Queen to open railway on day she sets record
THE new Borders Railway will be officially opened by the Queen on the day she becomes Britain’s longest-serving monarch.
The Queen will be joined by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on an historic steam journey along the Edinburgh-Tweedbank route to celebrate the launch of its first passenger services on September 9. It will be the day when Elizabeth II overtakes her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest-serving monarch with 23,227 days on the throne.
Keith Brown, the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, said: “It is a great honour for us that Her Majesty has chosen to mark this milestone by leading the celebrations for the opening of the Borders Railway.
“The people of the Borders and Midlothian have waited almost half a century to see the return of their railway and it is fitting that these two such historic events coincide.”
The Queen and Prince Philip will arrive at Waverley Station in Edinburgh to board the train drawn by the steam locomotive Union of South Africa on September 9. They will then travel the route, stopping off at Newtongrange in Midlothian, reaching their final stop at the Scottish Borders town of Tweedbank.
The official opening by the Queen will be the centrepiece in several days of celebrations held to mark the start of services on the 30-mile line.
Phil Verster, managing director of the ScotRail Alliance, said: “We are thrilled that Her Majesty The Queen will open the new Borders Railway on such a special day for the Royal family.”