Extending the Borders Railway Hawick to Coille bridge

[@bob15630]

Seems very possible if there is modest investment. Hawick needs the railway.

[@michaeljohn7262]

Tweedbank-Hawick to Carlisle is only a matter of time now

[@jagman84]

Eminently do-able with the support of the local community. I hope it comes to fruition.

[@winco68]

Looking at the slowly increasing population of Hawick in recent years it could once again regain its status as the Borders main town as it was when the Waverley route closed in '69. That coupled with its new found close proximity to the national rail network should add impetus to the logical extension of the railway to there. However given the sparseness of population along the former route between there and Carlisle and the absence of 2 major bridges I seriously doubt a viable business case for the continuation of the route south of Hawick. We can but dream.

[@WaverleyWanderer]

winco68 yes Even if a number if key structures were still intact, south of Hawick is going to be difficult to justify on a cost benefit basis given the current transport paradigm. To the north the story may be different though it will required public support and political will. Anyway a day out of Hawick is a day wasted.

[@dvidclapperton]

Can they not have the 2 standard buses per hour from Galashiels Interchange to Hawick (but both terminating at Hawick) with one of them connecting with a new Railcoach service from Tweedbank to Carlisle and into the train station forecourt stopping only as often as the train would. They state the time of the X95 from Carlisle to Edinburgh on the information screens inside Carlisle train station.

[@lairdoharray]

Yes you CAN! Bit of work, but it would definitely right a wrong for Hawick and district. How about a branch to Kelso, with trains on the half hour, trains from Hawick on the hour and thus a half hour service from St Boswells onwards?

[@davarosmith1334]

That was Wilson drive not fairhurst drive!

[@davarosmith1334]

You were almost at my hoos!

[@kimlanghorn8383]

I drove up the A7 weekly from 1980-84... visited Riccaton in 84... never in my wildest dreams did I foresee the reopening of the northern 3rd of the line... beyond that I hope they reach Hawick... but honestly think that would be it.

[@WaverleyWanderer]

I don't think I believed it would ever happen either until I saw it happening. It will only happen south of Hawick if we decide to go for greener transport as a whole when the Borders will need a first class pubic transport system to the south. It will need a sea change in our transport system in the UK to get us there.

[@kimlanghorn8383]

@@WaverleyWanderer I've always had a thing about the Waverley... ever since I saw the old bridge at the start of the A74 back in 1973. I remember the viaduct 5 or 6 miles south of Hawick going in 1982.. and thinking then that's it for the Waverley.

[@WaverleyWanderer]

​@@kimlanghorn8383The two viaduct in Hawick and the one outside Newcastleton are gone The Shankend and Barns viaduct in between remain as does the Ale Water viaduct North of Hawick. Re building will not be a cheap as it would have been to keep it open for 50 years with a modest subsidy.

[@kimlanghorn8383]

Crying shame it was closed... then to build on it and destroy bridges beggars belief...

[@m18tankdestroyer43]

This line should of returned to Hawick in the first place.

[@WaverleyWanderer]

When it was proposed they struggled to get it a far as Gala. There were many who though it would be a white elephant. They have been proved wrong. It would have taken more faith in the project and in public transport as a whole to get it to Hawick in the first place. Hopefully that will change and we will see it extended to Hawick in the next decade.

[@davarosmith1334]

Gid video!

[@MarioPapworth]

get your spades out