RosscoC Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 By station, you mean platform Will there not need to be 2 platforms? I won't bother buying a return ticket otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondejamtart Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 What was Porters was originally the station house in Gorebridge - my parents lived in it when they first came to Gorebridge. Work is progressing apace now - the tracks are currently being laid through Gorebridge and beyond... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poultry Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 It was porters, now bowling club. Is that you Punky ?? I that's punky aweright. Me i will take in The Bowling club Willmos then on the train happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 By station, you mean platform And shelter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince Buaben Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 When is it due to open? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondejamtart Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Summer 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poultry Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I remember the last train out of Gorebridge, I stood with my Dad at the bottom of the main st on the old bridge and watched as the train crane picked up track as it went along. Looking forward to it's return, down to Gala for a wee cast in the Tweed and a few beers after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkrockcroc Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 It was porters, now bowling club. Is that you Punky ?? No, try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punkrockcroc Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 I that's punky aweright. Me i will take in The Bowling club Willmos then on the train happy days. Poultry is a recognised story teller in Gorebridge, he would sit at the benches and regale us with tales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poultry Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Poultry is a recognised story teller in Gorebridge, he would sit at the benches and regale us with tales. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poultry Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Came out my Dads house on Thursday and could hear the sound of an engine horn weird after 44 years.. I think the track is as far as Harviston now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondejamtart Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 (edited) I remember the last train out of Gorebridge, I stood with my Dad at the bottom of the main st on the old bridge and watched as the train crane picked up track as it went along. Looking forward to it's return, down to Gala for a wee cast in the Tweed and a few beers after. Yes, I remember my dad, who worked for British Rail, taking me up to watch the train crane lifting the tracks too. Strange to see a train back on the line again this week after more than 40 years... Edited October 26, 2014 by blondejamtart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boozyuzi Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Just wondering if anyone had spent money on this route to resurface it as a walkway in the last 40 years or was it left as was, minus the tracks ? I read that some people are hoping that the Penicuik & Loanhead walkways may at some point be turned back into train routes. I use them regularly as dog walking routes so my preference is for them to remain as walkways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cade Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Just wondering if anyone had spent money on this route to resurface it as a walkway in the last 40 years or was it left as was, minus the tracks ? I read that some people are hoping that the Penicuik & Loanhead walkways may at some point be turned back into train routes. I use them regularly as dog walking routes so my preference is for them to remain as walkways. The authorities have said that any ex-rail lines that have been used as walkways over the last 40 years will be replaced with new walkways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondejamtart Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 There were stretches of the line which had been surfaced as proper railway walks - while other stretches had been pretty much left as they were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topcat Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 and yet the sub line itself practically has tumbleweed rolling along it nowadays....new staions could utilised for a shuttle service along it perhaps ? i fitted a kitchen at balcarres street recently,backing onto the tracks, and on an average day you had trundling thru 1 light engine 4 ecs movements 2 freight,the daily steel train and return teeside-ravenscraig(lanarkshire anyway) and aluminium tanks to fort william thats in the space of about 9 hrs vastly underused imo esp with all the infrastructure for passengers there Sounds to me like it could become a tram line instead fairly easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share Posted October 26, 2014 Yes, I remember my dad, who worked for British Rail, taking me up to watch the train crane lifting the tracks too. Strange to see a train back on the line again this week after more than 40 years... Not seen any trains yet but it will be strange to see given it closed to passengers when I was still in Primary school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Fredrickson Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Saw a very long freight train going over the new bridge near Tesco at Hardengreen on Friday. It was going very, very slow - possibly being used to allow the tracks to settle? Also heard the "toot toot" of the trains being tested - our 4 year old is Thomas the Tank Engine daft and he is getting fair excited about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin_T Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Saw a very long freight train going over the new bridge near Tesco at Hardengreen on Friday. It was going very, very slow - possibly being used to allow the tracks to settle? Also heard the "toot toot" of the trains being tested - our 4 year old is Thomas the Tank Engine daft and he is getting fair excited about it. I was under the impression that the opening of the line was slated for September 2015? Sounds pretty far advanced if they are at the stage of allowing freight trains to run on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Fredrickson Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I was under the impression that the opening of the line was slated for September 2015? Sounds pretty far advanced if they are at the stage of allowing freight trains to run on it. I think that it was more to test the track than actually using it to move freight. They have been laying the track very quickly over the last couple of weeks - I am unsure how far it goes but I have seen it from the area round about the Cockatoo to Newtongrange. I havent been down to where the station is in Gorebridge to see if the track is laid there yet. Opening date is/was September 2015 so it may be that a lot of work still needs to be done in the Borders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scots civil war Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 nah,it would have been a pway train yeah permanent way they call it,the railway probably was a class 66 or two, hauling ballast wagons,sleeper wagons,engineering machines etc used in the construction process was it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Fredrickson Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 nah,it would have been a pway train yeah permanent way they call it,the railway probably was a class 66 or two, hauling ballast wagons,sleeper wagons,engineering machines etc used in the construction process was it ? I couldnt see the engines(s) but the wagons all had Network Rail livery on them and looked like closed in coal wagons from my youth The closest a Google search produces is similar to the one in this link http://www.truckandtrack.com/news_item.php?wnID=2271 There was no flatbeds with machinery that I could see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunks Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Will there not need to be 2 platforms? I won't bother buying a return ticket otherwise. Just the one in Gorebridge - it's mainly a single track line. See it here: http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/media/13513/129713-bam-drg-md-000118.pdf And shelter. Optimistic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondejamtart Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 The "freight" trains which have been seen on the line in the past few days are bringing in ballast for the tracks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ribble Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I remember when the Edinburgh to bathgate line reopened it was expected to have 100k passengers per year. So at first it was single track for part of the route, obviously a gross underestimate of passenger numbers as it was dualled, extended to Glasgow via Airdrie and then electrified. I believe it has 4 trains per hour to Edinburgh on weekdays so while it may or not be profitable its is certainly a popular service and public asset. Obviously, the population of Midlothian and the borders is smaller and more spread out than bathgate/livi etc but the building of this line will result in more development through building more affordable housing than is available nearer Edinburgh. The 4 trains per hour is only at peak times I think? I'm on that line everyday from edinburgh to Livi North and to be honest it's never all that busy, especially if I'm on a train home before 5. Only section of the journey that can sometimes be quite busy is between Edinburgh and the Gyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cigaro Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 The "freight" trains which have been seen on the line in the past few days are bringing in ballast for the tracks... Watched one going along the tracks at the bottom of Gorebridge for a few minutes this morning. First one I've seen. Nice to see actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Rail laying now completed. http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/news/2015/january/end-of-the-line-for-borders-rail-installation.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftBack Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Huge waste of money. IMO. Use the money to make A68 dual carriageway all the way and save 20 minutes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homme Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 A fantastic project which will be beneficial for the areas it serves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tott Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 The 4 trains per hour is only at peak times I think? I'm on that line everyday from edinburgh to Livi North and to be honest it's never all that busy, especially if I'm on a train home before 5. Only section of the journey that can sometimes be quite busy is between Edinburgh and the Gyle. The service used to be mobbed. Trains were full before they got to uphall station. The line upgrade and 4 trains per hour has solved the problem. Im sure the borders train will have the same success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restonbabe Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 The service used to be mobbed. Trains were full before they got to uphall station. The line upgrade and 4 trains per hour has solved the problem. Im sure the borders train will have the same success definitely they project it to bring 33 million to the west side of the borders. Its much needed and 40 years in the making. then in 2016 the east coast gets 2 new stations and a link to waverly. It cant come soon enough. 50 minutes right to the heart of edinburgh for half the price of a car journey. it was a no brainer. its going to take thousands of cars off the streets in and around edinburgh and her surrounding area's. Reston and East Linton stations to be built next i for one Cannot wait to get the train up the road. how much is it going to be for a return to tweedbank? hopefully one day they will be able to link the two lines together so its even quicker to get to borders general. still takes us 50 mins in the car!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamdub Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Having lived and worked in the Borders I hope, but doubt this will make a huge difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Having lived and worked in the Borders I hope, but doubt this will make a huge difference. It will make the Gala area more attractive to commuters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Currahee! Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 It will make the Gala area more attractive to commuters. Gala is horrible. I'm coming round to the idea of the train now. Match days from Gala to Haymarket so I can get a pint of 2. Plus trains have toilets which in reality means more pints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Gala is horrible. I'm coming round to the idea of the train now. Match days from Gala to Haymarket so I can get a pint of 2. Plus trains have toilets which in reality means more pints. Gala might well be horrible but houses in the burbs of Gala will be a lot cheaper than in Edinburgh or even Midlothian. Yes, toilets in the train are an advantage after a few beers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Currahee! Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Gala might well be horrible but houses in the burbs of Gala will be a lot cheaper than in Edinburgh or even Midlothian. Yes, toilets in the train are an advantage after a few beers. Just me slagging Gala being from Selkirk. House prices could go up due to commuters moving down but that can be a double edged sword. The toilets are the main reason I'm being swayed towards the trains. Handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homme Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Lovely Maroon railway bridge in Gala though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjack Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Gala is horrible. I'm coming round to the idea of the train now. Match days from Gala to Haymarket so I can get a pint of 2. Plus trains have toilets which in reality means more pints. This would be a better option than getting the supporters from the salmon. Go up for opening time, a few pints in the sample room, game, few more pints, including a last one at dickens and then get on the train to Gala. As long as the trip doesn't get ruined by then having to jump on the bus to Selkirk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ribble Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 The service used to be mobbed. Trains were full before they got to uphall station. The line upgrade and 4 trains per hour has solved the problem. Im sure the borders train will have the same success. In the last 2 years I can honestly say I've never seen the Edinburgh - Livi North part of that route being 'mobbed' (even during the commonwealth games). Even when there have been a couple of cancellations around rush hour I've had no issue getting a seat, it's actually quite rare for it to be busy enough that I have someone sitting next to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Better call Saul Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Rail laying now completed. http://www.bordersrailway.co.uk/news/2015/january/end-of-the-line-for-borders-rail-installation.aspx Didn't they only have two carriages normally on the old route and now they have the really modern trains at least 4 carriadges long ...which helps makes it look not so mobbed plus like you said more frequent . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tott Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 In the last 2 years I can honestly say I've never seen the Edinburgh - Livi North part of that route being 'mobbed' (even during the commonwealth games). Even when there have been a couple of cancellations around rush hour I've had no issue getting a seat, it's actually quite rare for it to be busy enough that I have someone sitting next to me. I'm happy for you , glad you get a seat and all that.. but fact is it still one of scotrails/network rail whoever success stories, the borders will be the same . Looking for failure, jump on a tram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poultry Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Had a wee drive round Harveston and Borthwick the other day, Very impressed with the work being carried out on some of these bridges very skilled masons working on the side parts. Think i read some where it was to open on the 6th of September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poultry Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 A few photos from the other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poultry Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Has anyone managed to get a golden ticket, or know of some one who has for the first journey on Sep 5th. Unfortunately i will be in Shetland this weekend so will miss the opening of this historical event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homme Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 (edited) I'm travelling the route next week during the driver training. Looking forward to seeing it. Edited July 10, 2015 by Homme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scots civil war Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 be interesting to find the top speed on the tracknice to see some double track business goin on from poultry`s pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homme Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 be interesting to find the top speed on the track nice to see some double track business goin on from poultry`s pics Its 70mph apparently. Mostly 40/50 though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinnybob72 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Has anyone managed to get a golden ticket, or know of some one who has for the first journey on Sep 5th. Unfortunately i will be in Shetland this weekend so will miss the opening of this historical event. The missus filled in a form nominating myself and our son and I had a letter in confirming I have tickets. Rumoured to be the steam loco TORNADO on the business end. Or at least in one direction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davemclaren Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 The missus filled in a form nominating myself and our son and I had a letter in confirming I have tickets. Rumoured to be the steam loco TORNADO on the business end. Or at least in one direction! Nice one. Hoping to go on a steam special on the 16th September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Tolbooth Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Has anyone managed to get a golden ticket, or know of some one who has for the first journey on Sep 5th. Unfortunately i will be in Shetland this weekend so will miss the opening of this historical event. There's 4 or 5 on my Facebook all managed to get golden tickets, no idea why mind, I believe you had to be nominated, but can't understand why these folks were nominated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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