SUMMER 2015 A NEW RAILWAY FOR MIDLOTHIAN, EDINBURGH AND THE SCOTTISH BORDERS CONNECTIONS MEMO M RA O T I C V E I THE END OF THE BEGINNING S S U E Dear Railway Neighbour, The project employed over 1,100 men the excitement and anticipation and women at its peak and I’m proud of which the railway has created. After a long time in incubation, the last their achievements and hope that they are two years have seen an intensive period I would like to thank those who came proud to have been part of this project. of construction which has resulted in to say hello and ask questions at our the new Borders Railway sprouting I must also acknowledge the patience community events and elsewhere, and across the landscape of Midlothian and generosity of communities and to all those who followed us online and the central Scottish Borders. individual property owners right along the from around the world and took the route. Building a major civil engineering time to learn about the project. While almost every week marked a project such as this is not an exact new milestone for the project, my For me, the Borders Railway marks my science and rarely without disruption. abiding memory will be of the people final project before retirement. When I of Gala who lined the route as our rail Borders Railway has added a new began my career in the railways in the installation machine completed its slow collection of towns, villages and hamlets 1970s, old railway infrastructure was journey towards Tweedbank. Men and to a long list of railway neighbours. still being removed. I’m pleased that, women, boys and girls, grandparents Communities along the route will more than four decades on, that trend and grandchildren took up every undoubtedly be relieved that construction is finally being reversed. Please enjoy conceivable vantage point, peering has reached a close and I hope that the your new railway; it was a privilege through the fencing as the final few familiar rhythm of passing trains once to be asked to build it and the best miles of track were clipped into place. again becomes part of the landscape possible way to finish my career. of the area. For drivers using the A7, It was a moment that helped reinforce my Yours sincerely, our construction traffic and traffic view that this railway will be a success. management will now be removed, From the outset, Network Rail, BAM and to be replaced by a much safer, Hugh Wark, our sub-contractors have been focussed cleaner, faster transport option Project Director, on restoring this well-loved railway alongside this busy road. Network Rail line on time and within budget. We Throughout the project, the team have not been without our challenges, has been overwhelmed by the but I’m pleased to be able to confirm interest in the railway. We have been that trains will be operational from very grateful for the kind words of 6 September 2015 as planned. encouragement and delighted by SUMMER 2015 Putting objects on the track, even something as small as a stone, Stay safe on your railway could derail a train and cause an accident that may hurt or kill other people. The maximum sentence for putting an object on Soon your new railway will be open. Construction is now the track that causes an accident is life imprisonment. finished and it is effectively a live railway with trains travelling at full speed on the tracks as driver training progresses ahead Graffiti, littering and damaging bridges, signs and tracks costs the of the official public opening in early September. railway millions of pounds each year. Graffiti is criminal damage and carries a prison sentence of up to ten years. Throughout the construction period, the team has impressed upon young people in particular the key safety messages about Inspector Angela McGregor of British Transport Police said: the reality of living near the railway. “Youngsters who commit route crimes, such as trespassing, stone throwing, and vandalism or placing objects on the railway Railways can be dangerous. Trains on the Borders Railway will line, put themselves in grave danger. They also seriously endanger travel at speeds of up to 90mph. After putting on the brakes, the safety of others working and travelling on the railway, a train travels approximately 2,000 metres before it stops. and the stupidity of such actions cannot be underestimated.” That’s the length of 20 football pitches. Inspector McGregor also urged parents to ensure they know Trespassing on the railway can have tragic consequences. the whereabouts of their children. She said: “Please make Trains produce wind turbulence so powerful that it can drag sure your children are aware that the railway is an incredibly somebody standing next to the tracks under the wheels of the dangerous environment and remind them to stay away from train. In 2013/14, 18 people were killed after taking shortcuts the rail network.” and trespassing on the railway. Trespassing is a criminal offence with a maximum fine of £1,000. Borders Railway safety initiatives: Network Rail is passionate about communicating the safety message. Its approach is to encourage young people to participate in positive activities such as sport and embed the safety message within the ethos of the programmes. SCOTTISH YOUTH THEATRE Safety workshops run by Scottish Youth Theatre (SYT) were offered to every primary school pupil living along the new route last summer. Over 1,500 children attended over 70 workshops in 16 different schools. An initiative aimed at all the secondary schools along the line of the route is being developed by SYT and will roll-out in September. SCOTTISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION The Borders Railway project has worked with the Scottish FA sponsoring its School Holiday Programme across Midlothian and the Scottish Borders for the last three years, to promote construction site and railway safety along the route. RAIL REPS The project also benefited from the assistance of British Transport Police (BTP) who undertook safety talks as part of the project and established Rail Reps in local schools to emphasise the seriousness of staying safe on the railway. BTP has already engaged with schools throughout Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, and will continue to develop these relationships. For more information visit: www.rail-life.co.uk SUMMER 2015 First Minister: ‘A symbol of PLAN YOUR JOURNEY the renaissance of railways’ ON THE NEW LINE NOW The delivery of the Borders TIMETABLE Railway has been a hugely exciting project for the ScotRail has published the new Borders Railway Scottish Government. timetable, allowing future passengers to plan their journeys on the new railway which will be up and It is the longest domestic running from 6 September 2015. railway to be built in Users of the line will benefit from half hourly services Britain in over 100 years, and a journey time of less than an hour between reinstating one of the Tweedbank and Edinburgh Waverley. most fondly remembered sections of the network You can view the new timetable, which runs up until torn apart by the Beeching December, on the ScotRail website. cuts of the 1960s. The Borders Railway is one of our biggest infrastructure TICKET INFORMATION investments and supports one of the Scottish Government’s Tickets for the new Borders Railway route can be core strategic objectives of ensuring transport connections purchased via National Rail Enquiries or ScotRail are strengthened and improved to maximise opportunities for 12 weeks in advance of the first planned services on employment, business, tourism and leisure. Sunday 6 September. Further information can be found on their websites. It’s an exciting development for the rail industry and has become a symbol of the renaissance of our railways in Scotland. Connections: From Sunday 6 September, the Borders Railway will also Network Rail and BAM have worked hard to keep the project ‘on connect, via Edinburgh Waverley station, to the rest track’ and it is testament to the work they have done that we of the rail network. Waverley provides onward public are now looking forward to the opening in all confidence that it transport links to Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports as will be complete on time and within budget. well as local transportation options. I’m pleased to have been given this opportunity to thank them for this (and encourage them to keep it up). YOUR STATIONS Construction of the new railway has also included But I’d also like to thank the communities who have been seven brand new train stations - Shawfair, Eskbank, impacted by the undoubted upheaval of building one of Newtongrange and Gorebridge in Midlothian and Stow, Scotland’s biggest projects in over a century for their patience Galashiels and Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders. throughout this time and support of the new railway. These new additions will link to pre-existing stations at Newcraighall, Brunstane and Edinburgh Waverley, This will breathe new life into your local economies and allowing passengers to journey between Tweedbank in the will deliver a tourism and investment boost for the whole of Scottish Borders and our capital in less than one hour. Scotland. New stations will have the following facilities: It will encourage more businesses to set up in Midlothian, • A ramp or path to provide step-free access draw more tourists to the Borders and will help reduce the pressure on the housing market in the capital. It will expose • Sheltered waiting area on platforms existing enterprises in all three local authority areas to a bigger • 24 hour customer help point system on the platform marketplace than ever before.