Announcement Last Waverley Train

"The Great Scottish Borders Flood of 1948," an extraordinary weather event in August of that year that brought unprecedented rainfall and widespread devastation to the Scottish Borders and Northumberland. We highlight record-breaking water levels in rivers like the Tweed and Whiteadder, which led to extensive destruction of infrastructure, including dozens of bridges and significant sections of railway lines. The disruption to transportation routes was immense, requiring the Army's assistance and necessitating the diversion of Anglo-Scottish train services over a longer and more challenging route, leading to several remarkable non-stop steam locomotive runs. We also mention the estimated £70 million cost of repairs and refer to additional resources for further information on this historic flood.

The Great Scottish Borders Flood of 1948

I'm a railway historian living in Scotland, and have been researching and writing about the railways of the Scottish Borders for almost 30 years. Several of my articles appear here as episodes, and my original articles are available to read in the Waverley Route Heritage Association journals.

The Great Scottish Borders Flood of 1948

Scottish Borders Railway History

Related tracks