After a gap of six months, passenger trains will be calling at Brigg railway station again from tomorrow (Saturday, September 19). And efforts are being made to get people living up to 50 miles away to come to town for the day and visit our shops and other attractions.
Trains were suspended in mid-March when the Coronavirus emergency was declared and the train operator introduced a reduced timetable across the north.
From tomorrow, Brigg will again see three trains calling on their way to Grimsby and Cleethorpes via Barnetby, and also three heading for Sheffield via Kirton Lindsey, Gainsborough and Retford.
Various people and groups are publicising the return of trains along the iconic Brigg line, built in 1848/9 and a major route for much of its life, although that's no longer the case.
Among those helping with marketing is VisitBriggByTrain (through Twitter) @IBLRG
People from South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire and elsewhere in Lincolnshire are being informed about the availability of day trips to our town.
Trains from Brigg - making for Cleethorpes - will depart at 8.59am, 1pm and 4.58pm. Trains to Sheffield, from the far platform, leave at 11.48am, 3.43pm and 7.48pm.
By changing at Barnetby, trips to Market Rasen, Lincoln, Newark and other destinations are possible, returning to Brigg on the last train of the day which leaves Barnetby at 7.43pm.
Brigg's Saturdays-only trains will run into December when the timetable will be reviewed and some alterations to the times may be made.
The Independent Brigg Line Rail Group, which says it works in co-operation with the Brigg Town Business Partnership, has produced a number of online posters to promote the return of the service from this Saturday, as well as setting up a new Twitter and Instagram page.
"This follows the group's no-nonsense, back to basics campaign in which promotion of services, improvements to stations facilities, ticketing & information signage are still the priority," the IBLRG adds.
"You can put as many plant pots as you want on a station; this does not get the public catching trains, it's all about bums on seats and cash in the till at the end of the day."
The group says it "would like to see better co-operation from North Lincolnshire Council, especially when dealing with the dreadful state of the station area at Brigg which still comes under their remit and leads to a continuity of complaints."
NF ADDS: The council has granted planning permission for apartments to be built on part of this land but development is still awaited. The authority is also continuing to advertise for a new operator to restart Thursday auctions in the metal building adjoining the railway station.
Brigg Blog has written a guide about what Brigg Blog has to offer visitors from up to 50 miles away who might not have been many times previously, if at all. You can view it here...