Melrose: A four-coach DMU from Edinburgh approaches Melrose on rugby Sevens day, Saturday 9th April 1965. The historic Melrose Abbey, dating from 1136, stands centre left directly above the rear of the train. Use of the more economical DMUs on the Waverley Route north of Hawick was restricted to weekend and seasonal workings.
Frank Spaven Collection (Courtesy David Spaven) 09/04/1965

Melrose

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Melrose (1849-1969)

Station code: MLS National Rail
Opened on the Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway).

Description

This was a two platform station. It had a large wooden roof over both platforms. The southbound (up) platform and building still stand. The trackbed is now occupied by the A6091.

The station enjoyed a location above the town and to its south, with a view overlooking Melrose Abbey. The main station building, on the eastbound platform, presented a single storey to the platforms and two storeys to the north, town, side. The styling is a mixture of styles including Jacobean. The architect was John Miller. A disadvantage of the prominent position over the town is the climb which was required up the hill to the station.

Originally there were four tracks between the platforms - two centre lines allowing non stop trains to bypass the station. When the station gained its later layout the goods yard, formerly approached by reversing from the northbound line and on the south side, was looped.

The signal box closed in 1964 and the railway closed in 1969.

The main building became derelict until restoration in 1984.

The nearest station is Tweedbank to the north and was St Boswells to the south - a short lived station just to the east existed at Newstead [Melrose].

Westwards from Melrose to Tweedbank much of the former railway route remains intact, or at least sufficient for a single track to be reinstated. Through the station the trackbed is occupied by the Melrose bypass but beyond it much of the route is intact again to Newstead [Melrose].

A restaurant Monte Cassino Restaurant and a nursery are based in the remaining station building.

Local

To the north of the former station is Melrose Abbey .

Starting from the abbey, and passing close to the station, is the St Cuthbert's Way which runs south to the Eildon Hills and ultimately east to Lindisfarne.

Tags

Station

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map




Chronology Dates

  /  /1923Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway)
Melrose station's timber roof removed.
06/01/1969Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway Edinburgh and Hawick Railway (North British Railway) Border Union Railway (North British Railway) Carlisle and Port Carlisle Railway and Dock
Edinburgh (Portobello East Junction) to Hawick [2nd] to Carlisle (Port Carlisle Junction) closed to passengers. Newtongrange [1st], Gorebridge, Tynehead, Heriot, Fountainhall, Stow, Galashiels [1st], Melrose, St Boswells, Hassendean, Hawick [2nd], Stobs, Shankend, Riccarton Junction, Steele Road, Newcastleton stations closed.
  /10/2011Edinburgh and Hawick Railway
Waverley Railway Company erects 175ft of fence at the closed Melrose station.

News items

29/10/2023Borders Railway extension: Group to drive project forward [Border Telegraph]
02/08/2023Death of Stuart Sellar []
03/04/2023ScotRail adds more seats for Melrose Sevens [ScotRail]
31/12/2022Extension of Borders Railway a priority, say politicians [Border Telegraph]
07/12/2022John Lamont: Borders Railway next steps discussed at meeting [Border Telegraph]
13/10/2022Borders Railway extension delay frustrations aired [BBC News]
12/10/2022Forget the Highlands: Why not go walking in the Borders? [Herald Scotland]
03/03/2022Berwick 'would have key role' in bid to restore old rail links [Berwick Advertiser]
03/02/2022Borders Railway extension project 'dead in water', says chief [Border Telegraph]
26/01/2022STPR2: Borderers 'ignored' in transport review, says Tory MP [Peeblesshire 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