fegguk

This site was John Turnbull and Sons Dyers and Finishers from 1815 to 2000. Its avaiable for development once you've removed the contamination.

London shrinking is another term for what is more commonly called milling. This is the process of consolidating woollen cloth to give it a fuller handle and felted appearance hiding the weave structure in some cases. It can range for a light mill to heavily milled cloth as in cloth for overcoats blankets or billiard cloth. Gladstone’s were cloth finishers who took the cloth from the loom and carried out the various processes to get it ready for use. Many small scale weavers had this part of the process done by a specialist commissioned finisher such as Gladstone’s, Kemp Blair and Schofield’s in Gala, or Turnbull’s in Hawick. Only Schofield’s are left I used to work as a dyer at Turnbull’s in Hawick, The works was located between the large railway retaining wall and Slitrig crescent.

I am no expert however I wonder if it had something to do with the size of the driving wheels. The acceleration characteristics of small wheeled goods loco being different than that of a passenger loco such as an A3 with bigger wheels. Another factor was that when banking passenger trains the banker had to couple up to the train rather than buffer up. This again this may be part of the explanations as the banking loco could not simply fall back at the summit but had to wait until the train stopped to uncouple. This may all be nonsense. Diesels made life much simpler if duller

They may have been used to bank passenger trains something which was occasionally required with heavy loads or during difficult conditions. I remember reading somewhere that only 4-4-0's and presumably other 4 coupled locos were permitted to bank passenger trains. This caused problems when the old NBR locos were withdrawn in the late 50's. I don’t know why this was the case maybe someone has an explanation.

C16 67489 in 1958 sitting in what today is the Teviotdale Leisure Centre carpark. I am not sure if overnight parking of steam locomotive is permitted today. http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=34670

Arial view of Darnick on Scotland's places http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/index.php?service=RCAHMS&id=99665&refer=L3NlYXJjaC8%2FdG90YWxfcmVjb3Jkcz03OTImcF9yZWNvcmRzdGFydF9kaXNwbGF5PTEmcF9uYW1lPW1lbHJvc2UmcF90eXBlPVBBUklTSCZjYWNoZV9uYW1lPTExMXBhcmlzaG1lbHJvc2UxMDk3JnBlcl9wYWdlPTIwJmlkJTVCJTVEPTEwOTcmcGVyX3BhZ2U9NTAw

This is what the leaving Gala scene looks like now. Though not for much longer

Not sure if this is on topic. However, it is an interview with Jim Hall who recounts his work as PW ganger on the Jedburgh branch up to closure. So it is about structure but it is oral rather than photographic history. I am sure you you find it interesting piece of social history of the people who worked on and live by the line. The bit about his work on the ralway is in the second half of the interview. http://www.memorybank.org.uk/search/viewtranscripttext.asp?TranscriptId=3557&SearchTerm=railway

Shankend today Whinstone makes for an interesting texture

I drive through this village every day on my way to work in Kelso. This was probably the last time something interesting happend here. See attached pdf. All that remains here to day is the wall loading bank under the brambles. Photo added after recent visit looks like the loading bank could still be used to load tatties into a waggon. Towards the viaduct there is the cut off base of a signal. BoT_HeitonGoods18Nov1865.pdf

European loan to part finance the Borders Railway. We will need to have a whip round for the rest http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/news/Borders-Railway-European-finance-boost

Advanced ground works a Kiln Knowe. A taste of things to come as the area and others are now fenced off, soon it won't be a dissused railway walk. 2nd photo is last year

Councillor Aitchison is as indicated a member of the Borders Party, who's main aim is to stifle any development in the central Borders so they can admire the view and watch the young and poor leave because they can't find somewhere affordable to live and/or get a job. They oppose the railway and it associated housing developments because they are all right Jack. They are the NIMBY party they do however have some support as the railway is not universally popular amongst the short sighted in these part. Sorry to be political but someone has to be.

Oh dear how short sighted can they be to build a single track over bridge. Is the new one already built in Gala next to ASDA the same. I thought it looked a bit tight to 2 tracks. I was under the impression that all new structure would not only be 2 track but also enable overhead electrification

I think this is a new one. The back ground view has not changed today only this stuff inside the railway fence is missing http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete.php?id=31434

I note that the doom mongers are out again in relation to one of the potential bidders for building the reopened line pulling out. http://www.scotsman.com/news/Doubts-over-Borders-rail-line.6617862.jp http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-11717142 Any chance we could club together and have a go at a bid ourselves? I have got a pick, a shovel and templot software what more do we need. No requirement for any awkward baseboard jionts or DCC and No space retrictions. If we felt like extending then its a clear run all the way to Carlisle. Just exactly how strong is plywood?

I will be driving over skippers bridge tonight will try and take a photo if its light enough. I also did not realise the railway was so close. The trees on the site look like they have been there since the retreat of the ice sheet 12,000 years ago

This must be the back of Garfield street (demolished before my time) opposite what was the later to become the engineering sidings. My house is in the distance