TWEEDBANK Community Council chairman John Cavaroli has called on other communities across the Borders to embrace the return of the region’s railway.

He has been awarded a Golden Ticket to ride on one of the first trains on the new line in recognition of his service to the local community ahead of the first passenger services next month.

The community council has helped oversee the rebuilding of the line which terminates in Tweedbank and will be officially opened by The Queen on September 9.

However, the £300 million construction project has had its critics.

Mr Cavaroli said: “It’s a great honour to be invited to go on the train. Being on a mobility scooter my access (to train travel) is very, very limited. For the village, I think it’s fantastic. It will put Tweedbank on the map. And I think more Borders towns should embrace the railway.

“I grew up in Portobello and in my very, very young years it used to cost threepence to get the train from Portobello into Edinburgh and I also remember we used to go to Gullane for the school trip - and that was always a steam engine.

“A couple of years ago we were in Whitby and we took the opportunity to take the train from Whitby to Pickering; going to Pickering we were in the last carriage and coming back we were in the first carriage, and the kids couldn’t believe the grin I had on my face because it brought back such golden memories.” Mr Cavaroli has announced his intention to stand down from the community council at the next election and, with the arrival of the railway and major plans to redevelop Tweedbank industrial estate into a business hub for the Borders, he has invited other residents to come forward to help shape the future of the village.

One of the council’s recent successes was its allotments development in Essenside Drive. And it has proved so popular there are already plans to expand.

“I’ve been on the community council for 15 years,” Mr Cavaroli said. “I’ve been honoured to have been chairman for the last 13.” But he added: “I feel it’s time that some of the younger residents started getting more involved, because they can see what effect the community council does have.” Another community stalwart, Andrew Bramhall, will join the chairman on one of the first trains on the new line on Saturday, September 5 - the day before the line opens to paying passengers.

He was recognised for more than 30 years service to the local community.

Mr Bramhall, who has recently stepped down as secretary of the community council, said: “I don’t know who nominated me for a Golden Ticket, it came completely out of the blue - I wasn’t expecting it. I was due to be going on holiday but have delayed it.” Mr Bramhall, who still has a platform ticket for Galashiels station dated March 1968, revealed he used to be a trainspotter and has many fond memories of the former Waverley Line before it closed.

“That was around 1955-56,” he said. “We used to meet on what was the old Scout hall steps on Ladhope Vale (in Galashiels) and that was our den for the summer.

“It was a very busy line, even in the last few years before they closed it. It was beginning to pick up a lot of freight from south of the border, a lot of Vauxhall cars came north on Saturday mornings and Hillman Imps went the other way.” He added: “I was sceptical for a long time if it would actually come back but it will make a big difference.” Scottish Borders Council leader David Parker revealed it would be a “tremendous honour” for the Queen to officially reopen on the line on September 9 – the day she becomes the longest serving British monarch.

She is expected to travel the length of the line on the Union of South Africa steam train and arrive in Tweedbank around midday for a plaque unveiling ceremony.

“It will truly be a historic day with the eyes of the world on Tweedbank as the railway opens and Her Majesty reaches this incredible milestone,” Councillor Parker said in his newsletter to local residents.

“Members of the public will be very welcome to attend the celebrations that will mark these important events and the pupils of Tweedbank Primary School will play a central part in the opening.” Meanwhile, a section of the Black Path between Essenside Drive and the new station in Tweedbank which was due to be closed permanently is to reopen following changes to the station layout, it has been announced.

A further street party to celebrate the Borders Railway is planned in Tweedbank on Sunday, September 27.