Category: Waverley Route

Prior to 1923 the Waverley was part of the North British Railway.  The Edinburgh and Hawick railway formed the northern section, opened in 1849, and extended to Carlisle in 1862 as the Border Union Railway. It became part of the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923, and British Railways in 1948.

The line was called the 'Waverley Route' because it runs through the countryside immortalised by Sir Walter Scott and his 'Waverley' novels.

The line was starved of investment throughout its life, and therefore changed very little. Apart from a small power resignalling scheme installed at Galashiels in 1936, and a few other minor changes made to reflect changing traffic requirements, the line and its branches remained in essence a nineteenth century railway up to its final closure in January 1969.