2. Railways

The reopened Borders Railway - The Waverley Route

On Sunday 6th of September 2015 the Borders Railway opened to passenger traffic. Three days later on 9th September it was officially opened by HM The Queen travelling in a special train hauled by John Cameron's A4 60009 "Union of South Africa". This is a rebuilt railway on the route of the North British Railway's famous "Waverley Route". The line runs to a terminus at Tweedbank, a new station between Galashiels and Melrose. There is talk of extending the route to Hawick, the last town of any great size along the former Edinburgh to Carlisle railway closed on 6/1/1969.
This is a journey in a southerly Up direction from Edinburgh to Tweedbank so will jump about with dates and rolling stock.
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    Also standing in platform 2 is 158727 switched off. Three services in each direction had to be cancelled to allow the steam specials due to the tight service train timings and the numerous 20mph slowings for the specials affecting them.
    Journey's end and the support crew take on water during the 2 or so hour layover. The design of the station does allow for further extension of the line possibly to Hawick. Busses were laid on for passengers to local places of interest like nearby Melrose as there is absolutely nothing in Tweedbank.....AT ALL!!
    158727 and 60009 stand at Tweedbank. Four days later I did the next trip as part of the support crew and rode on the footplate all the way there and back, just AWESOME!! 17/9/2015.