Talks to extend Borders Railway to Hawick and Carlisle

[Saieditor]

Bit harder here in Australia. In some states, they rip the ROW up when the line is closed.

 

[JCitron]

Bit harder here in Australia. In some states, they rip the ROW up when the line is closed.

They do that here too and even turn many of them into bikeways with no chance of ever seeing rails again.

- Bobby, I am jealous now definitely!

Let's hope she sticks with her word.

John

 

[rjhowie]

Yes John I do hope she sticks to her word too as she can be a bit pompous and when things don't happen will come out with the stuff that she is working on it! However ignoring her usual patter, I do think that there may be something tangible on this railway matter. Now what she has to do is get on to set up the group or commission whoever to look at the next part of the line. The re-opening for over 30 miles to Tweedale has been an excellent success and well used. Fortunately although there is no track beyond the present terminus the track beds is still there so the physical basis for bringing back more is there. The towns south of Galashiels and Tweedale are keen to see the track back and I remain optimistic.

You unlucky people in the ex-colonies across the pond and down under are unlucky! Just think - we have had 4 lines brought back and were out of action since the 1960's I will now have a glass of Irn Bru (Scotland's favourite soft drink) to celebrate and commiserate for you John!

Bobby

ps The Border Line was completed by the set date and within the cost just to increase the jealousy.

 

[rjhowie]

Here is an interesting tit-bit.

Seems that the discussions on the rest of the Borders Line to Carlisle has raised a suggestion. This is that if it was ever to come to pass they should not follow the old trackbed through Newcastleton but veer slightly through another village with a slightly more built up area..

 

[rjhowie]

And another interesting tit-bit.

The other day it happened to change tv channels to the BBC parliament one and it was a Scottish Parliamentary Committee in Edinburgh interviewing a ScotRail boss. Normally although a Scot I don't usually watch the Hollyrood parliament thing as it is as boring as you-know-what (!) but he was asked at one short point about the Borders Railway, etc. He was very positive and he also commented very well on any thought of going on to Hawick or as he put it further (Carlisle?). My longer term hope is that with the great success of the first 33 or so brought back miles the possibility of extension may still be open.

Although a different corner of Scotland there was a petition down in south west Scotland to bring back the lifted line from Dumfries to the line into Stranraer. However there will be no hope of that I don't think being less populated in places and it only got 1,500 signatures.

 

[JCitron]

That good news especially if the politicians are interested in restoring the line to Carlisle. (Fingers crossed).

Interesting that the line has to be relocated at one place. A commuter line was relocated when it restored over here. The Greenbush line out to Cohasset was relocated through Hingham from the downtown to a tunnel because the NIMBYs didn't want the trains travelling through the town center. This of course caused a big delay and cost more to start the service.