Some time in June 1981 (I forget the exact date but will no doubt unearth the ticket one day) – BBC Radio Blackburn (now BBC Radio Lancashire)
 ran a rail tour for its listeners, which it had hoped would be the first excursion to the Humber Bridge. The plan was for a Class 40 hauled rake of
 Mark 1 TSO’s from Preston, Blackburn, Accrington and Rose Grove to travel to Barnetby and there for a fleet of Grimsby-Cleethorpes Joint Transport
 double deckers (seldom seen outside the boroughs’ boundaries, of course) to take the 400 or so people on board up to Barton, then over the Humber Bridge
 and on to Cleethorpes. They would return from Cleethorpes by rail. In the event the bridge wasn’t ready and the buses were put on to a scenic tour from Barnetby
 to Barton to see construction progress, then a trip through the North Lincolnshire countryside to Cleethorpes for an afternoon by the sea and home in the
evening. Unfortunately no one told the driver about the Barnetby stop until he was approaching the station at some speed and the station’s presenter, the late Jim Slater,
 who was on the footplate, asked the driver if he was aware of the stop to set down at Barnetby…he wasn’t, but a full emergency brake application did the trick!

 Class 40 entering Accrington with the excursion to Barnetby.

Passengers detraining at Barnetby – whenever did the station see such a similar crowd?

Detraining passengers fill the platforms and footbridge at Barnetby on their way to the waiting GCT buses.

 GCT double deckers ready for the journey to Barton and Cleethorpes.

A fine view of Barnetby station and the passengers boarding the line of GCT
double deckers ready for the journey to Barton and Cleethorpes.

We’ll go…once we’ve got a driver for the first bus.

The convoy waits at Barton while passengers view the Humber Bridge.

 BACK