Hawick [2nd]
Signalman Gordon Hall climbs down from the cab of Peak no 60 Lytham St Annes, following its arrival at Hawick at 23.27 on Sunday 5 January 1969 with the last scheduled service over the Waverley Route, the IM82 21.56 Edinburgh Waverley - St Pancras, conveying 10 coaches, including 2 sleeping cars. Signalman Hall had swapped shifts that night in order that he could be the one to pull the signal for the final train. It was not to be. Following reports earlier in the evening of demonstrations on the line in the Newcastleton area, the Hawick pilot (Clayton D8606) had been sent south just ahead of the train to check out the situation. Thus the signal to driver Fleming of Haymarket that night came in the form of an instruction from signalman Hall to pass the Hawick home signal at danger and proceed south under the section clear but junction or station blocked regulation. Gordon Hall is seen climbing down from the cab of no 60 having passed on this instruction just as a third figure enters the picture. That third person is a young David Steel MP, heading back to Westminster after the weekend, who is about to board the train (and whose powers of persuasion would be tested later at Newcastleton) see image 18723. The train finally left Hawick for St Pancras shortly after midnight on the morning of Monday 6 January 1969.
Location: Hawick [2nd]
Original line: Border Union Railway (North British Railway)
Photographer: Bruce McCartney
Contact photographer: Bruce McCartney
Date: 05/01/1969
Image number: 21882
Other photographs of Hawick [2nd] on RailScot
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