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Galashiels to Edinburgh rail link project officially started

3 March
The project to reopen the rail line between Galashiels and Edinburgh officially started today.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson came to Gala to cut the first sod and activate the act of parliament which allows the scheme to be built.

Read the full story on BBC News.

Also see Hopes rise in the Borders as work starts on rail link by Damien Henderson, The Herald's Transport Correspondent.

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3 March | 6:47:16

Bill Baird says

At long last but with no help from that stupid so called Borders party (Bad choice of name as they are not for the betterment of the Borders). OK it's only coming to Tweedbank but at least that's a lot further than Gorebridge, we will just have to get them to take it all the way to Carlisle after this line is up and running.

3 March | 9:07:13

Joe Scottzep says

Aye, Weel said Bill, and we'll also try and get freight up and running as well. Keep fighting for all of the Border folk not just that wee minority of Luddites.

3 March | 10:52:11

Kevin Poulton says

There will not be freight, but give me an option, rather than the X95 to work in Edinburgh.

4 March | 8:51:09

Bill Baird says

Hi Kevin
This was brought up last week and I only hope the Scottish Office and Transport Scotland along with SBC council leader take it on board and make more space available at Tweedbank to accommodate freight trains to be able to run around and the most important part steam hauled trains to bring visitors to our beautiful Borders Countryside to see what they are missing.

5 March | 12:21:40

david scott says

The important achievement is to get Gala back on the international travel maps. That's what a railway brings (oh and investment, maintenance work, jobs, publicity .....) All Good.

8 March | 12:08:00

KEITH ACKERMAN says

Stop wheengin & wholeheartedly back the railway to Gala. The Border Party should see this as an opportunity for the Borders & not attempt to close the shutters.

11 March | 11:43:08

Kevin Poulton says

Nice idea Bill,

But what freight? There won't be any from Tweedbank. However I am still for the line.

17 March | 8:30:41

Alastair Hutchison says

C'mon, there'll be tonnes of freight for Mr Tesco and Mr Asda, since they've now taken over the old station yard .. if not the remains of the borders and rendered it a heartless consumerist colony - it's the least they can do! .. Apart from the health centre, which can surely get its syringes, condoms and methadone supplies wheeled in by rail instead of potholing the A7 to a pulp. There's progress; there lies our bleak future, with a concrete platform and a bus shelter, no car park, and facility to stow at least 5 bicycles.
Read the small print, pay your hiked council tax, and enjoy the dubious benefits, I do entreat you!

18 March | 9:41:08

Alastair Hutchison says

Can anyone clarify the freight question? Is it simply that the line will not be capable of carrying anything heavier than 2 or 3 passenger railbus units due to weight and structural limitations on the many bridges along its short length?
By the time it has eventually been resurrected, will we have forked-out 10 times the original cost, delivered 10 years late, for a lame horse, incapable of fulfilling its potential?
What prospect of future growth if such limitations are built-in from day one?
Would we consider building a new runway at Edinburgh which was half the length of the old one?
If it's still not too late, we could always hand the entire project over to Hornby!
I ask you! .. Beeching was no fool. Neither was he a romanticist or illusionist with the public purse .. not that we have anything in it still.
But there's always an upside - at least Asda and Tesco could bid to operate the trains, providing a free rail link for pensioners from Stow to their consumer cathedrals, then when the big church which defiantly remains in the other corner of the yard beside the antique bus station finally goes bankrupt, perhaps Morrisons could buy it and then the cost of running the Shoppachoochoo could be split 3 ways. What's to lose?
The future's bright. Let's celebrate.

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