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Borders Railway progress


Chameleon

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The latest Rail Magazine (No 751) have a good little article on page 8.  It ius based on an interview with Craig Bowman of NR.  Track Laying is due to start in October which is good news.

 

There are also comments on the single/double track issue and about some of the difficulties with old mine shafts.

 

Jamie

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How about the traditional way? Churchbells ringing, ..................

You will have to wait until the line reaches Carlisle before you can ring a peal of bells to celebrate such thing were considered too to Episcopalian to be suitable for us Presbyterian Scots. Sinners might have been in danger of enjoying themselves on a Sunday. There are 5720 rings of bell in England only 20 in Scotland. Just one of the little differences that separates us from South Britons.

 

As there is no church in Tweedbank the railway will be able to transport people to salvation in Gala, though I have never seen converting the heathen proclaimed as one of the benefits of the new line. ;) 

 

 

 

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You will have to wait until the line reaches Carlisle before you can ring a peal of bells to celebrate such thing were considered too to Episcopalian to be suitable for us Presbyterian Scots. Sinners might have been in danger of enjoying themselves on a Sunday. There are 5720 rings of bell in England only 20 in Scotland. Just one of the little differences that separates us from South Britons.

 

As there is no church in Tweedbank the railway will be able to transport people to salvation in Gala, though I have never seen converting the heathen proclaimed as one of the benefits of the new line. ;)

 

 

 

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They could always import a precenter to lead the populace in a psalm of welcome.

 

Jamie

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  • 4 weeks later...

The lions roar once again introduces the latest episode of my Borders railway You tube saga. Filmed at the weekend in Gala

 it includes a few before and after shots.

 

The highlight is without doubt ramp approach to the Currie road viaduct.

 

I have had  to employed some extras in orange suits to bring some of the scenes to life, they charge double time on Saturdays so I have had to skimp a bit on makeup, hairstyling and wardrobe departments. So apologies in advance

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KTTISKZ4DI

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This is the site of Selkirk junction last year and what it looked like from the river more recently before the fence was added to stop people wading across the river the take a short cut over the new railway

 

 

post-368-0-31703500-1406998347.jpg

 

post-368-0-51972800-1406998394.jpg

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Thanks for that - I'm ashamed to say I'd never seen the Selkirk abutment in its afterlife before.

 

EDIT: A little bird tells me the first track is in place through Bowshank tunnel by the way  :angel:

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Thanks for that - I'm ashamed to say I'd never seen the Selkirk abutment in its afterlife before.

 

EDIT: A little bird tells me the first track is in place through Bowshank tunnel by the way  :angel:

Are you sure it was not a little bat

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Don't know if anyone has linked to it on here before, but one blog I've been following as well recently has been the Waverley Route Heritage Association's blog which has been concentrating on the ongoing work to return rails to both sections of the Borders Railway of late, theirs at Whitrope Summit and Network Rail's Borders Railway project.

 

http://waverleyrouteha.wordpress.com/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog

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They could always import a precenter to lead the populace in a psalm of welcome.

 

Jamie

Interesting proposal. While psalm 127 has some obvious application to construction projects, I would suggest Psalm 124 as expressive of the emotions felt by those who have seen the closure, demolitions and opposition to reconstruction and re-opening.

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Another excellent idea, Phil. A further musical item I was thinking of was Eliza Snow's "Life's railway to heaven". The lyrics (sorry I' m not clever enough to provide a link) certainly suggest the Waverley route more than Airdrie to Bathgate, for instance. A long sermon on the theme of " having come thus far, let us go on further - to Hawick for example" would prevent the event from becoming frivolous.

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Got on my bike today and went over to see the Borders Railway for myself.

 

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/davefiddes/sets/72157645897355939/

 

It's definitely progressing with the last of the road embankments now excavated. Many sections of the site at Shawfair have all the drainage dug, a nice layer of ballast and piles of sleepers and trunking abound. Not long till we get some track I think!

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Another excellent idea, Phil. A further musical item I was thinking of was Eliza Snow's "Life's railway to heaven". The lyrics (sorry I' m not clever enough to provide a link) certainly suggest the Waverley route more than Airdrie to Bathgate, for instance. A long sermon on the theme of " having come thus far, let us go on further - to Hawick for example" would prevent the event from becoming frivolous.

How about the Johnny Cash version..  

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Inspired by the work of Johnny cash above, the imagery of the blissful shore brings to mind the crossing of the Redbridge viaduct and rolling on to the south Tweed shore. With apologies to the late Steve Goodman, the following song, to be sung to the tune of "City of New Orleans" on any appropriate occasion, is being made available exclusively to members and visitors of rmweb.co.uk.

 

TWEEDBANK'S BLISSFUL SHORE

 

Riding on the 158 D M U,

Portobello take the right hand rail,

Just four cars but forty restless riders,

The road is carrying all the mail,

Heading past the southern sub, we roll through Newcraighall,

Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge,

A toilet's blocked, the heaters are not working,

That's why this train is like a fridge.

 

Chorus

Good morning, Borders Rail, how are you?

Have you slept well since 1969,

I'm the DMU they call the 158 set,

And I'll provide the service on your line.

 

Trolley comes to dish out cups of tea now,

Club 55 we get just one scot free,

So long as we get a cake or something,

A big range for you to see,

If you want booze you must get it before nine,

Scotrail's tackling problem drinking now,

But muffins, shortbread, all sorts of choc biscuits,

Are there for you to choose any time now.

 

Chorus

 

As we go rolling down by Gala water,

Bowshank tunnel, Selkirk junction too,

Come in to bonny Galashiels town,

Transport interchange comes into view,

On we go now past the supermarket,

Surely now this line will close no more,

On Redbridge viaduct we cross the river,

And come rolling on to Tweedbank's blissful shore.

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How about the traditional way? Churchbells ringing, bunting on the streets, schoolchildren wavings flags at the official first train, parades through the newly connected towns, civic feast in the townhall for the local worthies and a nosh up (with free beer) in a big tent for everyone else?

 

Down here in England we tried to start a trend of opening a railway line by running over a politician, but it didn't seem to catch on...  ;)

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Down here in England we tried to start a trend of opening a railway line by running over a politician, but it didn't seem to catch on...  ;)

Regrettably there's nothing one can tick to suit that comment.  If I tick 'Like' it will mean either that I like the idea that it didn't catch on or I like the fact that a train ran over a politician.  It would then be up to the reader to guess my feelings on the matter.  Maybe I should tick 'Craftsmanship/clever' but that too could misleadwhile a laugh might be seen as being in bad taste - but 'Useful' could well be pertinent.

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