page_title: The Kelso and Jedburgh railway branch lines
section_title: Railway replacement
hierarchical_section_title: The Kelso and Jedburgh railway branch lines / Railway replacement
caption_attribution_description: English: Footbridge below Roxburgh Viaduct Unusually, Roxburgh or Teviot Viaduct, across the river of the latter name, has a low-level footbridge supported on the extended cutwaters of the river piers. This probably dates from 1850 when the viaduct was completed and the St Boswells to Kelso railway over it was opened. Cyclists proceeding across the bridge too quickly may suffer a form of sea-sickness as the spans each arch up and down between their supports!
context_page_description: The Railway of Kelso and Jedburgh branch lines were three distinct railways serving Kelso in the borders of Scotland.
  The first to open was a branch line of the Newcastle and Berwick Railway from Tweedmouth near Berwick, to Sprouston. It opened in 1849.
  The next was a branch from the North British Railway Hawick branch line at St Boswells, to a temporary station just outside Kelso. As the St Boswells to Kelso branch line, it opened in 1850.
  The gap between the two lines was closed, and a permanent station at Kelso was opened, in 1851. Finally the independent Jedburgh Railway opened its line from Roxburgh in 1856.
  Although woollen manufacture was an important industry locally, the economy was largely agricultural. The two lines reaching Kelso directly were under competing managements, and they failed to develop a through service over the line.
  With the rise of reliable road transport and improved roads, goods and passenger carryings on the lines declined from the 1930s. The Jedburgh line passenger service closed in 1948, and the passenger service on the other lines was heavily reduced in 1955 and withdrawn in 1964.
context_section_description: In 1998–1999 the footbridge attached to the Roxburgh Viaduct was being repaired. By then it had become the responsibility of the British Railway Board Residuary Body, responsible for former British Railways liabilities that had not been disposed of. The viaduct was legitimately used as a footpath, but it had to be closed during the works, and the alternative walking route for schoolchildren in Heiton attending Roxburgh school was unreasonably long and circuitous. The BRB residuary body arranged a replacement school bus during the work.
caption: Footbridge below Roxburgh Viaduct
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