An iconic train visited Brigg on the first day of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee bank holiday.
Inter-City High Speed Trains (HSTs), capable of regular 125mph running and nicknamed Flying Bananas, operated express passenger trains to and from London on various routes from the 1970s through to recent years when they were finally replaced by more modern traction.
We gather Network Rail, which maintains tracks across the UK, has acquired a few HSTs for special duties.
And this explains why one came to be employed along the Brigg line on Thursday (June 2), also passing through Kirton Lindsey, Scawby & Hibaldstow and Kettleby.
Brigg Blog was taking pictures of the Jubilee Beacon lighting ceremony on the Millennium Green when we glanced across to the distant railway bridge over the Old River Ancholme and observed the distinctive shape of an HST heading towards the station and then Wrawby Junction and Barnetby.
We could hardly believe our eyes!
Sadly, the light was too dismal and the train far too distant for us to take what would have been an iconic picture.
For HSTs, being assigned to major routes, never ran along the now little-used Sheffield-Brigg-Cleethorpes line while in revenue-earning service.
We immediately phoned the Independent Brigg Line Rail Group, stressing we had not just returned from a lengthy session on licensed premises!
Within a few minutes a picture - taken by Brian Hall - arrived by email showing the HST at the end of the line in Cleethorpes.
The surprise visitor came through Brigg twice on Thursday, undertaking "track inspection duties."
The last call was officially logged at 9.53pm - confirming our 'spotting' of the unit as it crossed the Old River on Cadney Road soon after the Jubilee Beacon had been lit.
View the full route and detailed times here...
Operating company Northern has suspended the Brigg line's Saturdays-only passenger train service since January, due to staff shortages allied to the Coronavirus. This situation may continue until December when a review is anticipated.
In normal times Northern employs standard diesel units - a far cry from HSTs which, for so long, graced the east coast mainline between London King's Cross and Scotland via Retford and Doncaster.
Talking to other people who were at the beacon lighting, we think we might have been the only 'trainspotter' to observe the distant HST in Brigg on Thursday night.
The HSTs have the honour of being the world's fastest diesels - one loco being clocked at 148mph.
The class survivor which visited Brigg was travelling at a much more sedate speed.
