Is it not a bus station as well?
SBC & VisitScotland have been brilliant so far. It's going to be a hit from day 1.
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Borders Railway - Now Open
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Is it not a bus station as well?
SBC & VisitScotland have been brilliant so far. It's going to be a hit from day 1.
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yes it will be a bus station---you will need to leave the interchange and cross a busy road via pelican crossing to reach the railway
the contracters have done well and visit Scotland have promoted it well
but I disagree that SBC have been brilliant---they have moved yes but far too slowly
route:oxford
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I quick Google search tells me that SBC is the "Simply Beautiful Collection" - a line of make-up sold by QVC. I neither wear make-up nor watch QVC so indeed I can't comment on your interest in such matters.
If the only thing that is wrong with the Borders Railway is your percepton of prices in a Gala cafe and having to use a pedestrian crossing to access the railway - then there really isn't much worth worrying about...
Perhaps you should let the owners of the cafe know that you are a local? Whenever I've worked in popular tourist destinations, I've found there is often a non-disclosed price list for preferential customers.
your response I am afraid shows how little you know of the new railway or the area that is going to service
leightonbd
Member
Indeed. If people are local, then have a cup of tea at home before travelling. There's no divine right to eat and drink on the railway. Or even need, with Edinburgh (destination for the vast majorly of departures I would have thought) not all that far away.
Let commerce be the judge of whether their prices are right! There are other cafés in Gala to keep them honest, aren't there?
Altnabreac
Established Member
£15,000 per annum for an 80 sq m cafe is a very reasonable rent.
Born in the Borders are not a budget greasy spoon offering but if they can make their business model work in a field outside Jedburgh I see no reason why it won't work in Gala.
They will get some outside tourist trade at their current location but the vast majority of their business will be daytrippers and I would expect at least 50% of their existing customers to be Borders based.
A transport interchange with 200 buses and 3000 passengers per day is a very decent base even before the railway opens.
Craft Brewing is a real growing Industry in Scotland and their cafe / deli / micro brewery type model is one which is doing well across Scotland so no reason it won't work in Galashiels.
I don't buy this "work for locals" line as meaning it has to be a greasy spoon that only serves £1 bacon sarnies. There's a market for both but you can see why a more upmarket cafe/deli concept will work well in this location.
Everyone likes to moan about their local council but I can't see that Scottish Borders Council (SBC Route
xford 
) have done much wrong here. Rather than just have a few basic platform with minimal facilities they have invested in both the Interchange and the Great Tapestry at Tweedbank and they both look to be good facilities.Borders Party voting, Edinburgh hating, anti house building NIMBYs won't be happy but they were never going to like the railway anyway.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
1 month and 2 days until it opens, and I can't wait! I suspect we'll end up on a 170 when Blindtraveller and I do it, which will be fine for me but not for him!
158 or 170, I won't mind. Of course if a 156 turned up I'd be well happy! Unrefurbished or not 158, I'll be happy. Good trip down Memory Lane for me with the non-refurb!
158 or 170, I won't mind. Of course if a 156 turned up I'd be well happy! Unrefurbished or not 158, I'll be happy. Good trip down Memory Lane for me with the non-refurb!
route:oxford
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And better still, we can now identify savings!
I regularly travel from Stirling to Edinburgh Park to connect with the Airport Tram. Unfortunately Scotrail choose not sell a one month return on this route - so I have to buy two singles totalling £16.00.
I can now buy a one month return to Shawfair for £12.60 which will not only save me £3.40 but will save time too!
(Perhaps also valid in the evening peak?)
Techniquest
Veteran Member
£12.90 is a good price fair dos, I had been expecting up to £20 for Edinburgh to Tweedbank! This suits me well as it fits in beautifully with my Advanced Budgeting Plan and makes everything else much more affordable
*Re-writes the ABP tonight and books tickets*
*Re-writes the ABP tonight and books tickets*
Daz9284
Member
I'm looking forward to my first taste of the borders railway journey which will be a few days after it opens. It will be on the 9th Sept 
(just waiting to see if the royal special will be the queen in some 'posh' MK1's or if A4 no.9 with be hauling the royal train.)
(just waiting to see if the royal special will be the queen in some 'posh' MK1's or if A4 no.9 with be hauling the royal train.)
Altnabreac
Established Member
I'm looking forward to my first taste of the borders railway journey which will be a few days after it opens. It will be on the 9th Sept
(just waiting to see if the royal special will be the queen in some 'posh' MK1's or if A4 no.9 with be hauling the royal train.)
Union of South Africa I believe
Found the link:
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/news/queen-open-borders-railway
Transport Scotland said:
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Latest video from Borders Railway. Episode 1 of the final season or is it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBRDKhXwtfs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBRDKhXwtfs
The Tweedbank building is for the use of train crew only. There are no public toilet or other facilities here other than a ticket machine and shelter on the platform.
I know that.
The plans in this application?
http://eplanning.scotborders.gov.uk...ils.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=N5X1H0NT08G00
Ta for that.
This will be as far a I get with filming north bound trains before before the line opens.
https://youtu.be/qx44VXMHAOQ
A look inside and around the interchange
https://youtu.be/7uYln2GaJBw
An finally a passengers eye view I found on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCiA2VUBOr8
https://youtu.be/qx44VXMHAOQ
A look inside and around the interchange
https://youtu.be/7uYln2GaJBw
An finally a passengers eye view I found on Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCiA2VUBOr8
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There's one thing that gets my goat about the Borders Railway - in all the publicity and from all of the executives and stuff, everyone says that it's the "first new railway in Britain in decades". Have they all forgotten about Ebbw Vale, Airdrie-Bathgate, Corby, Larkhall and the rest? Or is there some technicality that I'm missing?
Were any of those lines re-built or were they just upgraded freight or closed lines?
steamybrian
Established Member
What about HS1 St. Pancras- Channel Tunnel and France
Doncaster-York (Selby diversion).
Larkhall and Airdrie-Bathgate were completely lifted at least, and Borders is basically the same idea - a previously closed and lifted railway reopened.
the phrase I have heard numerous times is
"the longest new railway to be built in decades"
47271
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I was thinking that too every time I read the bumph.
However, I've just checked their website and the exact phrase is 'the longest new domestic railway to be constructed in Britain in over 100 years'. So 'domestic' is the word that makes the difference in the case of HS1 I suppose.
If anyone can think of a WW1 or post WW1 UK railway in excess of the length of Borders and that isn't HS1, here's your chance!
However, I've just checked their website and the exact phrase is 'the longest new domestic railway to be constructed in Britain in over 100 years'. So 'domestic' is the word that makes the difference in the case of HS1 I suppose.
If anyone can think of a WW1 or post WW1 UK railway in excess of the length of Borders and that isn't HS1, here's your chance!
adrock1976
Established Member
I'm aware of the London & South Western Railway to Chessington South (originally proposed to continue to Leatherhead), and the Wimbledon & Sutton Railway being completed in the 1920s.
However, I'm sure that the route mileage is less than the reopened Borders line.
However, I'm sure that the route mileage is less than the reopened Borders line.
edwin_m
Veteran Member
HS1 is a domestic railway as well as an international one, and is longer than Borders as well as being indisputably "new" where Borders could be classed as a reopening.
I wouldn't class it as domestic as it only has one terminus in the UK.
edwin_m
Veteran Member
The Southeastern HS1 services serve new stations at Stratford and Ebbsfleet and terminate at a range of domestic destinations (oddly all are actually through stations). These other terminating points aren't on the new part of the route, but then again Edinburgh Waverley isn't a terminus and isn't on the reinstated part of the Borders route.
i am delighted to see that many of the dates for the steam journeys are sold out
BUT
it is somewhat disappointing that they have not thought about having some return trips starting from galashiels/tweedbank
I am sure there are many of a certain age in the borders who would love to spend a few hours in Edinburgh having relived old memories of steam travel--without the hassle of getting to Edinburgh to start and end their trip
also I am sure that many border children would have loved it---sundays and October holiday week would have been ideal
hopefully this is something they will consider for the future-----but near the launch date would have been best
BUT
it is somewhat disappointing that they have not thought about having some return trips starting from galashiels/tweedbank
I am sure there are many of a certain age in the borders who would love to spend a few hours in Edinburgh having relived old memories of steam travel--without the hassle of getting to Edinburgh to start and end their trip
also I am sure that many border children would have loved it---sundays and October holiday week would have been ideal
hopefully this is something they will consider for the future-----but near the launch date would have been best
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