Waverley Route/Borders Railway

The Waverley Route rates as one of my all-time favourite railways. I have always been drawn to routes such as this, fallen main lines that had they been retained would today be providing a vital link in the transportation network of the UK. Other favourites include the Woodhead Route across the Pennines, the Somerset & Dorset Railway, the Port Road in SW Scotland, and of course, the Settle to Carlisle Railway, the one that did manage to defy the politicians and find a secure future in the end. But back in the '60s, the "visionaries" (in reality, the politicians!) of the day could not see the benefit to communities of retaining a more extensive railway network, and nor did they expect roads to become so overwhelmed with traffic, although some cynics would suggest that they new exactly what would happen! Plenty of "vested interests" back then, as there are today.

When I realised that the likelihood of a partial reopening of the Waverley Route was on the cards I vowed to make sure that I would be there on opening day. The 31 miles of brand new railway opened officially on 6th September 2015 to great fanfare. There is no doubt that this railway has far exceeded expectations as far as usage is concerned, but what a shame that the planners did not ensure that the formation was retained for double track, and the provision of only a single line through some bridges is quite frankly unforgivable. I am sure it will be inevitable that the line will be doubled, and possibly be electrified, at some point in the future, and will cost far more than it needed to be.

But in the meantime, let us be grateful that once more trains will be climbing over Falahill Summit again. Who would have thought it?!