Campaign for Borders Rail Newsletter
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Newsletter 63 September 2020 A Class 385 electric multiple unit (EMU) emerging from Millerhill Depot onto the former Waverley Route tracks at Newcraighall. (c) John Furnevel. Electrification and capacity enhancements in the pipeline for Borders Railway By Nick Bethune Flashback to 9th September 2015: HM The Queen officially opens the Borders Railway at Tweedbank, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. (c) Alwyn Johnston THE drive to extend the railway onward to Hawick and Carlisle may have a higher media profile, Celebrating five years’ success but CBR’s campaign for ‘A Better THE Campaign releases a cab ride is spectacular, the brand Borders Railway’ is also making definitive DVD Box Set to mark new documentary is unmissable, significant progress. the fifth anniversary of the and you can also relive the The Scottish Government’s Rail Borders Railway. remastered Borders Railway Start to Finish series. Most of all, I’m Services Decarbonisation Action Since Queen Elizabeth cut the looking forward to adding this set to Plan published on 28th July ceremonial ribbon on 9 September my collection.” proposes a rolling programme of 2015, over a million people a year electrification for most of Scotland’s have followed Her Majesty down The chronicle of the building of network over the next 15 years, the Tweedbank red carpet and on Britain’s longest domestic railway including the Borders Railway. to the Borders Railway. in over one hundred years is produced by long-time supporter continued p3... Right royal campaign celebrations and TV presenter Stuart Cameron. to rally support for extension to IN THIS ISSUE “We’ve been out meeting everyone, Hawick and Carlisle start with the gathering support as we go,” said P2 View from the Chair release of a brand new DVD box Stuart. “Getting the message set, telling the definitive story of the P3 News and fundraising across has never been more Borders Railway and beyond. P4 Campaign update important. This DVD box set is the “This is our official souvenir of the P5 Fifth anniversary best way to tell everyone the fifth Borders Railway and the Campaign, anniversary message is onwards P6 Cllr Watson McAteer and the best possible way to now, to Hawick and Carlisle.” celebrate the fifth anniversary,” said P7 HS2 Borders link Borders Railway - the First Five Campaign chair Simon Walton. P8 Membership matters Years is available now. Ordering “The exclusive driver’s eye view details in this issue. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook @BordersRail facebook.com/campaignforbordersrail campaignforbordersrail.org 1 View from the Chair CHAIR Simon Walton extends a When circumstances allow, Rob is prosperity of the whole Borderlands. warm welcome to our new patron ready to meet more Campaigners, Let’s not under estimate the Rob Bell (pictured below). so look out for opportunities to importance of getting started engage our patron in person when This Campaign just gets busier and with this task. Feasibility is vital Campaign public events resume. bigger, and better. Thanks to your to getting this project officially continued support, there’s always Fifth anniversary DVD approved. It’s a big step on a long more to do, and a growing lobby road. We still have a huge job This edition marks the fifth for the ultimate goal of reaching ahead of us, but don’t give up. Your anniversary of the fantastic Hawick and Carlisle. Campaign is more active than ever, achievement that is the Borders and needs you to keep spreading We now have a new voice to add Railway. We’re commemorating that the word. Together, we’ll get there. to the clarion call. Please welcome with a lasting souvenir. Our new It looks like that journey may well TV presenter and engineering DVD box set lets you experience be starting in Carlisle. Onwards to communicator Rob Bell, our new everything the railway and the Hawick and Tweedbank anyone? patron. Borders has to offer. It’s also proof It’s where we met Rob Bell after all. Many of you - in fact two million positive that your Campaign is not **My personal thanks again to of you so far - have seen his Lost letting up the pressure to carry on the entire newsletter team and all Railways series on British TV. Rob to Hawick and Carlisle. Get your the contributors. Another sterling has been all over the world, making copy now, and make it a gift for effort that does credit to their programmes on some of the most anyone, anywhere, so they can see professionalism. The Campaign iconic feats of engineering, but as for themselves what your support just has more and more good he told Channel 5 viewers, it was has achieved. See page three for news every time. This edition is no in the Borders that he found the order details. different. greatest passion for what has been Feasibility work is under way achieved. He believes that the It has been a long time coming, but railway through the Borders will not at last work is underway on the long AGM cancelled be lost for much longer, and that’s awaited feasibility study. Work has why he has joined us as a patron started, encouragingly, looking at this year due to and ambassador for the community Carlisle city centre and station, and and the cause. how the extension of the Borders pandemic Railway can contribute to the future Nick Bethune, CBR Secretary reports: THE committee have taken the difficult decision not to go ahead with the planned AGM event, which was due to take place at Tullie House in Carlisle on 31st October due to the difficulties created by the pandemic. Options for an online ‘virtual’ event were also considered but these would have required significant additional organisation. The formal AGM business, including electing the committee, will instead be carried out by postal and email ballots. AGM papers and ballots are included with this newsletter. Please get in touch if you have any queries. [email protected] 2 campaignforbordersrail.org FUNDRAISING Cover story: Support the Campaign with a Borders line to purchase from our shop be upgraded Members’ DVD offer CBR Calendar 2021 ...continued from p1 £5 off this special edition 5 DVD box set A SUPERB 2021 wall calendar illustrated Timescales for individual electrification from producer Stuart Cameron. with high-quality pictures featuring the schemes are yet to be confirmed Borders Railway and locations on the but the Borders Railway is said former Waverley Route. to be among those already under The price is £9.99 including postage and development. Once completed, the packing. Order your copies at: work will enable the introduction of https://campaignforbordersrail.org/shop/ new electric trains with increased Mail order: Send your cheque to “Campaign for capacity and improved performance; Borders Rail”, together with dispatch address a step-change in the quality of the details to: Calendar, Campaign for Borders Rail, at Future Hawick, 2 Kirkwynd, Hawick, TD9 0AL service on offer. The Campaign has benefited from constructive dialogue with Network Rail planners. Recent briefings have confirmed that the project to re-model Portobello Junction, build a second platform at Brunstane and extend double track through to Niddrie DVDs 1, 2 and 3 Borders Railway Start South is progressing well. Target to Finish Redux. The entire six series, completion remains March 2025, covering first rail to first train running. Totally Calendar 2021 but may be sooner depending on remastered. agreeing the necessary possessions. DVD 4 A brand new documentary with From our discussions, it is clear that patron Rob Bell, chair Simon Walton, JANUARY 2021 FEBRUARY 2021 MARCH 2021 APRIL 2021 MAY 2021 JUNE 2021 Network Rail recognise the need for M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 every decision maker and everyone who 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 a joined-up approach that anticipates 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 made the Borders Railway happen, and 31 future capacity upgrades on the many more who aim to see the line reborn Richardson & Son Printers, Hawick www.richardsonprinters.com Borders Railway when planning for through Hawick to Carlisle. electrification. In future newsletters DVD 5 Real-time cab ride experience from we hope to be able to report further Tweedbank to Edinburgh Waverley. JULY 2021 AUGUST 2021 SEPTEMBER 2021 OCTOBER 2021 NOVEMBER 2021 DECEMBER 2021 M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S details as their proposals develop.