Isle residents to benefit from improved Gainsborough Central rail services

Isle residents are set to enjoy improved public transport with the return of a six days a week service at Gainsborough Central train station for the first time in 25 years
A train at Gainsborough Central StationA train at Gainsborough Central Station
A train at Gainsborough Central Station

After years of campaigning, not only is there to be trains Monday to Saturday they will be hourly, something Gainsborough Central station has never experienced since it opened in 1849.

Residents using the Brigg line through Gainsborough will be amongst those to benefit from the hourly services that arose from the efforts of the North Notts and Lincolnshire Community Rail Partnership, formed just a year ago.

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The new service, introduced and operated by Northern, planned to start in December 2018, will call at all stations between Sheffield and Gainsborough Central. Meanwhile the existing service between Lincoln and Sheffield will become faster as trains will run non-stop between Worksop and Sheffield.

This new service will form a vital link connecting the communities of Sheffield, Worksop, Retford and Gainsborough.

Stagecoach Bus are also looking at ways to positively support and link with these new services.

Chair of the North Notts and Lincs Community Rail Partnership, Barry Coward, said: “Over the past campaigns have tried and failed to restore Gainsborough Central as the town’s principal station.

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“I am delighted that this time, with the co-operation of all concerned a regular service will return, but we have not forgotten the line on to Cleethorpes. The Community Rail Partnership is working on that too.

“Retford and Worksop also benefit by having two trains each hour to Sheffield and Gainsborough, split between Central and Lea Road stations.

“Meanwhile Network Rail has prepared for the new service by renewing signals and points at Gainsborough Central and at Worksop station a major restoration is under way.

“Gainsborough Central station, in its present state, is not fit to host an hourly train service, so watch out for improvements between now and December.”

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The service depends on train units being released from the North-West following electrication of the line to Preston.

Timetables will be finally agreed over the summer and detailed plans for the introduction of the service will be announced then.

The new service is the result of negotiations held over the past year although campaigns to secure a regular train service to Gainsborough Central had been ongoing at various times over the past 25 years.