Millerhill Deviation (Network Rail)

Introduction

This is part of the Borders Railway (Network Rail).

This short section of new line runs from Newcraighall South Junction (end of a short reversing spur from Newcraighall North Junction) south as a double track to King's Gate Points.

The line runs through the site of the Monktonhall Colliery and passes to the west of Millerhill and the largely closed Millerhill Marshalling Yard.

This is not the first re-alignment in this area. The Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway was re-aligned on the opening of the Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway). It could even be argued that the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway was a re-alignment of the Edmonston Waggonway built to carry coal from the Edmonston Colliery to a railhead at Little France, for Edinburgh.

The new route could equally be known as the Shawfair Deviation.

Why built

This short section of new line enabled the re-opening of the Borders Railway. In particular it provided a new crossing under the Edinburgh city Bypass as the solum of the original route was crossed on a long diagonal by the road.




Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

This is the northern end of a loop which runs south as far as King's Gate Junction passing through Shawfair station.
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An Edinburgh bound train comes off the double track section from Kings Gate at Newcraighall South Junction on a grey January morning in 2016. The ...
John Furnevel 19/01/2016
BAM tracklaying team discussion taking place on 8 October 2014. View is north, with GBRf 66706 standing below a bridge located midway between Shawfair ...
John Furnevel 08/10/2014
A Borders line service bound for Tweedbank about to run through Newcraighall South Junction and onto the double track section on 15 May 2016. The ...
John Furnevel 15/05/2016
A 4-car 158 set, seen shortly after restarting from Newcraighall station with a train for Tweedbank on 15 May 2016. The train is emerging from below ...
John Furnevel 15/05/2016
4 of 46 images. more


This is a two platform station on the Millerhill Deviation (Network Rail), a new section of line required for the re-opening of the railway between Edinburgh (Newcraighall) and Tweedbank, south of Galashiels.
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More details

See also
Borders Railway (Network Rail)
An Edinburgh service calls at Shawfair to pick up the usual hordes on 29 May 2021. When the station first opened the name signs had a lot of white ...
David Panton 29/05/2021
We are at Shawfair. A summer Saturday, a reduced timetable and social distancing mean that an otherwise unusual six cars on this Edinburgh service are ...
David Panton 07/08/2021
The ScotRail 0848 from Tweedbank arrives at Shawfair on 6 August 2018 on its way to Edinurgh Waverley. ...
John Furnevel 06/08/2018
A quiet Sunday morning at Shawfair on 8 September 2015 as ScotRail 158782 arrives at platform 2 with the late running 1011 Edinburgh - Tweedbank. The ...
John Furnevel 08/09/2015
4 of 106 images. more


ScotRail 170396 forming the 0924 Edinburgh - Tweedbank, approaching the single line section at Kings Gate on 9 April 2021. Drivers using the Edinburgh ...
John Furnevel 09/04/2021
The ScotRail 0915 Edinburgh Waverley - Tweedbank service heads south after passing below the Edinburgh City Bypass on an overcast morning on 8 ...
John Furnevel 08/09/2022
A southbound 158 on the Borders Line approaching Kings Gate Points on 28 February 2016. The DMU is about to cross the Dead Burn. ...
John Furnevel 28/02/2016
The 0947 ex-Tweedbank passes below the bridge carrying the Edinburgh City Bypass at Sheriffhall on the morning of 28 February 2016. The train has just ...
John Furnevel 28/02/2016
4 of 44 images. more


This location is not a true junction, but rather the site of a double track line becoming single on its way south. The north end of the loop is at Newcraighall South Junction (also not a true junction).
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The last traces of early morning mist give way to light rain at Kings Gate on a chilly November morning in 2019. The train approaching the points and ...
John Furnevel 11/11/2019
Close-up of Black 5 44871 southbound through Kings Gate points on 20 August 2017 with a Linlithgow - Tweedbank steam special. ...
John Furnevel 20/08/2017
Black 5 44871 about to run south through Kings Gate points on 20 August 2017 with the 0843 steam special ex-Linlithgow heading for Tweedbank. ...
John Furnevel 20/08/2017
A Tweedbank service as about the enter the (rather limiting) single track section to Fushiebridge at King's Gate on 6 July 2018. As it happens this is ...
David Panton 06/07/2018
4 of 24 images. more


This short lived station replaced Sheriffhall [1st]. It was probably located to the south side of the A6106 overbridge and opened with the Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway).
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More details

See also
Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway)
A northbound DMU on the Borders Railway approaching the double track section at Kings Gate on 11 September 2022 with the 0950 ex-Tweedbabnk. ...
John Furnevel 11/09/2022
A Sunday morning service on the Borders Railway approaching Kings Gate Points from the south on a misty 24 November 2019. The train is approximately ...
John Furnevel 24/11/2019
Southern approach to the A6106 road bridge at Melville Gate in July 2012, more than 40 years after this section of the Waverley route had closed and ...
John Furnevel 25/07/2012
A Sunday morning service on the Borders Railway seen midway between the Eskbank and Shawfair stops on 28 May 2017. The 6-car 170 combination is ...
John Furnevel 18/05/2017
4 of 18 images. more