Disused Stations: Hawick Station (2nd site)

Signalman Gordon Hall climbs down from the cab of Peak 60 ' Lytham St Annes', following its arrival at Hawick at 23.27 on Sunday 5 January 1969 with the last scheduled service over the Waverley Route, the IM82 21.56 Edinburgh Waverley - St Pancras, conveying 10 coaches, including 2 sleeping cars. Signalman Hall had swapped shifts that night in order that he could be the one to pull the signal for the final train. Alas, it was not to be. Following reports earlier in the evening of demonstrations on the line in the Newcastleton area, the Hawick pilot (Clayton D8606) had been sent south just ahead of the train to check out the situation. Thus the signal to driver Fleming that night came in the form of a verbal instruction from signalman Hall to pass the Hawick home signal at danger and proceed south under the section clear but junction or station blocked regulation. Gordon Hall is seen climbing down from the cab having passed on these instructions just as a third figure enters the picture and seems to catch the eye of driver Fleming. That third person is a young David Steel MP, heading back to Westminster after the weekend, who is about to board the train (and whose powers of persuasion would be tested a short time later at Newcastleton). The train finally left Hawick for St Pancras at quarter past midnight on the morning of Monday 6 January 1969.
Photo by Bruce McCartney from Railscot web site

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