With all the recent excitement of opening the new Border Union Railway at Whitrope, its easy to forget that the WRHA has a remit to preserve items and artefacts from the original incarnation of the Waverley Route throughout its full length.
We therefore couldn’t refuse when we were approached earlier in the year by Scottish Borders Council, who are managing the early “enabling” phase of the Edinburgh to Tweedbank reinstatement project. On offer was a whole bridge span, the original footbridge ETC/14A from Eskbank & Dalkeith station: all WRHA had to do was provide the craneage and transport.
The bridge was lifted out in a blaze of publicity (inc. ITV Borders television news) today, July 5th, and placed on a lorry for delivery to Whitrope in the morning. There it will be restored by our volunteer team for eventual reuse on the BUR, perhaps at Riccarton Junction one day?
WRHA is indebted to the Borders Railway Project team, Scottish Borders Council, Midlothian Council and Skene Group for their help and assistance in preserving this historical bridge. We also acknowledge the support of Matt Stoddon, WRHA Secretary and founder member, for sponsoring the move. Finally, thanks also to Roy Perkins for managing the press releases and publicity, and to our Chairman Ian Crooks for his starring role on the telly!
Footbridge ETC14A in its original position
At over fifteen metres in length and almost four metres wide, 14A is a trussed steel lattice bridge, and formerly linked the two platforms in the cutting to the main station building at street level. Latterly the bridge has been fenced off on safety grounds and to prevent unauthorised access.
The now customary Newcastleton photo shoot….
Lifting the bridge off at Whitrope on Friday
Footage from Borders TV news “Lookaround” on Thursday 5th July 2012.
Waverley Route Heritage Association 
This is fantastic news, and another archivement for the WRHA. Next we could do with someone donating a span for Sandholme to fix the missing link. The futures bright, the future is WRHA.
By: maharg22 on July 6, 2012
at 9:47 am
Hey …hold on! Hawick Viaduct comes first!! l
By: ross turnbull on July 7, 2012
at 11:15 pm
Lynwood comes first Ross.
The Council can put Teviot back up!!
Mac.
By: Iain MacIntosh on July 14, 2012
at 12:20 am
I wish I got a chance to visit Eskbank station before work on the reopening got underway. Looked amazingly well preserved considering the conditions of other stations that closed even after this one did, and as such, looked like heaven. Still, very much looking forward to standing on this bridge and watching trains on the Border Union pass under it, and experience the Waverley Line as it should be experienced. Very excited.
By: Stuart on July 6, 2012
at 5:59 pm
It’s a shame nobody had the thought on their project to totally restore that station, It seemed to have survived the march of time better than some open stations in terms of appearence.
Im sure they restored one on the line to Aberdeen. But hey hho, Good news for you guys. Perhaps they will let you have some of the old iron fencing and suchlike from around eskbank.
By: Jonathan roberts on July 6, 2012
at 11:53 pm