Millions of pounds have already been invested in Abbotsford, the Home of Sir Walter Scot, the National Mining Museum Scotland at Newtongrange, Dalkeith Country Park and the promotion of international events such as the Melrose 7s and Borders Book Festival. There are also plans to create a visitor hub at Tweedbank to house the Great Tapestry of Scotland.
On Sunday 6 September trains will once again run every half hour along the line, connecting the communities of Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank with Edinburgh Waverley, cuting around 60,000 car journeys a year in the process.
As part of the plan to boost tourism a regular seasonal steam train will also operate on the route during peak holiday periods.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said: “The new Borders Railway, which delves deep into Sir Walter Scot country, presents a huge opportunity for Scotish tourism.
“The scenery from Edinburgh through Midlothian down to the Scotish Borders and back again is remarkable and I have no doubt that visitors will make the journey just for the experience as well as to visit the many atractions along the way.
“The romanticism captured by the steam trains that will be traveling on the line will give the route added value, following in the tracks of the Jacobite steam train journey from Fort William to Mallaig which welcomes thousands of visitors every year.”
The steam train journeys will start on 10 September and run every Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday for an initial six week period. The services will be hauled by the popular 60009 Union of South Africa, one of six remaining LNER Class A4 steam locomotives in the UK, built in Doncaster in 1937.
Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, said: “It’s fantastic to see these iconic trains back in operation, allowing so many people the opportunity to appreciate Scotland’s countryside and railways from a unique and very special point of view, and to see them running on the long- awaited Borders Railway will be a real jewel in the crown both for Scotland’s tourism and rail industries.
“There can be few railway journeys which match the outstanding scenery on this new route. Steam services running on the reopened Borders Railway really will recapture the golden age of Scotish rail travel.”
28 September 2015
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