Waverley Route Bill passes Scottish Parliament

[richard]

This is for the first stage - as far as Tweedbank.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scot ... 077960.stm

Work is due to start shortly and the line is scheduled to open in 2011.

The Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament, with a vote of 114:1 with 1 abstention!


Richard

[Bullhead]

Of course, this is not the first (and probably won't be the last) railway to reopen in Scotland. The Bathgate branch reopened in the 1980s, although this was still open to freight traffic. The Larkhall branch was completely rebuilt and reopened earlier this year; likewise, the line from Maryhill Park to Anniesland. Work is underway on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine line. Plans are being developed to reconnect Airdrie and Bathgate, and completely new rail connections to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports (the latter being a particularly ambitious scheme).

[Colombo]

Richard,

Thats very good news indeed.

I only travelled the Waverley route once and that was mostly in the dark, on my way to spend Hogmanay with friends in Galashiels in 1965. What a night that was!

Colombo

[richard]

I'm too young, but last time I was in Scotland I drove the road from somewhere near Gretna through the Borders to Edinburgh. Very scenic.
I think it could make a good line for steam excursions when it is open all the way. Scenery plus a good stretch for the larger engines!


Richard

[Bullhead]

It will be interesting to see whether the capacity of the line as built will be able to accommodate loco-hauled specials. I can't imagine that rounding facilities could be justified at Tweedbank (the normal service will, of course, be operated by DMUs) so you'd need to "top and tail" these - not that this is necessarily a show-stopper, although platform length may be if these are designed to cater for, say, 6-car class 170 formations. I presume that the majority of the line will be single-track with some passing loop provision, and signalling will be fairly basic (2-aspect colour light, I expect), so its ability to accommodate additional trains of any description and still operate the advertised timetable may be open to question.

Regardless of this, it fills me with optimism that some of the short-sighted railway closures of the 1960's are beginning to be reversed. I occasionally wonder about other routes (particularly in Scotland) which could be reopened. Ayr - Patna/Dalmellington (still open for freight), the Edinburgh suburban line (likewise), and the "Port Road" from Dumfries-Stranraer via Newton Stewart (pure fantasy, that one, I know) being my favourite candidates. Some years ago the reopening of the southern portion of the Waverley route and part of the Border Counties line from Kielder to Carlisle was mooted for timber traffic, but nothing came of it.

Hexham to Allenheads will have to wait, mind.