edwin_m
Veteran Member
I'm still not altogether sure about Doncaster as a destination though. If resuorces ever become available for augmentation of the Gainsborough to Doncaster service then personally I would suggest a general improvement of Lincoln to Doncaster rather than the stopping service under discussion at present from Cleethorpes via Brigg. There are a lot of ifs here but I would suggest that any reversion to six day operation of the Brigg line would best be as part of a general uplift of services over a wider area. There seems to be a desire for a third path each hour for a fast train between Sheffield and Manchester and also for a second train each hour between Retford and Sheffield; should this ever come about I would expect that the opportunity could then be taken to review the case for Brigg as a part of any revisions. In this respect could not Lincoln gain a through Manchester service in place of the current Sheffield workings calling at Saxilby, Gainsborough Lea Road, Retford, Worksop and possibly one of the Kivetons only with the additional Retford service, some of which could then extend to serve Cleethorpes via Brigg, calling at all stations?
It might just fit in with North West/ North Transpennine Electrification and rolling stock released as this advances; the small 170 fleet springs to mind, for use on the Manchester services, with the stopping services catered for by the consequent release of units currently employed between Lincoln and Sheffield.
That seems eminently sensible to me. A Doncaster-Brigg-Cleethorpes would have to survive on intermediate traffic as the hourly TPE will be faster and more comfortable. Manchester-Lincoln plus Sheffield-Retford-(Brigg-Cleethorpes) creates some new opportunities and also avoids conflicts around Doncaster. However there may be a desire to run more trains between Gainsborough and Doncaster if the Robin Hood Airport station is still an aspiration.