19.04.13
Borders Railway construction work starts
Main construction work has now started on the new £294m Borders Railway line in Scotland.
Network Rail and principal contractor BAM Nuttall say the first works involve the excavation of the track alignment for the new line through the Monktonhall area and the excavation of the site of the new Shawfair station.
The earthworks programme to create the line of route and base for the track will be carried out until the autumn, following the past six months of advance works along the route, including mining remediation work near the old Monktonhall colliery.
David Simpson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, called the start of works a “major milestone” and added: “From today, local communities will be able to see their new railway beginning to take shape and we look forward to working with them, our contractors and the Scottish Government to re-establish this vital transport link for the Borders.”
Transport minister Keith Brown said the scheme would bring a host of social, economic and environmental benefits, adding: “Our delivery of the Borders Railway is bringing communities along the route back into the rail network for the first time in over 40 years.”
The new railway, which will enter service in 2015, will re-establish a passenger rail link for the first time in over 40 years from Edinburgh through Midlothian to Tweedbank.
The 30 miles of new railway will serve three existing stations and seven new ones, at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank.
Passengers will be able to travel direct from Tweedbank to Edinburgh Waverley in less than an hour at peak times.
(Image shows Scotland’s transport Minister Keith Brown at the site of the new Shawfair Station, with Network Rail’s David Simpson on the left).
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