New drone footage captures progress on electrification of Borders Railway
New drone footage has captured the latest progress on the electrification of the Borders Railway, with steel masts now beginning to transform the landscape along the route.
The autumnal scenes show rows of metal structures sprouting up between Bowshank Tunnel, south of Stow, and Torwoodlee, marking another visible milestone in the project.
The masts will support the overhead equipment needed to power new battery-electric trains, as work continues on a £26.2 million Scottish Government investment to electrify 13km of the line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.
The project is designed to pave the way for a new generation of trains, bringing more sustainable, reliable and comfortable journeys for passengers.
The programme has faced delays, with Network Rail previously confirming that challenging ground conditions had pushed piling work beyond its original September deadline, extending the operation into December.
However, the Campaign for Borders Rail AGM heard that the line could be the perfect testing ground for the new trains when they come into service sometime after 2030, due to its topography.
WATCH: Click on the link to view drone footage of the work...
Network Rail said each steel pile takes between 20 and 60 minutes to install, with piles spaced approximately 50 to 60 metres apart.
Much of the Borders Railway's original infrastructure was designed with future electrification in mind when the line reopened in 2015, helping to limit the amount of major reconstruction now required.
The second phase of work is scheduled to get underway from November 15th to December 7th, with work taking place from Sunday to Thursday nights, between 12.15am and 5.15am.
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"Unfortunately, it is one of the noisiest railway activities and can only be carried out at night when trains are not running," a letter to neighbouring residents states.
"To reduce the noise where possible, most piles are being installed using a vibration technique, although hammer piling may occasionally be required depending on ground conditions."
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