A MEMBER of the Royal Family is being lined up to open the £354m Borders Railway on Friday, September 4, when a steam train will make the historic inaugural passenger journey between Edinburgh Waverley and Tweedbank.

The news was flagged up at Thursday’s meeting of the Eildon Area Forum in Galashiels by Stuart Mackay, communications manager of main contractors BAM Nuttall.

The opening formalities will continue on Saturday, September 5, with a further three ceremonial runs of passenger trains for which “golden tickets” will be made available to the Borders public.

Although the identify of the Royal and whether he or she will actually travel on the first VIP train has not been confirmed, Mr Mackay said communities along the line were already lining up celebratory events for that weekend ahead of the first regular services commencing on Sunday, September 6.

The Border Telegraph understands the celebrations will be the most ambitious ever seen in the Borders with the world’s media set to descend on the region to mark the opening of the longest stretch of the UK network, apart from the Channel Tunnel, for a century.

“It will be a fantastic opportunity for our region to present itself positively to a massive audience,” said Scottish Borders Council leader David Parker.

“For instance, the opening of the Borders Railway is a huge news story in Holland which is the home of Abellio who will run the ScotRail franchise from April 1.” He said that while Transport Scotland and a major events company were handling the Friday event and would issue further details in due course, details of how the Borders public can become involved with the Saturday celebrations were due to be unveiled at the council meeting on April 2.

Over the summer months, nominations will be sought by the council on behalf of Borderers who are deserving of a golden ticket, allowing them to be passengers of the Saturday journeys.

Mr Parker told us: “This process will be inclusive and promoted widely in the local press. We want to acknowledge people who may have had some role in the railway’s return or whose contribution to their community deserves recognition.” Meanwhile, Mr Mackay reported that BAM would complete its contract on schedule in June.

He said the work had involved the re-opening of two tunnels (at Torwoodlee and Bowshank), the construction of 42 new bridges, the reinstatement of 95 bridges, the removal of 1,500,000 tonnes of earth, the laying of 62km of track, including the double track loops, the creation of 10km of new roads and the construction of seven signalling and communication units.