The first main-line train since 1972 has now reached the solum of the abandoned Waverley Route. Just after 14.30 on a wet Monday 13th October, GB Railfreight 66 736 propelled the tracklaying train through Kingsgate Points where the new Borders Railway alignment via Shawfair joins the original route from Millerhill, as shown in David Spaven’s […]
Monday 6th October saw the first rail-laying train on the Borders Railway start work when a Dutch machine began heading south from Newcraighall. CBR’s intrepid photographer waited two and a half hours in a howling gale to record this unique occasion, as portrayed in two photos reproduced here: 2522 – The first rail-laying train on […]
Abellio, a subsidiary of Dutch state railways, has won the new ScotRail franchise it was announced today – and will therefore be the first operator of the new Borders Railway. Leaving aside the issue of whether the new franchise should have been postponed pending potential new transport powers to come to the Scottish Parliament, it’s […]
Just two days after the announcement of a major tourism initiative for the Borders Railway, The Scotsman has revealed to readers that the only way tourist charter trains can be accommodated on the single-track railway will be to reduce the half-hourly daytime frequency of ScotRail services. Much to the frustration of CBR, from as far […]
CBR has welcomed the 20th August Scottish Government announcement of a major push to develop tourist potential on the Borders Railway. Announcing that ScotRail services will begin operations on 6th September 2015, First Minister Alex Salmond also unveiled plans for a “steam train experience” on the line, followed by a “significant expansion” when a visitor […]
CBR has written to Scottish Borders Council, arguing the case for high-quality bus-rail integration on the new railway – not just in Gala, but also at the Tweedbank terminus and potentially from Stow over the hills to Lauder. Setting out an eight-point action plan, CBR Chair Simon Walton’s letter to SBC Leader, Cllr David Parker, […]
CBR’s latest newsletter provides a comprehensive eight-page update on CBR’s recent campaigning activities, news of the progress of the Borders Railway project and Nick Bethune’s reflections on what the loss of the railway meant (and still means) to Newcastleton: CBR — Newsletter #45 — June 2014 website version
CBR has press-released its letter to the Chief Executive of Transport Scotland, flagging up worries over the impact on Borders train service reliability of cutting back double track and not tackling rail network congestion in eastern Edinburgh. The release highlights CBR’s call for Transport Scotland to publish its contingency plans for dealing with late running […]
The May issue of ‘Modern Railways’ magazine features two articles on the Borders Railway – railway historian Ann Glen reviews construction progress, while in a 3,000 word piece rail author and CBR life member David Spaven is strongly critical of Transport Scotland over the reduction in loop lengths and the failure to ‘future proof’ road […]
With construction works well advanced and the railway due to reopen in a little over a year’s time, CBR has taken the opportunity to clearly re-state – for future reference – its concerns about infrastructure provision and service reliability on the Borders Railway. In a letter to the Chief Executive of Transport Scotland, CBR Chair […]
