Waverley Route Heritage Association

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WRHA is currently relaying track south from Whitrope Summit towards Riccarton Junction and has laid almost 3/4 mile to date. Also built is a heritage centre and station at Whitrope: this was formally opened on 18th July 2010.

Stock on site includes Mk2 BSO 9400, ex-Glasgow-Edinburgh push-pull (fitted out as a display coach), Mk1 EMU buffet coach 69316, Mk2F RFO Buffet 1215, a Fowler 0-6-0 diesel ex-Hartlepool Power Station, which is currently being restored and should hopefully be running next year. A small operational Ruston 0-4-0 shunter is also on site, on loan from Rutland Railway Museum.

For the running season that commences on Saturday 30th June 2012 Railbus RB004 will be the traction utilised, on loan from Northumbria Rail, and will provide all runs up & down the line between 1000hrs & 1600hrs.

The official opening ceremony of the Border Union Railway takes place the following day, Sunday 1st July at 1400hrs, and will be carried out by stalwart Waverley Route campaigner Madge Elliot and MSP John Lamont.

The date also marks to the day 150 years since the opening of the original “Border Union Railway”, the North British Railway’s link between Carlisle & Hawick, which joined the Edinburgh & Hawick Railway, so providing a link right through which was known from the start as the Waverley Route.

Current available running line length is only around 1/4 mile, but almost 3/4 mile has been laid and will be opened in stages. With the future potential for several miles of 1 in 75 ruling gradient the line offers some of the most spectacular scenery of any heritage railway.

Border Union Railway, Whitrope, Hawick, Roxburghshire. TD9 9TY

Dates for the 2012 operating season are now online at:

Whitrope Heritage Centre & Border Union Railway opening dates 2012



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