Borders Railway extension business case due by late 2027


The Borders Railway opened in September 2015

An outline business case for extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle should be delivered by late next year.

Funding for a feasibility study into taking the line past its current Tweedbank terminus was confirmed more than a year ago and campaigners have voiced frustration at the amount of time the process is taking.

A report to Scottish Borders Council (SBC) said it was hoped that consultants could be appointed by early next month.

It said the business case process would take about 18 months to complete although it said it would be working with everyone involved to see if timescales could be reduced.

The Borders Railway between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank was officially opened in September 2015.

There have been repeated calls since then to extend it on to Carlisle.

Both the Scottish and UK governments agreed to share the cost of a £10m feasibility study in 2021 as part of the Borderlands Growth Deal.

Turner and Townsend were appointed as senior project manager in March last year.

Consultancy work to support the strategic outline business case (SOBC) is currently out to tender with appointments expected next month.

That work has been estimated to cost about £1m to complete in order to deliver an "extremely robust" case.

A report will be brought back to the council to confirm the appointment of consultants and a dedicated web page is under development on the council website to provide regular updates on progress.

Borders Railway closures planned for electrification work


Network Rail said the work would reduce operating costs

The first stage of electrification work is set to begin this weekend on the Borders Railway with a series of line closures on the horizon.

It follows a Scottish government announcement in September last year of a £342m investment to electrify routes in Fife and the Borders and introduce new battery‑electric trains.

Network Rail said it would help cut carbon emissions, improve air quality, enhance the passenger experience and reduce operating costs.

Preparatory work will begin on Saturday with a series of weekend closures of the line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank next month.


The reopened Borders Railway between Edinburgh and Tweedbank marked its 10th anniversary last year

The closures are schedule for 14-16 March, 21-23 March and 28-30 March when buses will replace trains.

Lynsey Maclean, scheme project manager at Network Rail Scotland, said: "The Borders Railway was rebuilt with future electrification in mind, which means we can deliver this work with far less intrusive engineering than is required on many older parts of the network, where we often need to lower track or raise bridges. The infrastructure here is already suitable for this next stage of modernisation. Piling is still a vital early step in installing the overhead line equipment that will eventually power electric trains. Our teams have planned the activity carefully to keep disruption to a minimum for passengers and those living near the railway."

She said they were grateful to customers and local residents for their patience. "Electrification will deliver long‑term benefits for the Borders, and this work marks an important milestone in creating a cleaner, more reliable and more sustainable railway for the future," she added.

Mark Ilderton, ScotRail service delivery director, said it was an important step in paving the way for "new, greener trains and delivering a more modern railway". He said they were working closely with Network Rail to keep customers informed and would provide clear alternative travel arrangements.

Yes.

Jacobs did a report into the Northern Route (Plymouth to Exeter via Okehampton) for Devon County which was overly pessimistic. Especially compared to the Greengauge 21 report for the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England. You would have thought they were talking about a totally different railway!!!

They are overly cautious

Fears that a forthcoming report for Transport Scotland will advise against extending the Borders Railway south of Tweedbank have been mitigated by a reassurance that a second opinion is set to be sought in any event.

A transport corridors study by consultant Jacobs UK assessing the viability of extending the 30-mile track by almost 70 miles into England is due to be published later this month, and unconfirmed reports suggest that it will give any such plans the thumbs-down.

However, all hope would not be lost for campaigners calling for the recreation of the old Waverley Route from Edinburgh to Carlisle even in that case as the UK Government plans to have a feasibility study of its own carried out too.

Better food in Galashiels....

the replacement of the unreliable Class 158 diesel trains

inadequate 158s

CELEBRATIONS to mark the Borders Railway were used by Transport Minister Humza Yousaf to announce a package of measures to improve the service.

Despite the line being hailed a huge success regarding passenger numbers, it has been fraught with failures, cancellations, delays and overcrowding.

As the Transport Minister blew out the first candle at Waverley Station on Friday he unveiled a ScotRal Alliance £14 million improvement plan, which will include the replacement of the unreliable Class 158 diesel trains and work on the unreliable signalling system.

Continues

Steam trains should return to the Borders Railway next year despite the disruption they caused, according to Scottish Borders Council.
The service was hugely popular when it ran on the new line for six weeks earlier this year.
However it caused delays and disruption to the main commuter service on the route between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.
Rob Dickson, the council's corporate transformation and services director, said it was a "price worth paying".
About 6,200 passengers travelled on 17 sold-out steam journeys in September and October.
It led to claims of disruption to commuter services from regular passengers.
Rail workers also claimed they had to clear up raw sewage discarded from carriages pulled by the steam engine.

I am sorry I have not made myself clear. My point is that for longer/more trains more stock is needed.  Simply doubling the track adds not one carriage to the system.  There is a chronic shortage of stock across the network.

I believe that the Swanline service was originally much more frequent and was cut back.  My information may be out of date and I stand to be corrected if this is wrong.

As you get to longer trains, though, you also get to the point of other issues such as "are the platforms / loops long enough"

"will people spread out along the train, or all clump towards one end and still grumble even though there are seats in the extreme carriage".  On this latter, it's very interesting to walk through a 125 and see how on certain sectors of certain journeys particular coaches are much quieter, even taking reserved seats skews into effect.

I can't see the connection.

Low-use of Swanline is presumably due to the low frequency on an existing line with faster services every hour at minimum.

Fishguard has a similar low frequency (even fewer services) and I think loadings for the first year were around about what was estimated, rather than being far higher than the estimate in the case of reopenings with better frequency.

Interesting comment, that might I suppose push the single line occupation, but how much is it negated by the fact a longer train of 158s has less frontal area per unit of horse power?

Re:CfN's post above, I note a repeat of the complaint that the services on the re-opened line are often full and standing and that a double track would have obviated that. On paper that may well be true, but there is not the rolling stock currently available even if the infrastructure could support it.

Longer trains would only be marginally slower that the current ones (take longer to go over restricted speed locations)

I only know of one re-opened service that has really not worked (Swanline - stopping service between Cardiff and Swansea) the others being a tremendous success.

Re:CfN's post above, I note a repeat of the complaint that the services on the re-opened line are often full and standing and that a double track would have obviated that.

Borders Railway: Scotland^s symbol of a golden age

On 6 September, trains returned to the Scottish Borders for the first time in 46 years. The opening of the new Borders Railway, running between Tweedbank and Edinburgh, is the longest new domestic railway built in Britain for over a century. However, despite the fanfare and undoubted benefits, can the network cope with growing demand?



When the first passengers stepped on to a train at Tweedbank station on a sunny September morning, it marked the end of what some have called a great injustice. The Reshaping of British Railways, a report by the then British Railways chairman Richard Beeching, saw the closure of the old Waverley Line in 1969, which ran through the Borders from Edinburgh to Carlisle.

This meant that the Scottish Borders was the only region of Britain without a train service. The town of Hawick took the brunt of the problems; its distance from Edinburgh and Carlisle left it as the largest town farthest from a railway station.

"People were condemned to a bus journey to Edinburgh [that took] almost twice as long as the train," says rail expert David Spaven, author of Waverley Route: the life, death and rebirth. "People had very difficult access to jobs and employment opportunities. It took so long to get anywhere. From many perspectives it was a great injustice."

Righting the wrongs of this injustice took many years and hard work - mostly by those in the area and through grassroots campaigning. Some of these campaigns began before the closure in 1969, but the project was given in a shot in arm in 1998, when the Campaign for Borders Rail (CBR) was organised. It has been fighting for the restoration of rail services along the former Waverley route ever since, says the campaign group's chair Simon Walton.

"Many people said that we were whistling in the wind when we attempted to form the campaign in the late 90s," says Walton. "Well, it's taken a long time but we've proved them wrong on that point. I'm glad to say that many of those detractors have said 'we were wrong'."

With the formation of the campaign, 17,000 signatures supporting the restoration were gathered by the CBR. Following this, the Waverley Railway Project was established by Scottish Borders and Midlothian councils to undertake the development of the Waverley Railway Bill, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2006. Main works then began in 2013, with the Network Rail project team working to a budget of ^294m. The finished line runs from Tweedbank, through Galashiels and Newtongrange, up to Edinburgh Waverley.

"In the early days it wasn't a mainstream political project," explains Spaven. "What campaigners had to do was demonstrate, through their own research, hard work and feasibility studies, that the reopening of the railway was feasible. In the early days we certainly felt that it was going to be an uphill struggle."

ScotRail Alliance managing director Phil Verster says this long struggle and subsequent success marks a "huge achievement for those grassroots campaigners, as well as the many hundreds of men and women who have been connected to the project since its inception over a decade ago", adding that it is "historically significant".

The reopening represents much more than just a local grassroots achievement. It provides a chance to reinvigorate, economically and socially, an area that Walton says has been "blighted for nigh on 50 years".

"[The closure] disconnected those communities," he says. "[The loss of the railway] made it pretty much impossible for communities up and down the line to broaden their economic horizons and do what had, until then, been possible. It's far more than simply connecting to a railway network; it's connecting to the whole economic network."

Broadening those horizons can be separated into three areas: tourism, employment, and education.

"I think as many have said, it's absolutely crucial that the railway is literally putting the Borders back on the map," argues Spaven, who adds that the line will encourage more young people to stay in the Borders, "while accessing those [employment and education] opportunities in Midlothian and Edinburgh".

Verster agrees, explaining that a regular train service - running every half hour, except evenings and Sundays - is proving to be popular for social activities. "Sports events, concerts, theatres and restaurants in Edinburgh and Glasgow are now more accessible for residents along the route," he says.

The case is backed by businesses and educational facilities, too. Spark Energy CEO Chris Gauld has said that the railway will make the company "much more accessible from Edinburgh, and a viable alternative to commuting to jobs in Glasgow for IT developers", while the Borders College has outlined how it will provide better access to college courses and facilities for the communities living along the train route.

Scottish Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown has stated that it is a chance to access "new work, learning and social opportunities, as well as new business and industry links".

"I was in a caf^ recently and prior to the line [coming back] it was pretty much on its knees and possibly close to closure," explains Walton. "Now, from opening time, it's virtually impossible to get a seat. Businesses up and down the railway line have said they have seen considerable increases in business, particular in Borders towns like Galashiels."

Despite the undoubted benefits the line has generated the Borders Railway is not without its problems. During the first month of service the route saw more than more than 125,000 journeys, something that drew widespread praise, but has also presented challenges. The soaring demand prompted ScotRail to add extra carriages to certain trains.

Early estimates suggested one million passengers within the first five years, but the indications are that this could be highly inaccurate. Verster says: "The business case for the new route carried out by Ernst and Young in 2012 suggested that the line would carry 650,000 passengers during the first 12 months... but we must not rush to judge the success of the new line based on that post-opening phase."

Walton, who has warned that there was a lack of future-proofing in the design of the route, says one of the main gripes is the lack of double-track. The original specification included over 16 miles of double track, but that has dropped to nine. "I would have to say that the overcrowding and demand does not come as a surprise to the CBR," says Walton. "We said this would be the case and repeated it. Operationally, the optimum would have been to make it a double track railway for its whole length."

Spaven agrees: "We've ended up with far too many incidents of overcrowding and unreliability, which may well put off people from travelling in the future."

Verster argues that the Borders line is no different to other across the UK, which have "seen a decade of unprecedented growth in railway passengers". This, he accepts, generates some significant long-term challenges.

So, how can some of the pressure be alleviated? Extending double track on an operational line is difficult, so Spaven thinks there is room for manoeuvre in the type of train being used; currently the line is served by Class 158s. "I think they [the powers that be] should be aiming to deploy trains that are better suited to the line, the likes of the Class 170s, which are much superior trains," says Spaven.

Nevertheless, such demand does prove the necessity of the Borders Railway. But, that by no means implies that campaigners, such as Walton and Spaven, are sitting still.

"Our campaign motto has always been the reinstatement of the whole Waverley route mainline between Edinburgh, Midlothian, the Borders, and Carlisle," says Walton.

While such an aim may be years from fruition, the momentum, and belief, is now sweeping through the Scottish Borders once more.

They are often 4-car now and very busy, especially between Cardiff, Bristol, and Bath.

Yes, I seem to recall as part of that they thought they could reduce the Cardiff Portsmouth services back down to 2 cars, just a couple of years after Wessex Trains had increased them to 3.  I still can't believe how anyone thought that was ever going to work.

Don't I remember a franchise bid in 2006? somewhere further south that released some units they 'did not need'.

SCOTRAIL is so short of trains following the opening of the Borders Railway that it may be forced to hire extra carriages to cope with booming demand across the network.

Travellers on the line have complained of overcrowding ^ as have commuters on routes across the Central Belt.

Other packed services include the North Berwick and Dunblane lines into Edinburgh, and the Ayr-Glasgow route.

Not sure if the source is accurate, but I've read in the past that there is one loco which can run tender-first at 60mph (see here).

Running backwards 'tender-first' is limited to 45mph, so steam haulage both ways would almost certainly require a turntable as well - an expensive prospect, and not one that could be justified without knowing how successful these trips prove.

I'd also suggest that a run around facility near Tweedbank should be high on the list of future enhancements, to avoid the need for two locos and enable steam haulage both ways, which would reduce costs and increase the attractiveness of the steam proposition. 

Celebrate the new line and the service - work out the initial issues and get on with it 

Borders Railway complaints over delays and overcrowding

Delays and overcrowding have plagued the Borders Railway^s first week, deterring passengers from using the new service, campaigners have claimed.

Many trains have operated with just two carriages, despite operator ScotRail^s pledge to run longer services to meet demand after the line^s high-profile official opening by the Queen.

Passengers have expressed anger at trains being so full they have been unable to get on. Other problems include ticket machines not recognising the line^s seven new stations.

Over half the 35-mile, ^350 million route is single track and operated largely by ScotRail^s diesel trains, most of which are awaiting refurbishment.

Monitoring by the Campaign for Borders Rail (CBR) showed a ^significant proportion^ of trains since the opening on Sunday, 6 September had been more than ten minutes late, and some up to 17 minutes late over their one-hour journey.

Members reported passengers standing all the way between Edinburgh and Tweedbank, which is between Galashiels and Melrose. Delays have increased by the extra time taken for passengers to get on and off crowded trains.

CBR chairman Simon Walton said services had been ^less than perfect^.

No, it was dragged by a 67 on its return
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCm4g5cZEJ0

Borders Railway complaints over delays and overcrowding


Borders Railway has been plagued with complaints regarding overcrowding and delays in its first week of service. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Delays and overcrowding have plagued the Borders Railway^s first week, deterring passengers from using the new service, campaigners have claimed.

Many trains have operated with just two carriages, despite operator ScotRail^s pledge to run longer services to meet demand after the line^s high-profile official opening by the Queen.

Passengers have expressed anger at trains being so full they have been unable to get on. Other problems include ticket machines not recognising the line^s seven new stations.

Over half the 35-mile, ^350 million route is single track and operated largely by ScotRail^s diesel trains, most of which are awaiting refurbishment.

Monitoring by the Campaign for Borders Rail (CBR) showed a ^significant proportion^ of trains since the opening on Sunday, 6 September had been more than ten minutes late, and some up to 17 minutes late over their one-hour journey.

Members reported passengers standing all the way between Edinburgh and Tweedbank, which is between Galashiels and Melrose. Delays have increased by the extra time taken for passengers to get on and off crowded trains.

CBR chairman Simon Walton said services had been ^less than perfect^. He said: ^We did expect ScotRail to honour pledges to lengthen all trains in the early weeks to cope with demand - but that hasn^t been the case, with many running in the very minimum two-car formations and consequent overcrowding on some services.^

Robert Drysdale, an Edinburgh planning consultant who has travelled on the line several times, said: ^It was particularly important to get first impressions right, but I suspect there has been a lot of alienation.^

Rail consultant David Spaven, author of ^Waverley Route - the battle for the Borders Railway^, said: ^There have been too many late trains, compounded by too many being just two coaches long ^ unforgivably, even during peak hours. Astonishingly, there have been no special managerial measures put in place by ScotRail to oversee the critical first few weeks of operation. This is the crucial period when passengers new to rail decide whether or not to stick with the train, and too many will now have been put off by their first underwhelming experiences.^

ScotRail said disruption had been caused by factors including a train breaking down, signal problems, high passenger numbers and disruptive travellers.

A spokesman said: ^Thousands of people have flocked to use the new line, and despite extra carriages being added to many trains, it has been particularly busy on board some services, as expected. At times this has caused delays while these unusually large numbers of customers board and alight. In addition, there has been other disruption at times and we apologise to anyone whose journey has been delayed this week.^

The train operator said it was ^working hard^ to fix the problem which had prevented passengers buying Borders line tickets from a machine at Waverley Station in Edinburgh.

I didn't see the news but was told it pulled the train chimney first  in both directions.

I would agree, but having built the facility to have charter trains at Tweedbank, clearly the promotors of the line have recognised that they do have a role to play.

Due to the high density of scheduled services along the mainly single track branchline it is only possible to get our classic loco hauled train through to Tweedbank and back before the first services start in the morning.

To my mind steam excursions, much as I like them are not what this line is about. 

No buildings, but they've built the access road to the station car park just beyond the end of the platforms. So again, to do what you suggest would now be very expensive, but if built into the design at the outset, much less so.

IT^S only been operating for a few days ^ but there^s no doubt the Borders Railway has already picked up a firm fanbase.

And now the Scottish Government has admitted it is ^committed^ to helping extend the line to Carlisle.

No buildings, but they've built the access road to the station car park just beyond the end of the platforms. So again, to do what you suggest would now be very expensive, but if built into the design at the outset, much less so.

I'd also suggest that a run around facility near Tweedbank should be high on the list of future enhancements, to avoid the need for two locos and enable steam haulage both ways, which would reduce costs and increase the attractiveness of the steam proposition. 

It's a shame that the requirement to handle excursions and specials (of which Ma Windsor's was one of many to come) was not factored into the build, if (as politicians are telling us) these are to play an important role in the future of the line. I wonder how much they saved by value-engineering it until the pips squeaked?

Did the train wait to make the connection?

Yes, it did reopen today - about 40 minutes late.  Not the railway's fault.  The Queen's helicopter to Edinburgh was delayed by low cloud/fog.

Am I alone in finding it a bit ironic that they're celebrating / looking forward to the future pulled by an anachronistic and CO2 unfriendly piece of equipment that was in service at the time the line was closed.

On the historic day the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be joined by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on a steam train travelling along the new route with celebrations planned for the start and end of the journey.

Queen to mark becoming longest reigning monarch with railway visit

The Queen will carry out an official engagement on the day she becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history ^ opening the new Scottish Borders Railway.

On September 9, she will pass the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

Buckingham Palace has calculated that Queen Victoria reigned for 23,226 days, 16 hours and 23 minutes, taking into account 63 years, 15 leap days and the precise timings of her accession and death.

On the historic day the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be joined by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on a steam train travelling along the new route with celebrations planned for the start and end of the journey.

The ^294m railway, which opens to the public on Sunday September 6, will re-establish passenger services from Edinburgh through Midlothian to Tweedbank in the Borders for the first time in more than 40 years.

Keith Brown, the Scottish Government's cabinet secretary for infrastructure, said: "It is a great honour for us that Her Majesty has chosen to mark this milestone by leading the celebrations for the opening of the Borders Railway. The people of the Borders and Midlothian have waited almost half a century to see the return of their railway and it is fitting that these two such historic events coincide. This will be a double celebration and we are also ensuring that the people who have campaigned, worked hard and shown such patience throughout this process are able to play a full part in the celebrations, with a separate day dedicated just to them."

The day will begin with the Queen and Philip arriving at Waverley Station in Edinburgh to board the train drawn by the steam locomotive Union of South Africa.

With Ms Sturgeon they will travel the new route, stopping off at Newtongrange in Midlothian before carrying on to the final station on the new line, the Borders town of Tweedbank.

Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: "Royal connections to Scotland are incredibly strong, and so there is no better place to be than our wonderful capital city, launching one of our most exciting new attractions ^ the Borders Railway. The new Borders Railway, which delves deep into Sir Walter Scott country, presents a huge opportunity for Scottish tourism."

He added: "The romanticism captured by the steam trains that will be travelling on the line for the first six weeks after opening will give the route added value, following in the tracks of the Jacobite steam train journey from Fort William to Mallaig which welcomes thousands of visitors every year."

Work started on the Borders Railway in 2013 with the last bridge installed in May this year and driving and conductor training beginning the following month. Seven new stations have been constructed along the ten-stop route.

It was built by Network Rail in partnership with local authorities from the area, Transport Scotland and the main contractor, construction group Bam Nuttall, with services run by ScotRail.

The timetable has been published - it's getting close!

http://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/122963_newcraighall-edinburgh.pdf

So you can see why they'd be a bit miffed that they still have to take the bus.

PENSIONERS and disabled ^people living along the Borders Railway will be denied cheap fares unlike those using nearby lines, The Scotsman has learned.

Midlothian and Scottish Borders councils confirmed they will not offer discounts to residents using the Edinburgh-Tweedbank route due to open in September.

By contrast, people over 60 or with disabilities in neighbouring East and West Lothian receive a range of discounts, such as half-price travel on local lines.

A total of 282,000 journeys were made using the West Lothian scheme last year and 136,000 in East Lothian.

Rail noise expected in the Borders

Rail chiefs revealed they expect to get complaints over the noise of the engines involved in laying the track for the new line between Edinburgh and the Borders.

However, they insisted that the trains which will eventually run on the line when passenger services begin in September next year will be much quieter.

The Borders Railway, which runs between Tweedbank and Edinburgh, is expected to be laid by the end of the year with driver training and testing of the track due to start in the spring.

Speaking at this month^s meeting of Galashiels Community Council, Jonathan Hepton, the Borders Railway community liaison manager, said: ^It may be that this track laying train will attract some complaints as it hangs around and sounds its horn, but it^s not the same as the trains which will carry passengers on the line.^

The meeting heard that VisitScotland planned a special advertising campaign to promote the Borders Railway in a promotional campaign in 2015/16 and, before then, a train would be made up in special livery in advance of the line reopening.

The new line reached the Borders last week and is expected to reach the region^s first station at Stow on November 21.

When asked if the railway was still on course to be completed in time, Mr Hepton said: ^There is no indication that it^s not going to schedule, everything seems to be going very well.^

The meeting was reminded that a return fare between Edinburgh and Tweedbank would cost ^15.70 at peak times and ^13.10 at off-peak times, although under fives travel free, children get 50 per cent and rail card holders could get up to a third off their fares. Community councillor tom Ingoldsby said it was ^reasonable^ in comparison to the cost of petrol and parking in Edinburgh.

Gala in Bloom has confirmed it will adopt the new station platform in Galashiels to spruce up the entrance to the town. Chairwoman Judith Cleghorn said: ^I don^t think there is a lot of room for decoration on the platform but we^ll certainly do something.^

Borders Railway on Course for Completion as Main Track-Laying Begins
Thursday, October 9, 2014

Work has now begun to install almost 30 miles of rail on the Borders Railway as the project enters the main phase of track-laying on the new route.

Transport Minister Keith Brown and Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, visited the newly-constructed Shawfair station today (Thursday, October 9) to officially launch this important phase of the track-laying programme.

By the end of the year, a state-of-the-art rail installation machine ^ capable of laying over 1km of track per day ^ will complete the Borders route.

The machine, operated by main contractor BAM, will install rails onto 90,000 sleepers laid out along the route and link up specialist sections of track that have already been installed at key locations.

The longest new domestic railway built in Britain in over a century, the Scottish Government-funded project will re-establish passenger services for the first time in over 40 years from Edinburgh through Midlothian to Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders.

Transport Minister, Keith Brown said:  ^This project isn^t just about building a railway ^ it^s about restoring links for communities that will result in employment, study and social opportunities. The installation of the tracks sees that long-held aspiration for the Borders and Midlothian becoming a tangible reality.

^With construction due to complete next summer and the line to enter service on September 6, 2015, the new railway will offer a fast and efficient alternative to the congested local road network allowing passengers to travel from Tweedbank to Edinburgh in around an hour at peak times.

^This time next year, for the first time in almost half a century, people will be travelling by train between Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Borders ^ a hugely proud achievement for those who have worked so hard to deliver this railway and an exciting development for these communities.^

Mark Carne, chief executive of Network Rail, added: ^The installation of track on this route puts rail services within touching distance for thousands of potential passengers in Midlothian and the Scottish Borders.^

^By the end of this year, rails will connect seven stations along the route to the national railway network for the first time in forty-five years. When services start running next September, the railway will form a new economic artery for the region, providing opportunities for employment, education and tourism. ^

Once the rails are in place the project team will install signalling and communications equipment as well as complete the construction and fit-out of seven new stations ^ at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank.

With construction due to complete in the summer 2015 and the line to enter service in September 2015, the new railway will offer a fast and efficient alternative to the congested local road network allowing passengers to travel from Tweedbank to Edinburgh in around an hour at peak times.

The railway is expected to deliver major economic and social development opportunities ^ connecting people to jobs, housing, leisure opportunities and other facilities. The project is a key part of the Scottish Government^s wider programme of investment in transport infrastructure, working towards the sustainable economic growth of Scotland.

See http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/ for more details and regular updates

Borders Rail steam train tourism plan


First Minister Alex Salmond at Eildon Mill this morning. Picture: Johnston Press

The long awaited Borders Railway will be operational from September 6 next year it was announced by the First Minister today, with plans for a steam train experience to operate on the line.

Alex Salmond announced future plans for a feasibility study of the Borders Railway, to look at how the railway will transform the tourism potential of the region.

The study, led by Scottish Enterprise in partnership with VisitScotland, Scottish Borders Council and Transport Scotland, will look at tourist opportunities from any future development of the line.

This includes the potential for a turntable and the creation of a permanent home at Tweedbank Station for the Great Tapestry of Scotland, the world^s longest embroidered tapestry, reflecting the textile heritage of the area.

Plans were announced to maximise the tourist potential of the line by introducing a steam train experience which could benefit the local economy by million of pounds a year. The steam train experience will start as early as September 2015. The intention is for a significant expansion as the tapestry centre opens in 2016.

Speaking from the site of Tweedbank Station, the First Minister said: ^From September 2015 -- for the first time in almost half a century -- there will be passenger train services running on this track. For commuters and tourists alike, the reopened line will provide opportunities to enjoy the many fantastic attractions and experiences on offer in the Borders. We can expect the Scottish economy to benefit by tens of millions of pounds from the regular train line.

^The feasibility study will look at how the area can benefit from the railway. With a dedicated tourist service and the attraction of the Great Tapestry of Scotland to be based at Tweedbank, more people than ever will get to visit and enjoy Scotland^s stunning Borders. There will be few railway journeys anywhere in Europe to match the outstanding scenery along the route of the new Borders Railway. I have no doubt that Borders Railway will be profoundly successful and I will be one of the first in line for a ticket when the trains are running in September next year.^

Other measures have also been announced to help boost the potential tourism brought by the new railway, such as extending the platform at Galashiels Station to accommodate a longer train -- allowing passengers to alight and explore the town - as well as a path being constructed to connect Newtongrange to the National Mining Museum.

There will also be Wifi connectivity available at all seven stations on the route of the railway

A train will be covered in special livery advertising the tourist potential of the Borders.

Council leader, Councillor Owen Thompson welcomed the news that Transport Scotland is to fund a path directly from the new station at Newtongrange into the National Mining Museum Scotland.

He said: ^The 5 star mining museum is just one of scores of attractions here in Midlothian. We sit just 10 miles south of Edinburgh city centre and the county is steeped in history, picturesque villages and wonderful scenery. The station itself will potentially bring enormous economic benefits to the area and to hear Transport Scotland is now funding a path straight to one of our most fascinating museums is great news for the museum in particular and tourism in general. I am looking forward immensely to the re-opening of the railway when the museum and lots of local businesses will be making visitors, new and old, very welcome.^

Catherine Maxwell Stewart, Tourism Business representative on the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership said: ^The Borders Railway offers a fantastic opportunity for local tourism businesses to attract new visitors to the area and to offer them exciting, new experiences.^

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said: ^The scenery from Edinburgh through Midlothian down to the Scottish Borders and back again is remarkable and I have no doubt that visitors will make the journey just for the experience as well as to visit the many attractions along the way, including the National Mining Museum Scotland at Newtongrange and Abbotsford House. The romanticism captured by steam trains will give the route added value, following in the tracks of the Jacobite steam train journey from Fort William to Mallaig which welcomes thousands of visitors every year.

^We are excited that we are moving ever closer to the launch of this magnificent new line and will be working with partners over the coming months to ensure the tourism potential of the Borders Railway is fully realised, encouraging visitors to explore yet more of Scotland^s beautiful urban and rural landscapes.^

Alistair Moffat, co-chairman of the Great Tapestry of Scotland Trustees said how it would be ^fitting and satisfying^ to see the tapestry return to the Borders, where it was started, after it has been ^stitched by a thousand Scots^.

The first rails of the Borders Railway were laid last week in Bowshank Tunnel near Galashiels.

The project is set to cost ^350 million.

The Scottish Borders (plural) is a distinct region and indeed has a council of that name, so it's not unreasonable for the railway to be called the Borders Railway.

Clearly a major issue for the scheme though. One more reason for the detractors to knock it.

It has emerged there is still some dispute over whether it should be named the Borders Railway or the Waverley Line - after the original line which was closed in 1969. It follows a debate over whether to call the terminus Tweedbank or Tweedbank Abbotsford.

Speaking at this month^s meeting of Galashiels Community Council, Councillor John Mitchell, who represents the area on Scottish Borders Council, said: ^It will be the Waverley Line when it goes to Hawick and Carlisle.^ However, community council chairman, Ian Purvis, pointed out the new line to Tweedbank, which takes its name after the Waverley Novels by Sir Walter Scott and is due to be completed in around 12 months time, should make the most of its connections to his former home at nearby Abbotsford House, now a world class visitor attraction.

Housing levy cash falls short as railway payment day looms for SBC

The bill for the Borders Railway is, according to last year^s estimate from Transport Scotland, due to top ^353 million when trains finally start running next September.



And although construction work is half completed, Scottish Borders Council has so far not paid a penny towards the cost of the project.

That surprising revelation has come in a response to a Freedom of Information enquiry which asks simply: ^How much has the council spent on the Borders Railway project to date?^

The terse reply states: ^SBC has not spent any money on the railway; the project to date has been grant funded by Transport Scotland.^

Back in 2004, the council agreed to commit ^7.4 million over the first 30 years of the project, the cash to be raised from ^developer contributions^ levied against successful planning applications for new houses which would benefit from the railway.

Last December, the council sanctioned the use of ^250,000 towards the design of new stations. And as recently as last month, the council agreed to spend ^190,000 over two years on the appointment of two new officials to manage ^benefits realisation work^ linked to the railway^s delivery.

Seeking clarification of when these moneys will be spent, the Border Telegraph has discovered that, so far, just ^810,000 has been raised in railway-related developer contributions. And the council^s phased funding commitment to the project^s construction has risen to ^8.7 million.

Levied originally in the Central Borders Housing Market Area (HMA), developer contributions were extended to the North Ettrick and Lauderdale HMA in 2006 when the railway legislation confirmed the inclusion of a station at Stow.

The current contribution per new residential property in these areas has been set at ^1,734 per unit.

A council spokesperson told us: ^The costs of the initial enabling works and project development costs have been funded in full by Transport Scotland. As part of the future funding package, SBC, along with Midlothian and the City of Edinburgh councils, is due to pass developer contributions to Network Rail to part-fund the costs of the railway.

^SBC contributions total ^8.7 million over the next 30 years. The first payment of contributions totalling ^1 million is due one year after the first train runs and the council has already collected the majority [81 per cent] of the sum due. The remaining contributions will be collected and passed to Network Rail based on an annual payment schedule which can be flexed if there are any delays or accelerations in the collection of developer contributions.

^Last year elected members approved a range of projects including expenditure of up to ^250,000 - funded by the return of surplus police and fire reserves from the former Lothian and Borders joint boards - to deliver a range of enhancements to the fabric of new stations in the Borders. So far it has been possible to negotiate these enhancements with Network Rail without drawing on this funding.  In the event that the money is not required to enhance stations, a further report will be submitted to council seeking members^ views on the deployment of these monies to meet priorities.

^A total of ^95,000 per annum has been identified by the council for two years to help co-ordinate delivery of the benefits of the Borders Railway. The funding will be used to pay for staff time to co-ordinate a range of economic development projects, including railway linked inward investment and the promotion of the region as a place to do business.

^Other activities include visitor marketing, transport linkages and the development of strategic business sites. The funding will ensure over the next two years that the economic benefits of the railway investment are maximised. The additional staff resource will be put in place as soon as possible.^

Finally, the Border Telegraph wanted to know who will pay for road, bridge and other infrastructure repairs resulting from the railway^s construction. The spokesperson told us: ^SBC wrote on Jun 17 to [main contractors] BAM Nuttall expressing its concerns over the state of some roads affected by the Borders Railway project and have sought a response from BAM on a joint agreement to remedy this situation as a matter of urgency. Both parties will continue to work together constructively to ensure the best possible outcomes.^

Members of the Capital Rail Action Group (Crag) are of the belief that running trains through Portobello would dramatically reduce journey times for those travelling in and out of the city centre ^ a five-minute train ride compared to a 30-minute bus service.


Bid to re-open Portobello railway station


The Talisman Express passes through Portobello Station. Picture: TSPL

Campaigners are pushing to re-open Portobello Railway station to the public 50 years after a decision was made to close it.

The station has not been in use since 1964, but would be reopened under ambitious proposals being put forward by Portobello Community Council.

Engineering issues and cost had previously derailed bids to revive the station, but it is understood the Borders Railway project will soon resolve one of the main obstacles.

Portobello Junction is to be remodelled to allow for a greater frequency of trains and campaigners are hopeful any upgrade work will allow for a station reopening.

All that remains is the station master^s house, which sits at Station Brae, off Brighton Place.

Portobello community councillor Max Blinkhorn said: ^It^s early days but the Borders Railway remodelling should lead to costs coming down significantly. There would obviously be other hoops such as having to prove that a Portobello Station would be worthwhile and attracting necessary funding, but there^s a real appetite for it locally. It would make Portobello and the promenade a real destination. It would be a great thing for the area.^

Portobello station was originally closed as part of the swingeing cuts to the network following the publication of the Beeching Report in 1963.

Members of the Capital Rail Action Group (Crag) are of the belief that running trains through Portobello would dramatically reduce journey times for those travelling in and out of the city centre ^ a five-minute train ride compared to a 30-minute bus service.
 Portobello is by no means the only local community looking to reopen its old rail station. In East Lothian, East Linton residents have been asking for a rail service linking them to Edinburgh for years.

It would appear that the Scottish Government is listening as it has asked companies bidding for the next ScotRail franchise to include the cost of a Berwick-upon-Tweed to Edinburgh service stopping at new stations at East Linton and Reston, in the Borders.

A report commissioned by the South East Scotland transport partnership has also been published showing that such a service has a strong business case and would be possible without disrupting London trains.

Rail operator Network Rail said at present it has no plan to reopen Portobello Station but remains open to Scottish Government instruction or any third party bid.

A Network Rail spokesman said: ^We are always open to discuss third-party proposals to enhance the railway, but any project of this nature would have to be supported by a viable business case, have a funding package and meet a clear need.^

The station was opened in 1846 by the North British Railway. During its lifetime it was served by most passenger trains running out of the east end of Waverley including stopping trains on the Berwick and Carlisle main lines and through trains to towns such as Musselburgh, North Berwick, Gifford, Penicuik and Dalkeith.

There was also a service to South Leith from a separate platform. Following the opening of Leith Central in 1903, the South Leith service was rapidly run down and withdrawn in 1905.

Originally Portobello was not included in the list of stations proposed for closure in Dr Becching^s Reshaping of British Railways report of March 1963, but was added later and closed on September 7, 1964.