ScotRail marks its 40th birthday today, celebrating four decades of transformations in Scotland’s railway network.
The train operator’s evolution dates back to September 22, 1983, when the ScotRail brand was created as part of a rebranding strategy intended to make rail travel more competitive with car and bus.
To celebrate its milestone, ScotRail has launched never-seen-before footage showcasing some of Scotland's most iconic rail bridges, with stories from its customers and employees.
The special footage, which includes the Forth Bridge, New Clyde Bridge, Tay Bridge, and River Dee Bridge in Aberdeen, features historic clips from the past 40 years.
The video is available on the ScotRail YouTube channel.
Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Chief Operating Officer, said: “We're delighted to celebrate ScotRail’s 40th birthday, recognising our role in connecting the people of Scotland.
“If you arrive at any station in Scotland, you’ll be greeted by the iconic ScotRail brand, and the world-famous Saltire on our trains.
“The past 40 years have been remarkable, with the introduction of new stations, new trains, reopening of disused railway lines, and the modernisation of the services available to customers.
“Of course, there have been challenges on a network that runs from Thurso to Carlisle, but the future holds even greater promise with further growth as we continue to innovate and improve our services.
“As we celebrate this milestone, we renew our commitment to delivering a safe, reliable, and green railway for our customers.
“We thank our loyal customers for their support and look forward to serving the people of Scotland, and beyond, for many more years to come.”
Customers were treated to sweet surprises on Friday, with free ScotRail branded cake pops being distributed at city centre stations throughout Scotland’s eight cities.
Since its inception, ScotRail says it has made significant strides in improving its services and stations.
To date, the operator has added or reopened 81 new stations, including Auchinleck and Kilmaurs in 1984, and more recently, Reston and Inverness Airport stations.
Other notable transformations include the comprehensive redevelopment of Haymarket and the £120million overhaul of Glasgow Queen Street.
ScotRail has also been crucial in the reconstruction of four abandoned railway lines, significantly expanding the rail network.
The reopening of the Larkhall-Hamilton and Anniesland-Maryhill scheme in 2005, Stirling-Alloa in 2008, Airdrie-Bathgate in 2010, and the Borders Railway in 2015, exemplify ScotRail’s dedicated efforts.
The Levenmouth Rail Link, set to open in 2024, will become the fifth reconstructed line.
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