The last train is never, of course, the final act. Abortive attempts to buy and run the line (by a group
calling itself the Border Union Railway Company) meant that the track remained in place for a year or
two longer. Bruce was out again with his camera when the saddest and most final trains ran to
remove the track.
A pair of Clayton type 1s with a Hawick-bound dismantling train near Whitrope
Summit, December 1969.
Three more pictures depicting tracklifting in the vicinity of Whitrope Siding,
December 1969.
Track was taken back to Hawick and stored in the yard.
The vultures, the ill-fated Clayton type 1s, would themselves be going to the
scrap man before too long (serves them right!)
A special ran on 1st April 1970 - an inspection saloon, surveying (for the benefit
of potential demolition contractors) before final tracklifting. The train is seen
(left) on Shankend Viaduct, and (below) passing through the remains of Stobs
station
Execution
Finally, D3888 runs though Steele Road station with a train of recovered track
panels, and trundles away into the lonely hill country that would see trains no
more.
Bruce McCartney’s
book”Memories of
Lost Border
Railways” is now
available, and it’s a
great read. Click
the book for more
details
