This page provides information and photographs relating to the closed railway line running between Carlisle and Edinburgh and the branches to Langholm and Coldstream on the former North Eastern line to Tweedmouth which is followed.
The gallery does include scenes on the original line from Galashiels on to Edinburgh which was subsequentally reopened in 2015.

The map below shows the railway running due North from Canal Junction at Carlisle to Portobello East Junction Edinburgh. As with many 19th century railway schemes there was fierce competition between rival railway companies to build a railway in a particular area. The Scottish Borders country was no different, with the route through the area being contested by the North British Railway company and the Caledonian Railway company. The North British Railway company eventually built the line opening throughout on the 1st June 1862, being some 98 miles in length. At the railway grouping on the 1st January 1923, the North British Railway became part of the London and North Eastern Railway empire.

The line was steeply graded with several significant climbs for Southbound trains of 1 in 70 to the summit at Falahill, and for Northbound trains 1 in 75 to the summit at Whitrope. Additionally in order to navigate the landscape of the Cheviot hills the line had many twists and curves that made operating trains a challenge for the locomotive crews.

The adopted "Waverley Route" name for the line appeared in about 1862 making a direct linkwith the "Waverley" novels of Sir Walter Scott and Scottish history. During the early years of operationthe line provided a means of fast transport for goods that fed the local economy. This included coal traffic, and many other locally produced goods, such as wool for the tweed mills from the Cheviot sheep.

For passengers, the timetable for "The Waverley" restaurant car service listed four principle stations on the route at Hawick, St Boswells, Melrose and Galashiels. Between these towns the line provided a source of connectivity for many remote hamlets and communities built on the moorland through which the line ran. Indeed, the junction station at Riccarton had no road access and the local community here relied on the railway for its very survival. It is perhaps this remoteness of the landscape and associated harsh changeable weather conditions that gave the line its unique character for which it is remembered.

In the 1959 timetable "The Waverley" restaurant car service took the best part of ten hours to make the journey between the two capital cities. As well as through trains from Edinburgh to Carlisle and vice versa, there were several services that operated to Galashiels throughout the day that stopped at the many intermediate, more remote stations.

As can be seen from the 1959 rail map, towards the end of its existence the line retained connections serving Peebles, Langholm and Kelso. The Galashiels loop via Peebles closed on 10th September 1962. The Riddings junction to Lanholm branch closed on the 15th June 1964. The St Boswells to Tweedmouth branch closed on the 15th June 1964. Overall closure of the Waverley route came on the 5th January 1969. The last train being a Southbound "Night Midlander" sleeper service from Edinburgh to St Pancras operated by diesel locomotive number D60. The journey South for the sleeper service was much delayed with significant protests against closure being evident at Hawick and Newcastleton, all to no avail. The following day the authorities made haste with the removal of track panels at Riddings Junction to sever the line from the network once and for all.

A gallery of photographs taken at the various locations along the line appears below between Carlisle and Edinburgh. Note: as much of the line is similar in nature, it has not always been possible to provide a precise location in the photo caption.