails, was not the reason for the late-running train.
We'll certainly be using the service again and hope that next time the early morning train arrives punctually so the connecting one to Lincoln can be boarded at Barnetby.
The rain had stopped and the sun was out when we got back to Brigg (see picture below) and we walked across town to the Hungry Fishermen restaurant on Coney Court and had a fine feed for six quid and £7 respectively - cups of tea included.

Leaves on the line and also littering platform two at Brigg station.

A train of steel heading through Barnetby, bound for Immingham, on Saturday afternoon.

The late afternoon train at Brigg station - heading for Sheffield via Kirton Lindsey, Gainsborough and Retford.

 

Grimsby Town station on Saturday, where we waited for the train to Lincoln via Barnetby. The buffet is on the platform to the right of the picture, adjoining the booking office.