Press release -
Scotrail announces second summer of steam on the Borders Railway
Tickets are now on sale for the much-anticipated return of ScotRail steam services on the Borders Railway, beginning on Sunday 7 August.
Following the success of last year’s sell-out trips, on Sundays during August and September, customers are being offered the chance to travel from Edinburgh Waverley to Tweedbank and back, all in the comfort of a beautifully refurbished vintage carriage.
August’s trips will be hauled by 46100 Royal Scot, and September’s will see the return of the popular 60009 Union of South Africa on the Borders Railway.
These journeys are offered in partnership with Steam Dreams, and two trips will run every Sunday from 7 August until 25 September.
Tickets will be priced at £150 for first class tickets (includes gourmet dining experience in a private compartment), £130 for premier dining tickets (includes meal in first class carriage), and £55 for standard class tickets.
ScotRail has also partnered with local Scottish Borders companies to offer add-on passenger excursions upon arrival in Tweedbank.
Cathy Craig, Commercial Director for the ScotRail Alliance, said: “It is with great pleasure that we’re announcing the return of steam services to the Borders Railway.
“These journeys give people a chance to appreciate the new Borders Railway from the wonderful setting of a vintage steam train. This is a fabulous opportunity to showcase the line, and in such a romantic style.
“Not many train journeys can match the outstanding scenery on this route, and I look forward to seeing how successful these trips will be.”
Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Fiona Hyslop said: “It’s fantastic that 2016 will see the return of these iconic trains to the Scottish Borders Railway. After their sell out season last year the opportunity to visit Abbotsford and other attractions in the area shows the prospects for different sectors to work together to grow the tourism economy of the Scottish Borders.”
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland said: “The Borders Railway opened last September and has already provided a real boost to Scottish tourism and the wider economy with hundreds of thousands of passengers making the journey and experiencing the great variety of attractions and businesses on the route.
“To have steam train journeys available again this summer for visitors and residents alike is brilliant news. It really is a chance for passengers to step back in time and enjoy the beautiful countryside on another level as these majestic locomotives make their way through Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders.”
For more information on ScotRail’s steam services, please visit www.scotrail.co.uk/steam-trains
NOTES TO EDITORS
Two trips will be offered on Sundays 7, 14, 21, 28 August and 4, 11, 18, 25 September.
| TRIP ONE | TRIP TWO | |||
| DEPART | ARRIVE | DEPART | ARRIVE | |
| Edinburgh Waverley | 09:46 | 16:46 | ||
| Galashiels | 11:03 | 18:03 | ||
| Tweedbank | 11:15 | 18:15 | ||
| Tweedbank | 13:55 | 19:55 | ||
| Galashiels | 14:04 | 20:04 | ||
| Edinburgh Waverley | 15:20 | 21:25 |
First class tickets include a glass of prosecco or orange juice on arrival and an on-board gourmet dining experience, all in the comfort of a private compartment.
Premier dining tickets include dining experience in first class carriage.
A buffet facility will be available for those with standard class tickets.
Carriages are provided by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS).
Royal Scot (August trips) will haul four first class and four standard class carriages.
Union of South Africa (September trips) will haul three first class and three standard class carriages.
Add-on passenger excursions will be available with:
- Abbotsford House
- Selkirk Means Business
- Seasons Restaurant, Melrose
- Rabbies
- Telfords Coaches
Tickets can be purchased from Steam Dreams by calling their booking office on 01483 209 888
(open 09:00 – 17:30 on weekdays) or by visiting their website: www.steamdreams.co.uk
A direct link to the booking page for the above Borders Railway steam services can be found via www.scotrail.co.uk/steam-trains
MEDIA ENQUIRIES
ScotRail Communications – communications@scotrail.co.uk – 0141 335 5087/4269
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- borders railway
- steam train
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
- This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
- Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
- Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
- Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
- Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
- Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
- Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
- Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP.
- The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
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Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 - 2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design begins on 1 January 2016 and ends on 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
- Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed creative industries sector.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
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- Join the conversation at #IAD2016
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