Announcement Last Waverley Train

We recount the extreme conditions of the Big Freeze of 1963, one of Britain's coldest winters on record. The episode details how temperatures plummeted below -20°C and blizzards created snowdrifts up to 6 meters deep, severely impacting the country from December 1962 to March 1963. We focus on the disruption to the Waverley Route  in the Borders region, illustrating how trains were stranded for weeks, lines were repeatedly blocked by snow and avalanches, and extensive efforts were required for snow clearance, including the use of cranes and even dynamite. Through anecdotes, railway reports, and photographs, we emphasise the resilience of local communities and railway workers in confronting these unprecedented challenges.

When the Rails Froze : The Big Freeze of 1963

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.

When the Rails Froze : The Big Freeze of 1963

Scottish Borders Railway History

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