HISTORIC BRIGG LANDMARK'S RESTORATION ON TRACK

An historic feature of Brigg - removed some years ago - is to make a  welcome re-appearance, and enjoy a new lease of life, as part of a major tourist attraction.
Rather than being sent for scrap when it came to the end of its lengthy working life, the metal footbridge that had spanned the tracks at Brigg railway station since Victorian times was carefully dismantled.
It is now being restored for future use on the Wensleydale Railway - a heritage line catering for tourists.
The Railway Magazine now reports that it is "undergoing refurbishment prior to being brought to its new home." It is to be re-erected at Leeming Bar - the line's main station.
Graeme Pickering contributed a lavishly-illustrated five-page colour feature about the Wensleydale Railway, which operates steam and diesel-hauled trains.
A copy of the monthly magazine was recently passed to us by a fellow railway enthusiast when we visited Brigg's Yarborough Hunt pub.
We were pleasantly surprised to see Brigg getting a mention.
If we'd known the article was planned, Brigg Blog would have been happy to supply pictures of the footbridge when still in use at Brigg station and also some images we took in 2015 while Network Rail was removing it to make way for the modern replacement still in place today for the Saturdays-only passenger train service.
In our last update on this topic in August 2018, Brigg Blog reported that the the Wensleydale Railway had launched an appeal for donations to restore the Brigg Line survivor and install in at Leyburn.
A grant from the Railway Heritage Trust helped transport it from North Lincolnshire to what's known as The Herriot Country Line.
The Wensleydale Railway began operating services in 2003 between Leeming Bar and Leyburn and expanded the service the following year to Redmire. Trains began running to Northallerton West in 2015.
The Million Pennies Appeal is funding the restoration of the former Brigg landmark.
The appeal fund it still open. If you are willing chip in, follow this link for details...
Brigg's footbridge was erected during the era of the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway (later called The Great Central Railway).
The bridge served passengers of the London Northern Eastern Railway from 1923 until the formation of British Railways in 1948, and then did likewise on the nationalised network.
It was carefully dismantled during the tenure of Network Rail and donated to the heritage railway - a very generous gesture.
As yet there's no indication when Brigg's footbridge will be returned to use at its new home.
However, once installed we expect many people from this area to pay the Wensleydale Railway a visit.
It will be wonderful to see the old bridge back in use and playing an important role once again. We'll keep you posted!
PICTURED: The Brigg footbridge in 1970 (above),  with a freight train passing beneath in 2013, and two years later, just prior to being dismantled.