Perhaps the experts hired to predict passenger numbers should have paid more heed to local campaigners, many of whom saw a far greater potential for tourist traffic than did the consultants.
Figures for the first six months showed how wildly off the mark their predictions were. For instance, the forecast number of single trips to Tweedbank (at the end of the line from Waverley) was 18,978, whereas the actual number of journeys was almost ten times more (183,918). Predictions for Galashiels were 20,567 - instead, these numbered 104,593.
At other stations they were equally awry, but with far fewer travellers than anticipated. At Eskbank it was thought there would be 114, 568, rather than 65,672; at Shawfair 54,298 instead of 9,398.
Overall 694,373 passengers travelled on the line between September…
