Celebrations mark 10 glorious years since the return of Borders Railway
Ten glorious years since the return of the railway to the Borders has been marked by church ceremonies, film premières and even a new beer.
The spotlight has been on the Borders as the region commemorates the 10th anniversary of the opening of Tweedbank train station and the return of the railway linking the Borders through Midlothian to Edinburgh and beyond.
The celebrations culminated in a grand anniversary event at Tempest Brewery, Tweedbank on Tuesday (September 9)
Partner organisations, campaigners and councillors attended the sponsored event where they watched a specially commissioned film documenting the positive aspects the railway has brought to the area.
A range of speakers – including Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop – shared their memories, thoughts and aspirations for the rail line.
Scottish Borders Council leader Euan Jardine said: “If anyone had any doubts of the success of the railway, they would be put to rest after listening to and hearing the evidence given by the contributors in our Borders Railway film.”
Holding the event on the September 9 is, of course, significant, as are all the dates over the last two weeks, marking specific anniversaries:
On September 5, 2015, Tweedbank station was opened by Councillor Parker, the then leader of Scottish Borders Council, a driving force behind bringing the rail line back to the Borders and still a strong voice in support of future plans to extend the line south.
On September 6, 2015, the Borders Rail Line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank opened to passengers. On September 6, 2025, the First Minister travelled by rail to Galashiels Interchange to celebrate the occasion and the impact of the Scottish Government’s £353m investment in 2015.
On September 9, 2015, the line connecting Edinburgh to Tweedbank was formally opened by HM the Queen. On that same date 10 years on, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop attended the 10th anniversary celebration at Tweedbank, which followed her announcement that a £342 million investment was to be made to electrify routes in the Borders and Fife – making services greener, more reliable, and more accessible.
The Scottish Government’s £353m investment in 2015 has delivered 13 million journeys over the 10 years since it has been opened – exceeding expectations. The economic impact of tourism from 2015 to 2024 has increased in real terms by 50 per cent, and given that the Covid-19 pandemic interrupted travel in general, this is a very positive story and trend.
The wider benefits of the railway include retaining and attracting residents to the area due to the connectivity it provides to Edinburgh and beyond. It has also enabled local businesses to develop and expand, and offered opportunities for inward investment through partnership working with South of Scotland Enterprise.
Reflecting on the event, Councillor David Parker, SBC’s executive member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “The grand anniversary event at Tempest Brewery was a fitting celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Borders Railway.
“It was wonderful to see everyone coming together to reflect on the positive impact the railway has had on our region.
“The specially commissioned film truly highlighted the transformative power of this project, and we are excited about the future developments that lie ahead.”
Councillor Jardine concluded: “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone whose unwavering support, foresight, and tireless campaigning made the return of the railway to the Borders a reality.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we also look ahead with great anticipation, as the planned extension south through Hawick to Carlisle will bring even greater connectivity and opportunity to our region.
“From the Borders’ perspective, we must remember this: we are not in the middle of nowhere we are in the middle of the country. We are the heartbeat of the UK.”