Galashiels

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Galashiels (2015-)

Station code: GAL National Rail ScotRail
Where: Scottish Borders, Scotland
Opened on the Borders Railway (Network Rail).
Opened on the Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway).

Description

The new Galashiels station has a single platform on a single track line.

There are few facilities on platform, but, across the A7, via a pedestrian crossing, is the new Transport Interchange for onward connections by bus. It also has rest facilities.

The new station is to the north of the original Galashiels [1st] station. This was formerly the double track approach to the north of the station. with the loss of the original station site this cramped location was used instead.

On the north east side of the line is the immense retaining wall built to hold back higher ground.

West of the station is the Ladhope Tunnel.

From the east end of the platform, looking north, a recess in the low retaining wall can be seen - this was the location of a headshunt for the sidings on the east side of Galashiels [1st] station which was removed during the re-signalling of 1937.

To the north the next station is Stow and to the south Tweedbank. Historically, the next station north was Bowland (closer than Stow) and to the south the next was Melrose (further than Tweedbank).

The line is supported and promoted by the Borders Railway Community Rail Partnership .

Tags

Station

External links

NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map
NLS Map




Chronology Dates

01/07/1862Border Union Railway (North British Railway)
The line from Edinburgh Waverley to Carlisle Citadel via Galashiels and Hawick [2nd] is completed. The line opened from Hawick [2nd] to Scotch Dyke. Stations opened at Hawick [2nd], Barnes, Shankend, Riccarton, Steele Road, Newcastleton, Kershope Foot, Penton, Riddings Junction (and Canonbie on the incomplete Langholm branch). (Alternative date 01/08/1862.)
10/09/1951Selkirk and Galashiels Railway
Selkirk to Galashiels (Selkirk Junction) closed to passengers.
06/09/2015Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway)Millerhill Deviation (Network Rail)
Newcraighall North Junction to Tweedbank opened to passengers with stations at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels and Tweedbank. Newcraighall Junction renamed Newcraighall North Junction.

News items

01/11/2023Boleside Road footbridge set to reopen after three years [Border Telegraph]
27/10/2022Borders Railway campaigners advised to get the bus [BBC News]
27/10/2022Secretary of State reaffirms commitment to Borders Railway line extension study [Border Telegraph]
24/05/2022Galashiels music venue fears over ScotRail timetable impact [BBC News]
03/03/2022Berwick 'would have key role' in bid to restore old rail links [Berwick Advertiser]
01/12/2021Storm Arwen: Image shows severe damage to train following Red weather warning' [Scotsman]
17/09/2021Borders Railway: Safety inspection between Galashiels and Stow [Border Telegraph]
17/02/2020Bus driver responsible for crash onto train tracks at Galashiels fined £600 but spared ban [Southern Reporter]
08/12/2019Bus crashes onto railway lines near Galashiels station [Border Telegraph]
11/03/2019Thrown stone damages train windscreen at Galashiels [BBC News]

Books


A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Scotland - The Lowlands and the Borders v. 6 (Regional railway history series)

Forgotten Railways: Scotland

Galashiels 1897: Selkirkshire Sheet 08.02 (Old Ordnance Survey Maps of Selkirkshire)

Galashiels to Edinburgh: Including the Lauder and Dalkeith Branches - the Waverley Route (Scml)

Hawick 1897: Roxburghshire Sheet 25.07 (Old Ordnance Survey Maps of Roxburghshire)

Hawick to Galashiels: The Waverley Route Including the Selkirk Branch (Scottish Main Lines)

Last Years of the Waverley Route

North British Railway, Vol. 1 (Standard Railway History)

North British Railway, Vol. 2 (Standard Railway History)

On the Waverley Route

Railways Of Scotland 2: The Waverley Route DVD - Cinerail

The Waverley Route Through Time

The Waverley Route: Its Heritage and Revival

The Waverley Route: The Postwar Years

Waverley Route: The battle for the Borders Railway

Waverley Route: The Life, Death and Rebirth of the Borders Railway

Waverley: Portrait of a Famous Route