On the right lines

TODAY is the 50th anniversary of the Beeching Report into ­Britain’s railways, which resulted in thousands of station closures and the loss of thousands of miles of track.

The railways in Scotland have certainly experienced unprecedented growth in the past few years, well outstripping the doom and gloom of the Beeching years. Closed lines have been reopened to Larkhall, Alloa and Airdrie/Bathgate together with stations from Gretna Green to Laurencekirk and Conon Bridge, to mention but a few. There are greatly increased services on all lines into both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and with Sunday trains on practically all routes

What for the next 50 years? The relaying of track through Strathmore to speed up the Glasgow/Aberdeen route, with Glenfarg featuring on the direct route between Edinburgh and Perth once again? Aberdeen/Ellon/Peter­head together with the obvious extension of the Borders Railway to Hawick and Carlisle?

Rail reopening has proved very beneficial to the Scottish economy. It must continue at an even greater pace.

Colin C Maclean

Edinburgh