Improved Brigg Line Service ?

[IBLRG]

Here is a realistic draft proposal for 1 unit and 2 train crew for a Monday to Friday Brigg Line service from the December timetable put forward to the train operator by the Independent Brigg Line Rail Group.

Following feedback, extra stops have been put in at Kiveton Bridge and Habrough.

Services between Cleethorpes and Sheffield have been retimed to provide a guaranteed connection at Retford with London services and also at Worksop for Robin Hood line service, "most importantly" to bring footfall back to the lovely market town of Brigg from the Cleethorpes & Grimsby area, which has been completely obliterated under this present timetable.

There has been many occasions in the last few weeks where the present 0954 Sheffield to Cleethorpes service has been full and standing, this is incredible for a train service that runs just one round trip Monday to Friday.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Needs to run on Saturday also.

 

[30907]

Looks perfectly reasonable - can it be resourced within existing stock diagrams (0854 would seem a better bet than 0750!)?

 

[Iskra]

It would seem a sensible basis for a useable service for more people.

I suppose it all hinges on whether there is a spare unit.

 

[Killingworth]

Operationally it all sounds feasible. Travelling from Sheffield it offers a practical alternative to the TPE service.

I suppose finance is the critical factor. Another unit plus another crew or two brings costs. What income can be predicted to cover them?

Northern claim it costs an average 42p per passeger mile in subsidy. Every one of their routes is subsidised, the best possibly in region of 10p per passenger mile, the worst maybe as much as £1.25.

Commercially if the resource is available might it get a better return elswhere? That applies to all wishes for extra services anywhere. However the likelihood is that this service both now and as envisaged will add to Northern's need for more subsidy. I'm sure they'll be being encouraged to reduce it.

I suspect the new government is going to have to make some hard decisions on cases like this. It's effectively a reopening your railways project on a line that's still hanging on by a thread.

 

[ChrisC]

Whist any improvements to the current service should be welcomed the proposed timetable does not necessarily result in a service that is more useable for everyone.

Bringing the morning departure from Sheffield forward to an earlier time may then result in Off Peak Returns not being valid for many journeys. This could significantly increase fares and actually discourage passengers from using it.

The proposed timetable will make day visits to Brigg possible from Grimsby and Cleethorpes but less attractive from the west. The amount of time it allows in Brigg is reduced or is far too long even on market day. I’ve used the current service for visits to Brigg on Market Day from the Robin Hood Line. The outward journey would mean a wait around 50 minutes in Worksop resulting in having to leave locations like Mansfield extremely early for just a morning in Brigg.

On a positive note it would allow more realistic days out in Cleethorpes with reasonable fares if people were aware that splitting tickets at Brigg can be well worthwhile for many journeys such as from some Robin Hood Liine stations.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Bringing the morning departure from Sheffield forward to an earlier time may then result in Off Peak Returns not being valid for many journeys. This could significantly increase fares and actually discourage passengers from using it..

Good point. The Off Peak Day Return (N.B. There isn't an Off Peak Return) from Sheffield to/from Brigg (route via Retford) is £18.80 and is currently valid after 0859.

(The solitary daily Sheffield->Cleethorpes working, via Brigg, departs Sheffield at 0954, so that's o.k).

If there were a weekday through working via Brigg running earlier than 0900, passengers would likely have to get the Anytime Day Return, which is £22.40.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Bringing the morning departure from Sheffield forward to an earlier time may then result in Off Peak Returns not being valid for many journeys. This could significantly increase fares and actually discourage passengers from using it.

Good point. The Off Peak Day Return (N.B. There isn't an Off Peak Return) from Sheffield to/from Brigg (route via Retford) is £18.80 and is currently valid after 0859.

That's easily resolved if appropriate by only having an anytime fare pitched at the right level for this route.

 

[The exile]

That's easily resolved if appropriate by only having an anytime fare pitched at the right level for this route.

If the off peak is £18.80, the £22.40 anytime fare doesn’t seem too bad.

 

[30907]

If the off peak is £18.80, the £22.40 anytime fare doesn’t seem too bad.

Or you could add an easement to 0854 (0750 is too early anyway for leisure travel!).

 

[IBLRG]

Thank you for everybody's feedback it's been incredibly interesting.

On a note, a reminder that Cleethorpes only gives you productivity between Easter and September, the main important people here are the Communities of Brigg and Kirton-in-Lindsey.

There is currently only 1 unit available that could do more than 1 trip so it's a case of having to do the best with what you've got.

The 0750 departure from Sheffield Midland to Cleethorpes leaves at 7:50 instead of 0754, because they're then is a guarantee 10min connection at Retford for the East coast mainline service to London.

Again the main football from Cleethorpes, Grimsby to Brigg, Kirton in Lindsey and Gainsborough needs redeveloping again.

 

[Gemz91]

Apologies if this is a daft question and not wanting to start a new thread so I’ll pop it in here.

For some reason I had it in my head that the Brigg line only ran on Saturdays. Is this not the case? Or at least no longer the case? I was hoping to use it at the weekend for a football match, but it’s showing as no services running. Does it now only run one train a day Monday to Friday?

 

[hexagon789]

Apologies if this is a daft question and not wanting to start a new thread so I’ll pop it in here.

For some reason I had it in my head that the Brigg line only ran on Saturdays. Is this not the case? Or at least no longer the case? I was hoping to use it at the weekend for a football match, but it’s showing as no services running. Does it now only run one train a day Monday to Friday?

It used to be 3 trains each way on Saturdays only, it was changed in May 2023 to one return trip Mon-Fri only.

 

[Gemz91]

It used to be 3 trains each way on Saturdays only, it was changed in May 2023 to one return trip Mon-Fri only.

Cheers. That’s a shame, looks like I’m 18 months behind on the news.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Any feedback from Northern on this proposal?

I agree that the concept of “peak” fares on the Brigg line is nonsensical and that the service should also run on Saturdays, and ideally on Summer Sundays too.

 

[yorksrob]

Getting rid of the Saturday service was a terrible move, especially in light of the modern, leisure oriented railway.

 

[HSTEd]

Operationally it might make sense, but I am not sure I can see the business case for a train running from Sheffield to Cleethorpes, avoiding the major population/railway interchange in that direction (Doncaster).

If the resources were available I can't help feeling that adding more Doncaster or Sheffield-Lincoln service would do more good.