BRIGG VISITOR TO LIVE ON IN PRESERVATION

A train that picked up passengers in Brigg at the weekend is to live on in preservation.
Some Class 144s built in the 1980s have already been withdrawn and scrapped or will suffer this fate in the near future. But not unit 144003.
Campaigner for greater use of the Brigg line's Saturdays-only service, Paul Johnson explains: "Customers travelling on the 1154 Sheffield Midland to Cleethorpes service via Brigg or the 1511 Cleethorpes to Sheffield Midland service via Brigg (on Saturday, January 4) were travelling on a future preserved train."
Paul says 144003 - "one of the better-built railbuses" - has been earmarked for preservation by the Great Central Railway (Nottingham).
That takes the total number of 'saved' railbuses to six -  one of which has been acquired by the famous National Railway Museum, no less.
This picture - forwarded to us by Paul and taken by Alex Robinson - shows 144003 at Cleethorpes station which is the terminus for trains from Brigg and the starting point for the three return journeys made on Saturdays.
The resort's station is ideally located for people wanting to enjoy a day out at the seaside.
Many families do so, even during the colder months of the year - particularly from South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire.
Basic design diesel units from the '80s are called Pacers by railway enthusiasts and have given very good service for many more years than was originally intended.