Last Years of the Waverley Route

Popularly known as the Waverley Route, after the novels of Sir Walter Scott whose house sat right alongside the line, the ex-North British Railway line from Edinburgh to Carlisle via Hawick was opened between Edinburgh and Hawick in 1849 and thence to Carlisle in 1862. The southern section all but bankrupted the NBR prior to the opening of the Midland Railway's Settle-Carlisle route in the late 1870s when the two companies commenced a through service from Edinburgh to London via these two famous lines. In 1923 the route passed to the LNER and to BR in 1948. The line was closed in 1969, although since then campaigning for the partial or complete restoration of the line has gained momentum. Heavily illustrated, with some color coverage, this is an eminently enjoyable journey through the last years of steam on this scenic line, which will appeal to all railway enthusiasts.