The Borders Rail Project was initiated under the last Labour Government and was given the go-ahead under the previous Coalition Government’s plans to revive the economy. It will be a welcome boost for the Scottish and the UK economies and is now nearing completion.
But now we have a Conservative Government intent on drastic cuts to public spending it is unlikely we will see such socially and economically beneficial investment again for many years to come.
The rebuilt 30½ mile line starts from Newcraighall on the mainline into Waverley and runs up into the Borders Hills terminating at Tweedbank, once home to Sir Walter Scott.
Services between Waverley and Tweedbank will start on 6th September. The jouney time will be 55 minutes and there will be two trains an hour at peaktimes.
The construction costs of £295 million should result in an asset bringing a direct benefit of £33 millioan a year to the local economy as well as wider environmental benefits in the form of reduced CO2 emmissions and road traffic.
The test train is the start of a driver training program but also gives an opportunity to physically check the heights between the train doors and the platforms all along the route.