37175

That particular view is looking over the south bay, so the section of platform in the photo is approx 1/2 overall width minus 1/2 bay width. Easily measured though as it's still there. As for the last steam over the line, the Brit in Nov 67, I'm sure I've seen a photo somewhere, 7 or 8 years ago ... only for the life of me I haven't a clue where! Now on a mission!

I've got a copy of the original plans for this at home - will dig them out in a couple of weeks when I get home.

Nice Colour Rail slide of A2 60532 Blue Peter on Borthwick Bank available on ebay at the moment. I don't recall seeing it before: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COLOUR-RAIL-STEAM-SLIDE-60532-SC0153-/130501723421?pt=UK_Collectables_Railwayana_RL&hash=item1e6282451d

Trying to get my bearings on this one with the north junction and the houses on the right .. looks like the site of Brunstane station? I went to Jewel & Esk Valley College in the 90s, have also used Brunstane station not that long ago and should really know the place .. but am still not sure if I've got that right!

Interesting article re the Falahill roundabouts in the Southern Reporter: http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/local-headlines/backlash_as_single_vote_secures_consent_for_a7_realignment_1_1457069 A couple of interesting quotes from the text: "One of the fiercest critics was Councillor Sandy Aitchison (Borders Party) who lives in Stow but is not a member of the committee." "Mr Aitchison’s grim demeanour was in stark contrast to the two residents of Falahill Cottages whose smiles indicated they welcomed the decision." I'm just wondering whether Mr Aitchison is one of the "Not In My Back Yard" brigade? The real irony being that those whose back yard it actually is in are in agreement with the decision to go ahead with the plan!

All the drawings for Falahill were available on there a month or two back ... if they've been removed I'll try and dig out the ones I saved and get links posted. The new station drawings were all on the old Waverley Railway Project website, and were there several years ago! They are now on the Transport Scotland site, click here: http://www.transport...te-and-stations Click each station name, then on that page you'll find a link to the PDF of each individual station layout.

I know it was opposed by the Community Council but lot of what they were opposed to didn't really make sense ... this road layout ensures that the Falahill residents can actually get onto the A7 without fear of being ploughed into at national speed limit. Ironically, and what the Heriot Community Council didn't acknowledge in their opposition to it, was that if it wasn't for the railway most of the affected houses wouldn't be there in the first place! Amusingly, they also made reference to commuters using the A7 who would have increased journey times on their way to & from Edinburgh and the Borders after the roundabouts are built ... now let me think that one over very carefully :-) The only disconcerting part of the application is that the bridge is a single span for the railway, denying any chance of it ever being double tracked throughout (without further mass upheaval, roadworks & cost).

That would be the same gradient profile as appears on the WRHA website at http://www.wrha.org.uk/maps_grads.html

Anybody know why Bowshank Tunnel south portal had an overlaid portal frontage? Was it simply to match the new retaining walls? http://simon681.fotopic.net/p64061092.html The aperture of the portal does look rather odd at this end. Partially rebuilt? Strengthened?

Judging by the small location map on the PDF there's a bit of distance between the plots and the solum. Having been through the difficulties of obtaining planning permission on another part of the solum a bit further south, any property developer proposing building on the old line would struggle to get anything passed by the SBC planning department! Perhaps of interest to anyone into that kind of thing, the planning hoops and hurdles I am talking about involve a long stretch of the solum stretching south from Whitrope - and it was granted - but that's maybe as it was for its original intended purpose?!

A few photos have appeared at: Transport Scotland images of the Waverley Route - I can't be sure if I've seen some of them before. Also nice to see that Transport Scotland have linked their History page to the WRHA website here - despite naming WRHA slightly incorrectly, ah well - something's better than nothing!

We had a visit from Alastair Farquhar and his wife at Whitrope several years ago ... it was fascinating to talk to them about life at Riccarton, especially as he was station master. They donated a wonderful colour cine film of Riccarton which we have converted to digital, with both the original and the conversion in the WRHA Archive. It's only about 6-7 mins in length but shows what a truly special place it was and features plenty of the villagers. If anyone is lucky enough to have had the "WRHA talk" from either me or one or two of the WRHA committee then you may well have seen the footage as it's included part way through the archive photos part of the talk - I last showed it in March 2008 at a talk for the Newton Historical Society.

I was in touch with the ebay seller about this time last year and got a full list (and there are A LOT!) of all his WR photos for sale ... many of them are Norman (G.N.) Turnbull's photos. I know Norman but haven't seen him since getting the list to make sure they're legit copies ... though judging by the amount of them I'd say they are.

As we're pretty much on the closure anniversary date, some more tickets from the collection .. From the final days .. 1x Stobs-Hawick excess from 27th Dec 68 .. 1x half Waverley-Hawick return from 2nd Jan 69 .. 2x Waverley-Eskbank singles from 4th Jan 69 ... a couple of the RCTS "Farewell to the Waverley Route", though the tickets are marked as the "Waverley Farewell" ... ... and some of the earliest ones I've got ... Galashiels-Selkirk single from 31st Dec 1895 .. Carlisle-Langholm single from 26th Sep 1906 ... and a link to a WRHA web page I made a couple of years ago for the 40th anniversary, which is still on the server: WRHA 40th anniversary page

Think I linked to Six Bells Junction on page 23, re the final weekend specials. Have just uploaded a pic of something from my collection which you may like, with reference to your particular favourite tour:

Something similar, albeit slightly smaller, is still used nowadays on some of the Independent Snowploughs for just that purpose.

One of the things I can't actually find is a specific date the buildings etc were demolished. I was first taken there about 30 years ago and they weren't there then, much to our disappointment (the tree was still standing though). My father had been a couple of times in the preceeding year or two (78-79) and everything was intact. A redeeming thing to come from it all is that my parents (keen gardeners) took cuttings from the tree at the south bay and now have several daughter and grand-daughter trees - direct descendants of the "Riccarton tree" as it's usually known! I was told about 10 years ago that the lady that lived at the School House in the 80s/90s witnessed the destruction of the tree .. apparently the lads digging the ash out got bored one lunchtime and bulldozed it .. she ran out and severely chastised them for their vandalism.

I'm not sure if this was one of the ones I came over to yours to help ID a couple or three years ago Bruce .. recall a similar-ish shot, but not sure at all. Think that may have been after you'd just scanned all Robin's collection. Great to see it though, and all the others!!

Looking towards the wee road from Burnfoot that heads towards Hassendean, around a mile or so north of Hawick?

A couple of shots I was given a few years ago for the 26010 (D5310) website: http://26010.fotopic.net/p24712783.html http://26010.fotopic.net/p24712551.html Apologies if previously posted by a.n.other

Sorry for joining the thread rather late on, but I thought D1974 hauled the BR "Scottish Grand Tour No.6" ? Details here: http://www.sixbellsj...s/690104br.html