macy37 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I think in around 5 years you will see a lot of investment having gone into Gala. I don't. This rail link will struggle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 I don't. This rail link will struggle.Time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted October 17, 2015 Author Share Posted October 17, 2015 They've had to cancel trains in the past week and replace them with buses (!!) due to overcrowding - well done Scotfail, nobody does it better . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted October 18, 2015 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Good schooling. 5 vowels, 4 of them the same,........interesting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-35428213 Going well so far despite its limitations - I just hope the passenger numbers are maintained (the first year is too early to jump to any conclusions - I suspect the novelty factor is playing a part) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariokempes56 Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-35428213 Going well so far despite its limitations - I just hope the passenger numbers are maintained (the first year is too early to jump to any conclusions - I suspect the novelty factor is playing a part) Not so sure , yes of course a novelty factor, but i hear of loads of borders folk usibg the train over and over. My lad and pals use it all time and they would never have bothered withe bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 Not so sure , yes of course a novelty factor, but i hear of loads of borders folk usibg the train over and over. My lad and pals use it all time and they would never have bothered withe bus.That's good to hear . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stapes Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I thought I'd rarely use it, but been on it twice into Edinburgh (from Eskbank) and will continue to use it at weekends. Also looking to head down to the Borders on it too - something we would never have done in the car. Wife got it back from Edinburgh one night and said it was packed. Think its popularity will only increase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironbrew Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 Great news but makes mistake of not having double track or electrification even harder to understand. Anyone know if double track is feasible for near future. Certainly hope line can be continued to at least Hawick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckielugger Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 Is original route to Hawick still intact ? (ie not built on) and likewise the route onwards from Hawick down to Carlisle ? Would also be nice to link across to Berwick once again. And how about Dumfries to Stranraer ? Understand Aberdeen to Peterhead & Fraserburgh being looked at and also getting St Andrews back on the railways. Investment in transport infrastructure can only be a winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 At Melrose, the A6091 has been built on the former trackbed (the up platform and its buildings at Melrose remain - they run parallel to the road) - this is the biggest obstacle to reinstating the Tweedbank to Hawick section (although I'd imagine not insurmountable). Hawick to Carlisle would be far more problematic - the former trackbed is pretty much uninterrupted (however, the people that live in the former Hassendean station buildings might not be too chuffed...) but key pieces of infrastructure are now missing or in a dangerous condition e.g. the viaduct over the Teviot at Hawick (the wooden station platforms extended out onto the viaduct), Lynnwood viaduct just south of Hawick (it was demolished in 1982 due to local neds chucking things off it onto the road below) and Whitrope Tunnel (it has partially collapsed). St Boswells to Berwick (which branched off from the Waverley Route and ran via Kelso) just wouldn't be viable, nor would reinstating Dumfries to Stranraer be (the stations on the line were often inconveniently located in relation to the settlements they were supposed to serve). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 Great news but makes mistake of not having double track or electrification even harder to understand. Anyone know if double track is feasible for near future. Certainly hope line can be continued to at least Hawick. There's at least one over bridge (carrying a road) that was shortsightedly built only to accommodate single track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armchair Bob Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 It's slow and expensive but was surprised how busy it was when I use it last November. I predict there will be new housing developments at stops like Shawfair and that is where the future profits will come from, commuters only going a couple of stops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 Hassendean - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffer Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 It's slow and expensive but was surprised how busy it was when I use it last November. I predict there will be new housing developments at stops like Shawfair and that is where the future profits will come from, commuters only going a couple of stops. That's a great prediction seeing as they've been getting built since the railway started being built. Your prescience astonishes me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stapes Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 It's slow and expensive but was surprised how busy it was when I use it last November. I predict there will be new housing developments at stops like Shawfair and that is where the future profits will come from, commuters only going a couple of stops. Around 2007 Midlothian Council and various developers were talking about a huge number of new houses at Shawfair (IIRC it was 3,000 or 5,000 with schools etc - essentially a new town). It got as far as celebratory meals (at which I got a wee whizz around the site in a helicopter) and then the developers temporarily pulled out due to the crash. You can see it's ready to go - park and ride, railway, restaurant, office buildings - just a matter of when. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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