BRIGG HAS A DECENT TRACK RECORD FOR CONSERVING OLD BUILDINGS BUT HERE'S ONE THAT SLIPPED THROUGH THE SAFETY NET

These pictures show a railway station footbridge on the iconic Brigg Line that is being lavishly refurbished.
Sadly, it's not the Victorian cast iron one that adorned Brigg railway station from the 1890s (possibly earlier) until its removal and replacement a few years ago by Network Rail.

The Friends of the Brigg Line kindly emailed us pictures of Worksop station, in North Nottinghamshire.
It was opened at a similar time to Brigg's in the 1840s but has managed to keep its elaborate station buildings and original footbridge.
Our station buildings, including the booking hall and striking portico entrance, were demolished in stages over many years, starting in the 1970s.
The last to go was the former station master's house.
Tellingly, Worksop station is grade two listed.
Brigg's buildings would have survived if action had been taken by the authorities, in the 1970s, to list ours.
Similarly, the Corn Exchange - another Victorian landmark - was never made a listed building, permitting its demolition in the 1990s during the tenure of Glanford Borough Council and prior to North Lincolnshire Council's creation.
Many Brigg buildings and structures have been listed, ranging from the Monument war memorial to the oldest part of what's now Sir John Nelthorpe School.
That building, off Grammar School Road, completed in the 1670s, is the town's only grade one listed structure.
The Exchange Coach House is grade two star rated; the other examples, including the Buttercross, are all grade two.
Network Rail has made a very good job of refurbishing the Worksop footbridge.
Brigg Line campaigner Paul Johnson tells us that work is 95 per cent complete.
He thinks Great Central Railway colours have been employed.
The Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway, whose mainline ran through Brigg, later became the Great Central.
That disappeared in 1923 when the London North Eastern Railway was created.
British Railways arrived in 1948, taking on public ownership of Brigg station...and the footbridge.
Overall, Brigg has a decent track record when it comes to conserving old buildings.
But the railway station is a glaring example of one that was allowed to slip through what should have been the safety net.
The Brigg Line Blog report for December 16 has more about the improvements at Worksop and looks at passenger numbers at our station.
Follow this link to read the report...

Brigg's original cast iron footbridge just prior to demolition.

Brigg station in the 1970s when buildings and sidings were still in place.

A train approaching Brigg station in the 1970s with the former station master's house in view.