The Kelso and Jedburgh railway branch lines

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line passenger service closed in 1948, and the passenger service on the other lines was heavily reduced in 1955 and withdrawn in 1964.

Kelso's industry was a little different to that of the other famous woollen towns of the borders; a writer in 1825 said:

Kelso, though not entitled to rank among the commercial towns of Scotland, has nevertheless a considerable trade... The first and principal branch is the dressing of lamb and sheep skins, the tanning of hides and the currying of leather, all which are carried on to a vast extent ... Pork is here cured to a great extent, which finds a ready sale in the English market. The manufacture of flannel is pretty extensive, as is also that of different kinds of linen. Woollen cloth is likewise made here but not in any great quantity... Boot and shoe-making is carried on upon a very large scale... disposing of immense quantities at the different fairs and markets in the north of England.

Jedburgh, with a population of 5,251 in 1821, was predominantly engaged in agriculture, although the manufacture of blankets and carpets was also significant, as well as there being an iron foundry and a manufacturer of printing presses.

The location of the towns, remote from navigable water, made transport of products and raw materials difficult.

A railway to Kelso was first projected in 1809, to run from Berwick, where the harbour would give access to coastal shipping. The line, The Berwick and Kelso Railway obtained Parliamentary authorisation on 31 May 1811. It was the first railway in Northumberland to obtain an Act of authorisation (and the first anywhere to refer to the conveyance of passengers in its Act). It was to start from Spittal, near Tweedmouth, which at that time was in County Durham, which then had a detached portion there; it is in Northumberland now. The scheme was not proceeded with, and was formally abandoned in 1827, but local promoters revived the scheme in 1836 and had the estimates for construction updated: they amounted to £100,000 for a 22 mile line. This too came to nothing, and the Berwick and Kelso Railway Company was dissolved in January 1838.

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