Hawick [2nd]: Boxing Day 1962 sees A3 Pacific no 60083 Sir Hugo arriving at Hawick in falling snow with the 1M88 10.15am Edinburgh Waverley - London St Pancras. A relief service had also left Edinburgh at 9.44am that morning behind another Pacific, A2 no 60522 Straight Deal see image [[31375]]. The train is passing D178 stabled in the siding behind the up platform. The Gateshead 'Peak' had arrived on crew training duties and had been put there to relieve congestion on the shed.

Hawick [2nd]: A cold Boxing Day morning at Hawick in 1962 with snow on the ground as Crab 2-6-0 no 42836 brings the 8.18am Millerhill - Carlisle Canal freight south through the station.

Hawick [2nd]: A2 Pacific no 60522 Straight Deal arrives at Hawick in wintry conditions on Boxing Day 1962. The train is the 1X79 9.44am Edinburgh Waverley - London St Pancras relief service, which preceeded that day's 10.15 departure from Edinburgh see image [[41212]].

Blackpool North: Britannia Pacific no 70013 Oliver Cromwell stands on Blackpool North shed (Talbot Road) on Boxing Day 1967 after bringing in a football excursion from Carlisle. Although officially closed in 1964, Blackpool North was used to service locomotives until almost the end of steam. The shed was finally demolished in 1975. (Note for football fans: The league division 2 match at Bloomfield Road on 26 December 1967 ended Blackpool 1 Carlisle United 1 and was watched by a crowd of 20,732.)

Blackpool North: Scene on shed at Blackpool North on Boxing Day 1967 (by which time the depot had been officially closed for 3 years). In the picture are Britannia Pacific no 70013 Oliver Cromwell of Kingmoor, which had brought in a football excursion from Carlisle earlier that day see image [[29195]], face to face with Stanier 8F 2-8-0 no 48033, latterly of Spring's Branch, Wigan, with an unidentified locomotive beyond. Blackpool North shed was eventually demolished in 1975.

Blackpool North: Three years after official closure, Blackpool North shed plays host to Britannia Pacific no 70013 Oliver Cromwell of Carlisle Kingmoor, which had arrived in the town on Boxing Day 1967 with a football special. In the background is Stanier 8F 2-8-0 no 48033. Final demolition took place here in 1975.

Carlisle: Kingmoor Britannia Pacific no 70013 Oliver Cromwell about to take a southbound football special out of Carlisle bound for Blackpool on Boxing Day 1967. The locomotive was officially withdrawn by BR the following year and is now preserved. (Robin Barbour is standing on the right of the picture)

Blackpool North: Black 5 no 45353 leaving Blackpool North on Boxing Day 1967 with the 2.30pm to Leeds via Manchester. Photograph taken from Blackpool North shed.

Blackpool North: 45353 storms past Blackpool North shed with the 2.30pm to Leeds via Manchester on 26 December 1967.

Carlisle: Boxing Day 1967 in Carlisle... and what better way to help shake off those Christmas excesses than to head off to a football match - in this case a Football League Division 2 clash away to Blackpool. Britannia Pacific no 70013 Oliver Cromwell prepares to take out the Carlisle United football special packed with fans who would help to make up the crowd of 20,000+ at Bloomfield Road that day who witnessed an entertaining 1-1 draw.

Blackpool North: Scene on Blackpool North shed (Talbot Road) on Boxing Day 1967 with Britannia Pacific no 70013 Oliver Cromwell making use of the facilities, having arrived earlier with a football special from Carlisle. (The shed had been officially closed in 1964).

Blackpool North: Looking towards Blackpool North station from the locomotive shed area on 26 December 1967. See image [[29212]]. Black 5 no 45353 is just leaving the platform with the 2.30pm to Leeds via Manchester, with a BRCW DMU over on the left.

Hawick [2nd]: Looking over the rooftops of Hawick on Boxing Day 1968. View is north from Douglas Road along Earl Street towards the junction with Duke Street, with the River Teviot beyond. In the left foreground is Oliver's Auction Mart with its extensive cattle pens - the area now occupied by Morrisons Supermarket See image [[23300]]. In the sidings on the north side of the river to the right is a 2-car DMU that stabled at Hawick overnight and, on a normal day, formed the early service to Carlisle, while to its left a 4-coach train has just left the station behind a Brush Type 4 bound for Edinburgh. (This was a Boxing Day replacement for the St Pancras - Edinburgh through train and started from Hawick on this occasion.) Finally, to the right of the DMU, stands a rake of flat-cars ready for the track lifting that would commence shortly after the passage of the last scheduled passenger train over the Waverley route which would leave Edinburgh 10 days later.

Croxley Mill: The last substantial section of the LNWR Watford to Rickmansworth branch to survive in traffic served John Dickinson's Croxley paper mill for the delivery of fuel oil. This view of the mill, taken on 26th December 1977, shows the sidings and transshipment facilities. Trains ran until the mill closed in December 1980, after which it was demolished for new housing.

Hemel Hempstead: The Nickey Line between Hemel Hempstead and Harpenden carried traffic until 1979 when the Hemelite building block factory at the western end switched to road transport to import its raw materials. Shown here are the factory sidings at Cupid Green near Hemel Hempstead a few months before the rail traffic ceased, complete with the company's Ruston loco tucked away in its shed for the Christmas break. Appropriately, the shed is built from Hemelite aggregate blocks.

Tyndrum [1st]: The site of the original terminus at Tyndrum in 1994, the nearer part is now the site of a pair of houses. The view looks east. From here a tramway ran to the lead mines to the west. This station was replaced by Tyndrum Lower, off to the right out of shot. This became the goods and cattle yard.

Dalmally: View north across Dalmally station on Boxing Day, 1994. The station building was looking rather down at the mouth at the time. Part of the canopy had been removed and burned on the site of the former engine shed (off to the right in this view). In the road entrance / goods yard a blue Matador truck, equipped as a heavy recovery vehicle and belonging to Dalmally Station Garage, can be seen.

Drem: Late in the afternoon of Boxing Day 1998, the work site just west of Drem station is at the last stage of renewing the track. A crane on the Up line (right) is picking up a length of rail from the Down line. Once the rails were laid and clipped up, new ballast would then be deposited, regulated and tamped.

Alloa: The site of the new Alloa station after demolition of the Alloa Brewery but before foliage clearance began on the railway.

Glenochil Mine: Looking east along the branch from the Alva Railway to Glenochil Pit. Glenochil was intended to be a super pit but regrettably most coal in the area had already been worked out. The site of the mine is now a prison.

Alloa West Junction: The signalpost still remained at the level crossing for some time after closure of the line. Some vegetation was removed in 2002 for construction of a new (or upgraded) sewer under the trackbed. Some panels were lifted out and not reinstated.

Broxburn Junction: View towards Edinburgh at Broxburn Junction in 2003. The Broxburn branch ran off to the right and there were several sidings off the branch. The loading bank to the left was part of a small goods yard at the junction.

Drem: Ballast train at Drem on Boxing Day 2004.

Drem: Queue of PW trains through Drem station on 26 December 2004.

Longniddry: Unusual traffic on the ECML at Longniddry station on Boxing Day 2004. View is west towards Waverley.

Thorneybank: View north from the decrepit and disused roadbridge at Thorneybank looking north to the site of Dalkeith Colliery (to the left of the distant pylons). See image [[35558]].

Oxwellmains Siding: LaFarge cement works, Owellmains, south of Dunbar, on Boxing Day 2004. The ECML runs through the centre of the picture and part of Torness nuclear power station can be made out in the left background.

Thorneybank: Thorneybank looking south in 2004. This view directly compares with an earlier photograph of this location see image [[35574]]. This was the southern extent of the line after the route south to Hardengreen was severed in 1934. This was formerly the location of the Smeaton Brickworks. (Note - this North British Dalkeith Branch should not be confused with the Dalkeith Branch of the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway.)

Oxwellmains Siding: Withdrawn and cannibalised ex-industrial shunting locomotives - looking south west across the ECML at Oxwellmains cement works on 26 December 2004.

Longniddry: Track renewal - ECML Longniddry - looking east - December 2004.

Drem: Sort that lot out! Track renewal at Drem on Boxing Day 2004.

Victoria Viaduct: Very little remains of the substantial Victoria Viaduct over the South Esk. This is the base a pier on the northern side of the river. The viaduct was described by Hajducki as carried 'on a series of slender Danzig timber arches'. The viaduct was later rebuilt with girders to carry the Dalkeith Branch of the North British which ran from Hardengreen to Smeaton. The line fell out of use in 1934 and the viaduct was demolished in 1940. This photograph was taken in the winter of 2004, it is difficult to find anything in the summer!

Smeaton: View west from the road overbridge near the former Smeaton station in December 2004, with the old station, exchange sidings and Dalkeith Colliery long gone. See image [[5706]]

Victoria Viaduct: This view looks north from what was the trackbed of the Duke of Buccleuch's Tramway and later the Dalkeith Branch of the North British. Ahead was the Victoria Viaduct which has been demolished with very little, except the base of a pier, remaining to show where it was. The nearby New Cow road bridge is a clue to the location of the former viaduct. Behind the camera was Cowden Colliery served by the tramway and Cowdenfoot Colliery served by NB. December 2004.

Oxwellmains Siding: Looking south along a ghostly ECML at Owellmains on Boxing Day 2004. The LaFarge cement works on the right is shut down for the holiday period with a Freightliner class 66 stabled in the exchange sidings. The line on the left runs to the landfill site, destination of the 'Binliner' trains from Powderhall see image [[4773]].

Smeaton: Looking west over the site of Smeaton station from the road bridge in December 2004 with no visible signs of the station, the former Dalkeith colliery or the sidings... only a waving eejit.

Carstairs: 'Hey...Jim... I can see your house from up here..!!!' Maintenance work underway just east of Carstairs station on a cold and frosty Boxing Day 2005.

Alloa Loop: Track by Hornby! (Well thats how it looks to me). Looking east from Alloa Hilton Road Level Crossing.

Alloa: All quiet on the Alloa front.

Alloa [1st]: Looking west at the new Alloa station. The bridge is the old waggonway bridge.

Alloa West Junction: Dont you go making a mess of my lovely trackbed! Looking east from Alloa West Level Crossing.

Alloa Marshalling Yard: Looking east towards Alloa from the east end of the passing loop just east of Cambus. The marshalling yard was to the right.

Alloa Loop: Looking west on the ECML, er no, this is the new passing loop to the east of Alloa. It runs from Hilton Road to (the former) Kincardine Junction.

Edinburgh Waverley: The Klondyke side of Waverley station on Boxing Day 2006. Due to fog at most of the English airports in the run up to Christmas, traffic on the railways 'boomed'. Folks scramble off a recently arrived 125 to reach the taxi rank on the right.

Kincardine Junction: Looking west from the former Kincardine Junction to the new passing loop east of Alloa. Taken from the trackbed of the S&DR the re-instated line uses the Kincardine route from here. Two new bridges here; one over the line to replace Hilton Road LC and the new Helensfield bridge.

Edinburgh Waverley: The new platform 3 at the east end of Waverley.

Edinburgh Waverley: East end of Waverley showing the new platform 3. Plenty of space round here for a few new platforms for say a new Waverley Route or even Penicuik.

Gogar Tram Depot: This big hole in the ground will be the Gogar Tram Depot. View looks north west.

Edinburgh Airport: This rock is the ancient Cat Stane which had to be considered during the planning of the now shelved Edinburgh Airport Railway.

Drumgelloch [1st]: 320303 stands at the former Drumgelloch terminus on Boxing Day 2008 with an early afternoon service from Helensburgh Central. The station is no more, with a replacement opened 500m further east in March 2011 on what is now the double track Aidrie - Bathgate - Edinburgh route. See image [[33178]]

Clarkston (Lanark): The old bridge carrying Towers Road, Airdrie, looking west along the trackbed in December 2008. On the other side of the bridge is the site of Clarkston (Lanarks) station (1862 - 1956), while just out of site in the distance is the then eastern terminus of the North Clyde Line at Drumgelloch. A year later the bridge was no more, removed and replaced as part of the Airdrie - Bathgate project see image [[69957]]. A year after that, in December 2010, trains were running once again. The delayed replacement Drumgelloch station opened just beyond the bridge in March 2011.

Airdrie: View north towards Airdrie station from the car park on Boxing Day 2008. On the left the 1208 Drumgelloch - Helensburgh has just arrived, while in the bay an Aidrie - Balloch train is awaiting its departure time. The train on the far right is in the stabling siding. The gentleman striding purposefully along the platform is hurrying to advise me that taking photographs of Airdrie station is illegal. After thanking him for the information and wishing him a happy and prosperous 2009, I left.

Drumgelloch [1st]: View east over the buffer stops at Drumgelloch on 26 December 2008 towards the road bridge carrying Crowwood Drive (an obvious clearance problem to any extension of the electrified line). The waving eejit is none other than EC, who is about to set off and walk along the trackbed to Bathgate. See image [[25234]]

Drumgelloch [1st]: A morning train from Helensburgh Central arrives at Drumgelloch terminus on Boxing Day 2008.

Drumgelloch [1st]: Looking west under the very long bridge over the line at Drumgelloch. Some notable photographer on the distant right.

Forrestfield: A doomed house, which must have been compulsorarily purchased, east of Forrestfield. View looks east where the A89 crosses the trackbed at Bedlormie Toll.

Forrestfield: Building (lamp room?) at the east end of Forrestfield station on the westbound platform. Amazing, it only took me five visits to notice it. But will it survive the re-opening? View looks west. The station buildings were on this side of the road bridge.

Polkemmet Junction: Pouring metal sculpture just to the west of the former triangular junction at Bathgate on the Airdrie and Morningside (Lanarks) routes. View looks to Bathgate.

Polkemmet Junction: View looking south at Polkemmet Junction. Route to Morningside (Lanarks) to the left and that to Airdrie to the right via a portion of the Bathgate/Crofthead Branch of the Monkland Railways and the New Monkland Line.

Bathgate Shed: In the gloom of the former Bathgate MPD.

Bathgate Shed: Redundant track panels stored outside the redundant Bathgate MPD shed.

Holmes Summit: The former Airdrie to Bathgate line seen at Forrestfield Summit in 2008 just as reinstatement works began and prior to its new name. The bridge was to be rebuilt and, due to the new access road for Hillend Reservoir built alongside the railway, a concrete retaining wall for the embankment was added to the right.

Clarkston (Lanark): As part of the Airdrie - Bathgate project the existing Drumgelloch station will be replaced by a new station 550m further east. The site will have improved road access with parking for 336 cars. The area occupied by the former Clarkston (Lanark) station will stand on the eastern edge of the new Drumgelloch site. This photograph, taken on 26 December, is from approximately the same position as that taken by Colin Miller 46 years previously see image [[20208]] and looks east towards the bridge carrying Towers Road. The position of the former main station building on the eastbound platform is now occupied by the electricity sub-station seen on the left. The new station will be located behind the camera alongside what is still called Station Road.

Airdrie: View east from Craig Street bridge, Airdrie on Boxing Day 2008, looking along the line towards Drumgelloch (and eventually to Bathgate and Edinburgh) with the bay platform and stabling siding to the right both occupied. Airdrie will become a three platform station once again when the old eastbound platform, on which the former signal box still stands, is eventually rebuilt. New lifts, stairs and a footbridge will also be installed. Further increases in car parking at Airdrie are currently under discussion between Transport Scotland and First ScotRail. See image [[27740]]

Caldercruix: View from the western edge of the village of Caldercruix on 26 December looking towards the original proposed site of the new station with housing developments currently underway on both sides of the trackbed. These plans have now been changed and the new station will now be located on the site of the original, near the centre of the village. Construction work is scheduled to commence in the summer of 2009. See image [[21918]]

Caldercruix: Remains of the 1862 station at Caldercruix viewed from the road bridge looking towards Drumgelloch on 26 December 2008. In the original plan, the second Caldercruix station was to be built on a new site located on the western edge of the village but, due to unforseen environmental problems, that plan has had to be changed and the new station will now be built here. See image [[33163]]

Drumgelloch [1st]: 'Hmmm... so this must be.. errrr.. ' It can be confusing! Platform scene at the old (1989) Drumgelloch station on Boxing Day 2008. Approximately eighteen months later the terminus would be gone, to be replaced by a new (2011) double track through station some 550m further east as part of the Airdrie - Bathgate project. The new (2011) Drumgelloch station was in turn built near the site of the original (1862) Clarkston (Lanarks) station (closed 1956). see image [[29371]].

Plains: Remains of one of the platforms at the former Plains station (closed 1951) on the eastern outskirts of Airdrie. Photographed on 26 December 2008 looking towards Bathgate, with the old level crossing behind the camera.

Plains Junction: A view west of the former Plains Junction in December 2008. Work to reinstate the Airdrie - Bathgate line began shortly afterwards. Two mineral branches left the north side of the line here serving collieries to the south and east of Ballochney.

Caldercruix: The only way is up. Looking west at the former Caldercruix station on Boxing Day 2008. The new station on the reopened Airdrie - Bathgate line will eventually be built on this same site.

Stepends Junction: At Stepends, just east of Plains, two branches left the line. One ran east to a colliery at Moffat Hills and another, the Plains Branch, ran west to Ballochney Farm and the north of Plains. The two branches were out of line with each other and about quarter of a mile apart. This view looks east showing the site of the junction between the mainline to Bathgate and the branch to Moffat Hills (right).

Caldercruix: Scene at Caldercruix in December 2008 looking west from Main Street road bridge over the station site. Caldercruix had closed to passenger traffic in 1956, with the line closing completely in 1982. Preliminary work on the new station was due to commence a short time after this photograph was taken, with some of the housing on the left having already been vacated pending demolition. See image [[33076]]

Clarkston (Lanark): The trackbed through the old station site at Clarkston (Lanark) in December 2008 looking east towards Towers Road bridge. Two years later this would become the site of the new Drumgelloch station following the Airdrie - Bathgate reopening. The recovered concrete sleepers are from the last operational section of the original line east of this point serving the Moffat Mills branch see image [[8034]].
See query 2140

Drumgelloch [1st]: Prior to 1989 there was no station here. Since 2010 there has been no station here. The original Drumgelloch station seen with a Helensburgh train waiting at the terminus in December 2008. The platform has now gone, replaced by a widened trackbed carrying the new double-track route east via a new Drumgelloch station some 550m behind the camera, built as part of the Airdrie - Bathgate project.

Blackridge: Looking east towards the former Woodend Junction and yard in 2008 from what is now the newly re-opened eastbound platform at Blackridge station. The branch on the left ran to Blackrigg No 2 Colliery with further lines running to Woodend Colliery and other nearby coal mines. The footpath took a route further south here amongst the tips. Following the route of the main line, as seen here, could result in very wet feet! See image [[32302]]

Luton: The former Dunstable-Hatfield branch of the GNR was squeezed tightly between the Midland Main Line and the A6129 just South of the A505 alongside Luton Airport. This is an interesting section, clearly on the original single track formation. View looks South-East.

Luton: The recently opened 'Luton to Harpenden cyclepath' starts just South of the A505 next to Luton Airport. As seen in this picture, the path plays fast and loose with the original formation and gradient profile. Later on, however, it offers good photographic viewpoints of the 4-track Midland Main Line.

Lauder: Boxing Day sees the annual presentation of the much coveted Railscot Waving Eejit award, which has been retained this year by EC with this flamboyant farewell at Lauder on 26 December 2009. The location is the starting point of the walk to Fountainhall over the long abandoned route of the Lauder Light Railway.

Middletoun Summit: Just before the light failed this was the view looking west to the summit (944 feet) of the Lauder Light Railway. The short level section of the summit was between Middleton Siding and Threeburnford No. 1 Level Crossing.

Lauder Food Depot: View along the minor road running north west off the A68 to the north of Lauder on Boxing Day 2009. The station and goods yard stood off to the right. Lauder lost its passenger service in 1932 but the branch survived for another 26 years, closing in 1958. The station and goods yard are gone and the area is now an industrial estate. One remaining link to the railway however is this large former government wartime food storage depot which was served by a private siding running back from the platform line. This continued over a level crossing on the right to reach transhipment facilities along the side of the building nearest the road. The complex, consisting of 6 large interconnected storage sheds (another 3 stand at the rear), closed in the 1950s although the buildings survive in commercial use.

Fylde Junction: Boxing Day morning sees the northern approaches to Preston deserted. The lines in the foreground, passing the 25kv feeder station, are for Lancaster while those on the right lead to Blackpool. Stock is rarely stabled at Preston these days so the holding sidings in front of the power box are also empty. The point heaters look to be working though.

Cambridge: All lit up and nowhere to go: this is the Guided Busway (former Huntingdon line) at the Cambridge end, looking from Milton Road. Despite the lighting, opening is still a few months away - hence the concrete blocks.

Maudland Bridge: Slumbering under the snow. Tracks of the erstwhile Longridge branch, unused now for nearly twenty years, can just be seen beneath the Boxing Day snow and the Silver Birch trees. This view looks towards the now severed junction with the main line See image [[23275]] and also shows the student accommodation built on the site of Maudlands Goods Yard.

Broughton [2nd]: Approaching the meagre remains of Broughton station heading east towards Peebles along the trackbed of the Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway on Boxing Day 2011. The old island platform, now being used to stack logs, is all that survives of the railway here. This platform dates from 1896 when Broughton effectively became a three platform junction station following the opening of the Talla Railway. Today the site is now fully secured, with one of several warning signs attached to the gate reading 'Beware Dobermann'.

Victoria Lodge: The 2011 Railscot 'Waving Eejit' award has once again gone to you-know-who. This years location is Victoria Lodge, seen here on 26 December, with EC standing on the trackbed of the line that was built from the Victoria Lodge terminus to the top of Talla dam see image [[6635]] about to head north to the junction at Broughton.

Farington Junction: Boxing Day view south at Farington Junction and a pall of smoke still drifts across the line from the fire that started five days previously in the nearby business park. This caused the temporary closure of the WCML at the time See image [[2749]]

Lanark: View towards the main entrance from platform 2 of Lanark station on Boxing Day 2011, with a recently arrived afternoon service from Glasgow standing at platform 1.

Preston: Taking advantage of the Christmas closure for some permanent way work, Colas 73909 Saturn is seen operating at the south end of an otherwise deserted Preston station. Sister machine 73910 Jupiter was similarly employed nearby. There is no other apparent connection between the late lamented Cal-Mac Clyde Streakers and these very functional plant machines.

Broughton [2nd]: The remains of the old station at Broughton have now become part of a fenced and gated yard. View towards Peebles in December 2011 showing the surviving island platform.

Victoria Lodge: This view looks south to Talla Reservoir with Victoria Lodge and its station on the distant left. The construction camp was located to the right (could the hut be from that period?) This location is on the extreme left of the famous photographs of the official opening day of the Reservoir in 1905.

Glenrusco Siding: View north along the Talla Railway trackbed near Tweedsmuir on 26 December 2011. Amazingly not only has the trackbed's ballast survived here but the indentations from sleepers are still obvious, now grass-lined.

Lanark: Lanark railway station, looking north east across Bannatyne Street on Boxing Day 2011. The two platform terminus is reached via a short branch off the WCML and is at the southern end of the Argyle Line. The stately old (1854/5) building continues to more than hold its own in a surrounding sea of modernity including the local medical centre (left) and the stilt-supported Department of Work and Pensions (right). The station replaced the original 1848 Lanark station on the WCML which was renamed Cleghorn see image [[15178]].

Broughton [2nd]: Station remains at Broughton on the former Caledonian Symington - Peebles route, seen here in December 2011. The surviving structure is part of the island platform, built in 1896 to accommodate traffic using the private Talla Railway, which conveyed workers and materials to a large new reservoir construction site 8 miles to the south. The Talla Railway operated from 1896 until completion of the reservoir in 1905. Broughton station itself closed in 1950, with the last operational section of the line, west to Symington, used for freight until 1966.

Bath Green Park: The flats on the right are part of a new housing development near Bath Green Park see image [[37250]]. Since much of this land was the site of Stothert and Pitt's crane factory, it is only fair that a rail-mounted crane should be 'stuffed and mounted' on the front lawn. The grim weather discouraged me from checking its genuineness or otherwise.

Blackpool North: Although very busy with overnight servicing the Blackpool North carriage sidings are usually empty during the day time. However, the Christmas closedown of the network means that for two days trains are stabled there. This was the scene on Boxing Day 2012 when many units of classes 142, 150, 156, 158 and 185 were present under a threatening sky.

Starr Gate: It's not only the national rail network that was closed for Christmas. A film of rust on the rails and locked gates to Starr Gate Depot on Boxing Day morning show that Blackpool trams were not running either. The new Starr Gate tram terminus can also be seen to the left of the fence.

Blackpool North: Blackpool North is deserted on Boxing Day 2012 and only 158903 is stabled in the station area. In the background, the tower is once again covered in scaffolding for another repair.

Blackpool North: Boxing Day 2012 sees a line up of trains in the depot sidings at Blackpool North. Visible are Classes 185, 158, 142 and 156 with Class 150 Sprinters also present. Blackpool North station, and the depot, will close during 2016 for electrification work and the maintenance and fuelling facility will temporarily move to Farington Junction near Leyland See image [[55237]]

Broadstairs: Platform scene at Broadstairs, Kent, looking north on 26 December, with rusty rails providing a clue as to the level of service that should be expected on Boxing Day 2013. [Ref query 37673]

Bowland: Scene on the Waverley route just north of Bowland station site on 26 December 2013, with various items of plant and equipment deployed on the Borders Railway construction project stored on the embankment over the holiday period.

Peebles CR and NBR Junction: Eejits away.... with a wave! EC heading west along the route of the NB-Caley link line at Peebles via the hole in the Tweed Bridge on Boxing Day 2013 - destination Broughton. See image [[37343]]

Tweedbank: The Borders Railway works area at Tweedbank on 26 December 2013 with construction activities temporarily suspended over the Christmas holiday period.

Girvan (Old): Western abutment of the old bridge over the River Girvan that once led to the coal chutes see image [[45090]].

Bridge No 95: Rise of the machines II. Construction teams and equipment approaching Galashiels on 26 December 2013 on the north side of Wheatlands Road, which will be spanned by a new railway bridge. View from Plumtreehall Brae looking north across the Gala Water to the site of Kilnknowe Junction. See image [[35869]]

Kilnknowe Junction: Looking north west from Wheatlands Road, Galashiels, near the site of Kilnknowe Junction on 26 December 2013. The Borders Railway will cross the road here on a new bridge. Up ahead the Peebles Loop once diverged to the left away from the Waverley Route. Immediately behind the camera is the bridge over the Gala Water see image [[45757]].

Bowland: Standing on Bowland Bridge (1815) over the Gala Water looking north east towards the A7 on 26 December 2013. All traces of Bowland station have now gone and bridge no 80 has been removed.

Redbridge Viaduct: The gap recently openened up on Winston Road, Galashiels, photographed on Boxing Day 2013. A new bridge will eventually span the Borders Railway here. See image [[47848]]

Cambus o' May: The old station building at Cambus o' May, Deeside line, looking west to Ballater on 26 December. The two concrete posts which held the station name board, presumably late LNER or BR, still stand on the right.

Bath Green Park: That's a matter of a pinion... This large axle-mounted gear indicates that the 1904 Stothert and Pitt crane belatedly returned to its birthplace see image [[41493]] could self propel - albeit slowly. The steel plates beneath seem to be in informal storage.

Cambus o' May: The old station building at Cambus o May looking east towards Dinnet and Aboyne on 26 December. The river Dee can just be seen through the trees on the right. Surely few prettier locations for a station anywhere.

Cambus o' May: The Deeside Line immediately west of Cambus o' May, delineated by the retaining wall and fence on the right. Looking west to Ballater, the trackbed no more than 5m from the river. The house at mid-distance is called Cutaway Cottage, a diagonal slice having been taken from its gable end to give clearance to passing trains.

Bowland: A new use for an old railway location. The former goods yard at Bowland, looking north on 26 December 2013.

Bowland: A cold and fer.. fer.. fer.. frosty Boxing Day morning at Bowland in 2014, looking west from the A7 towards the recent replacement for bridge no 80 on the Waverley Route (see image [[36188]]). No trace remains of the former Bowland station (1848-1953) which stood to the left of the bridge.

Alloway Junction: The MDLR trackbed between the hedges looking west from Dunure Road on the south side of Ayr on a murky 26 December 2014. Sustrans is said to be planning to extend the cycle track from here to Heads of Ayr. Best of luck!

Tweedbank: Looking north west from Tweedbank Drive along the footpath leading down to the former Waverley trackbed on 26 December 2014. The route is shared by cyclists, pedestrians, the occasional eejit and the new Borders Railway, with the latter now separated by a serious metal fence. Just off picture to the left is Redbridge Viaduct over the Tweed leading to Galashiels, while a short distance to the right is the site of the new Tweedbank station.

Clydebank Riverside: Looking at the former booking office of Clydebank Riverside station on Boxing Day 2014. Closed in 1964, the building has since been restored and converted for use as residential accommodation.

Selkirk Junction: Looking north west towards Galashiels on 26 December 2014 over the site of Selkirk Junction. Part of the surviving abutment of the bridge that carried the Selkirk branch over the Gala Water is visible through the trees alongside the trackbed. The branch closed to all traffic in 1964.

Galashiels: A quiet Galashiels seen from Station Brae during the morning of Boxing Day 2014, with the BAM works compound secured for the holiday. The partially constructed transport interchange and railway station face one other across the A7 Ladhope Vale, which has recently reopened for 2-way traffic.

Redbridge Viaduct: Looking south from Winston Road, Galashiels, on 26 December, with the new road bridge having recently been opened to vehicles. The pedestrian route between Winston Road and Tweedbank via the Red Bridge in the distance is now on the right (west side) of the trackbed, with the old route, visible beyond the barriers on the far left, now closed off.

Paterson's No 2 Siding: An additional footbridge has been built over the trackbed from Low Buckholmside, Galashiels, seen here looking north west from above Ladhope Tunnel on 26 December 2014. See image [[45620]]

Tweedbank: Not another eejit surely? HJF testing out his favourite Christmas present - a folding lightweight portable step-stool! Beyond the fence is the Tweedbank station site, with platform work well advanced. View north from the buffer stops towards Galashiels on 26 December 2014.

Bridge No 95: Looking towards Kilnknowe Junction from Plumtreehall Brae on a chilly Boxing Day 2014, with the route north across the bridges spanning the Gala Water and Wheatlands Road looking almost ready for tracklaying.

Redbridge Viaduct: The new bridge that will carry Winston Road over the Borders Railway, now open to traffic. View is north west from the pedestrian walkway/cycleway, now relocated to the west side of the trackbed. The Red Bridge and Tweedbank are behind the camera.

Galashiels: Construction continues on the new Galashiels transport interchange alongside the A7 opposite the site of the new station. View north on 26 December 2014.

Kilnknowe Junction: Track level view Looking through Kilnknowe Place bridge, Galashiels, back towards Kilnknowe Junction on 26 December. The Peebles line, which ran through the arch on the right, continued in parallel with the Waverley route for a considerable distance before turning west behind the camera.

Galashiels [1st]: The new bridge taking the Borders Railway over Currie Road, Galashiels, looking south on 26 December 2014, with scaffolding now removed and 2-way traffic restored. Note the new alignment starting to veer south to rejoin the original Waverley route which passed by on the right.

Torwoodlee South Viaduct: The southern of the two recently rebuilt viaducts at Torwoodlee looking north across the Gala Water on 26 December 2014. The Peebles Loop, which separated from the Waverley route at Kilnknowe Junction, has turned off to the left (west) by this point. The south portal of Torwoodlee Tunnel can be seen in the distance.

Fountainhall: Looking over the site of Fountainhall station towards the A7 (running across the centre background) on 26 December 2014. The old station house and water tower base survive for now. The car on the left is approaching via the recently opened A7 link road and bridge over the railway, replacing the original route via the level crossing alongside the former station.

Torwoodlee North Viaduct: The northern viaduct at Torwoodlee on 26 December looking back towards the tunnel see image [[41201]].

Stow: A Boxing Day mist moves in from the south at Stow during the afternoon of 26 December 2014. The temporary crossing created here for construction traffic is strangely reminiscent of the barrow crossing that once existed at the other end of the station see image [[23820]].

Kilnknowe Junction: The new footbridge under construction on Plumtreehall Brae, replacing the road bridge that previously crossed the railway here. View south west towards the A72 King Street on 26 December. See image [[49909]]

Kilnknowe Junction: Looking south towards Galashiels station on 26 December 2014 over Wheatlands Road and the Gala Water. The new Plumtreehall Brae footbridge (not yet opened) spans the trackbed in the background. This will replace the road bridge that provided a link between the A7 and the A72. See image [[49908]]

Falahill Summit: The new road/rail alignment at the south end of Falahill village where the Borders Railway now passes below the A7. Photograph taken during the 2014 Christmas break looking towards Galashiels. Considerable civil engineering work was required to achieve the final arrangement shown here. See image [[44650]]

Hollowshank Bridge: Still no significant change in the temperature by the early afternoon of 26 December with the light already beginning to fade and the mist continuing to edge its way north. Photograph taken looking back towards Fountainhall as the newly laid track of the Borders Railway follows the road south.

Bowshank Tunnel: All quiet around the south portal of Bowshank Tunnel on Boxing Day 2014, with work temporarily halted over the holiday period. See image [[49180]]

Stow: The new station footbridge under construction at Stow on 26 December 2014.

Galashiels: The 61 service to Earlston is amongst the buses using temporary stops in Stirling Street, Galashiels, on 26 December 2014, while construction work on the new transport interchange continues in the background.

Tweedbank: My travelling companion on our Boxing Day walk told me this sign meant we must stop here and have some tea. Seemed like a good idea at the time...

Huyton: Part of the electrification team in action at Huyton station on Boxing Day 2014.

St Boswells: Scene at St Boswells on 26 December 2015, with the late running 1410 (Boxing Days only) eejit to Tweedbank about to depart in heavy rain. Note the surviving locomotive shed and water tank to the right, on land now occupied by a van rental company. see image [[28832]].

Tweedbank: All quiet at Tweedbank on Boxing Day 2015. View north from the buffer stops with ScotRail 158s stabled over the holiday period.

Leyland: A view north towards Preston along platform 1 at Leyland on 26 December 2015 with the new footbridge in place and the three lift shafts now dominating the skyline.

Tweedbank: ScotRail 158s in the bays at Tweedbank on a wet 26 December 2015 stabled over the Christmas Holiday.

Toyland: A completed version of the Abellio ScotRail 512 piece lego 'new train' freebie from the launch on 1 April 2015 see image [[50834]]. This one was a limited edition version - having only 511 pieces! (With thanks to EC for assembly work - and moderation of language throughout).

Tweedbank: Wet day at Tweedbank. View from the station councourse on Boxing Day 2015.

Tweedbank: Nothing holds back our intrepid photographers. Come rain (quite a bit of rain), shine or high fences. See image [[49879]] for a view of John taking the same step exactly one year previously.

St Boswells: A north facing view of the west elevation of the locomotive shed at St Boswells and the Kelso branch platform.

St Boswells: View south from the Kelso branch platform track with the locomotive shed to the left and platforms to the right. Three strange little roofs (which appear to be post closure additions) overhang the trackbed each above one of the non blocked up windows into the shed. To protect the window shutters perhaps? Does anyone know their purpose?

Melrose: The former Melrose station looking east from the former up platform ... in the bucketing rain.
A remarkably large amount of the line from Tweedbank to St Boswells remains intact, bar a few missing bridges and infilled cuttings. The A6091 has not entirely obliterated the trackbed, much of which is now a footpath.

St Boswells: The bridge over the minor road to the north of St Boswells station originally carried two tracks and was extended on the east side as the goods yard, serving a large market, expanded. The view looks west.

Bath Spa: An orange army - or at least a small detachment therefrom - attending to the viaduct West of Bath Spa station at dusk on Boxing Day 2015.

Millerhill EGIP Depot: Intermittent showers of sleet driven by a freezing wind bid welcome to Millerhill on Boxing Day morning 2016. View is east from Whitehill Road over the entrance for plant and equipment to be used on the new ScotRail EMU depot.

Kenilworth: View South-East from the footbridge of Kenilworth station, showing progress on the (re)construction works in December 2016 see image [[57685]].

Rosslynlee Hospital Halt: A gap in the stone wall is the only reminder today of the halt at Rosslynlee Hospital Halt. Nothing remains of the platform, but a short section of fencing and partial buffer stop are behind the wall. The view looks to Millerhill. See image [[45975]].

Lead Burn Viaduct: The substantial Lead Burn Viaduct viewed from the west. This viaduct was just to the west of Howgate and not far north of Milkhall Level Crossing. Why this was built as a viaduct when this line has so many large embankments over culverts crossing similar burns I am not sure (eg two near Rosslynlee). Floods must have been expected.

Kenilworth: Looking North-East - opposite to the poster view see image [[57659]] at the new station works at Kenilworth on 26 Deceber 2016. The new station here is part of works to provide a through service from Nuneaton to Leamington Spa.

Tweedbank: Quiet day at Tweedbank ...apart from the sound of the rain. View across the concourse on Boxing Day 2016.

Kenilworth: The official view of how the new station will look. The grey footbridge to the left of the station building is already in place, just off Priory Road. See also image [[40486]].

Chorley Tunnel: At the western end of Chorley Tunnel there is a steep sided cutting and to help keep the cutting sides apart there are a series of arches. On 26 December 2016 with the vegetation cut back in readiness for electrification, it is now possible to see some of the arches. The arches were carefully removed in 2015 for a steel arch to be put in place and the stone arch then placed on top.

Chorley Tunnel: A close up view of the western end of the Chorley Arches in the cutting leading to Chorley Tunnel on 26 December 2016 showing the original stone work above the newly inserted steel arch.

Millerhill EGIP Depot: The show must go on. Engineering possession at the north end of Millerhill Yard on the morning of Boxing Day 26 December 2018, with work being carried out on the through freight lines as well as those serving the EMU depot.

Longniddry: View west to Longniddry showing the trackbed of the Haddington branch on the left and main line on the right. The routes ran parallel for a short length to reach the station, the branch dropping in height.

Aberlady Junction: This view from the Gullane branch is towards Aberlady Junction where the branch met the North British's main line, seen here on the left.

Haddington: Station Road, Haddington, looking north on 26 December 2019. Beyond the disused gates was the road leading up to the goods yard, with a cobbled pathway running alongside on the right. The old yard is now Station Court, containing various modern industrial and office units. Road access today is from the other end of the site, with a pedestrian stairway to plafform level located just beyond the gate see image [[71891]]. Note the serious gatepost protectors!

Haddington: Station Park in Haddington was formerly the cab-rank below the main entrance. The North British was going through a bit of a red and yellow brick phase in the 1880s when the station was rebuilt. The style was used on station buildings, boxes, goods sheds and retaining walls as seen here. The matching station building sat atop the wall and off to the left. Two pedestrian entries ran off to the left of the wall, a covered staircase to the building and uncovered ramp from the platform.

Aberlady: Platform remains at Aberlady on the former Gullane branch seen here looking west towards the site of Aberlady Junction in December 2019. The area beyond the platform has been in use as a holiday caravan park for many years.

Aberlady: Not all of the trackbed of the former line to Gullane has survived intact, with some long portions being ploughed out. One section which survives is this short section beside the former Aberlady station. The signal box once stood to the left.

Haddington: Haddington's 1930s bypass (today the A199) crossed over the line via this large concrete and steel viaduct on a skew, today with extra bracing. The view is to the terminus.

Coatyburn Siding: Coatyburn Siding in a view looking to Longniddry. The siding was on the right, the photograph taken from the point of divergence. There was a loading bank, now the site of a car park for walkers and cyclists walking the former line.

Laverocklaw Siding: View to Longniddry from Laverocklaw Siding. The siding was on the left - the boundary fence moves away from the centre line of the trackbed to accommodate it.

Haddington: Scene at the former NB Haddington terminus in December 2019 looking north west out along the platform. The original station building (later station masters house) nearest the camera has been extended and converted into flats. Beyond that, the old storage building with the red door now houses a music school and rehearsal studio. Both buildings were accessible from platform as well as street level (see [[71659]]).

Aberlady Junction: A public right of way runs from Lochhill to Aberlady - formerly crossing the East Coast Main Line via a footbridge at Aberlady Junction. With its removal for electrification the path was diverted to the west to cross a road bridge at Spittal. Note the impermanent nature of the change to 'permanently'.

Millerhill Engineers Depot: The former Millerhill marshalling yard has undergone a number of major changes in recent years. The northern half of the old down yard now hosts the Biogen and RERC recycling plants, with the abandoned and overgrown area to the south being considered for future commercial/retail development as part of the Shawfair new town project. This photograph shows the up side looking south from Whitehill Road on Boxing Day 2019, with the long siding running towards the PW yard which now occupies the south east corner (where a class 66 can just be seen). In the centre trains stabled for the holiday occupy all 7 of the numbered roads of the EMU depot. Sidings to their right contain various items, including rail mounted plant, track machines and diesel locomotives. On the right is a corner of the accommodation block on which the sign reads 'Millerhill Depot Network Rail'.

Morningside Road: The memory lingers on. Only the elderly remember Morningside Road station (and almost none of them used it) but it is still the name of the location. The 5, 11, 15, 16 and 23 were once trams. The 15 bus has in fact been gone for some time (after going once before and having a brief comeback), so I wouldn't bother waiting for it.

Haddington: Naturally there were no trains running between Haddington and Gullane this morning (being a Boxing Day Bank Holiday) which meant that any eejit arriving without having checked his timetable expecting to catch a train would be forced to make alternative arrangements. Herewith one such unfortunate example preparing to set out on foot. View is west along the platform on 26 December 2019... with a Merry Christmas from Railscot... and a happy New Year!

Haddington: Looking north across Station Road, Haddington towards the station site on Boxing Day 2019. The covered access stairway to the high level platform was located beyond the shrubbery on the left, while the former carriage entrance opposite gives access to what is now Haddington Station Gardens. Note the railway-themed ornamental metalwork incorporated within the fencing along the front of the gardens. Haddington station closed to passengers in December 1949, with complete closure of the branch from Longniddry taking place in 1968.

Haddington: The stone steps linking the south end of the old high level platform at Haddington (now part of the Station Court commercial site) with the exit onto Station Road. Photographed in December 2019 looking south east see image [[71752]].

Longniddry Shed: The remains of the south wall of Longniddry shed still stands, seen in a view looking east. This is east of the station and on the south side of the main and branch lines.

Haddington: The eastern exit from Haddington Station Gardens, with more railway themed metal fencing. The gated road entrance to the former goods yard still stands beyond the wall. Photographed on Boxing Day 2019 - note the 'rail replacement' facility on the right!

Haddington: View south east along Station Court, Haddington, in December 2019, with the platform to the left. In the background is the much modified 1848 station building, which became the station house after redevelopment and expansion of the location in 1880. The red brick structure in the foreground was used for storage. Both buildings were accessible from platform and road levels. See image [[71657]]

Haddington: Crossing signals, Station Road, Haddington, Boxing Day 2019. (See [[71880]]).

Granton: A look 'ashore' along Granton Middle Pier where the wooden station was situated to the right of the newer brick building. Nowadays this is more of a quay than a pier as the West Harbour has been filled in here. The streets on the right are called 'Hesperus' - an odd choice of ship as thanks to Longfellow it is surely more famous as a wreck.