TransPennine Express (TPE) has celebrated its first stop at the newly-opened East Linton station by renaming the train, ‘Hailes Castle’.

The operator engaged highland dancers and a Scottish piper to serenade the train, which was the first of up to fourteen daily TPE services which will stop at the station.

It named the train ‘Hailes Castle’, after the ruin of the fortified manor near East Linton station. The manor dates back to the 1200s, and is associated with the Wars of Independence and Mary Queen of Scots.

Last month, the operator named a train Hull Paragon, in celebration of that station’s 175th anniversary.

On weekdays (Monday to Friday), eleven services between Edinburgh and Newcastle will stop at East Linton. There will be fourteen services on Saturdays and nine on Sundays.

The new station is on the East Coast Main Line, and will provide a rail service to East Linton for the first time in sixty years.

The new station stop at East Linton forms part of TPE’s plan to improve journeys and links for the communities it serves, which it released earlier this year. Earlier this year, TPE, which transferred to the government’s owning group (Department for Transport, Operator of last resort Holdings Ltd – DOHL), set out its intention to tackle the many issues that it had inherited from the previous private operator. The document, ‘Making Journeys Better: A Prospectus’ outlines TPE’s strategy to be open and transparent and to deliver a top-rate travel experience that connects communities across the North of England and into Scotland.

Chris Jackson, Managing Director at TPE, said “This is a landmark day for East Linton and for TPE, and we’re really happy we’ve been able to work with our partners to help connect communities in the Scottish Borders.

“For the first time in nearly six decades, rail services are calling at East Linton and it was fantastic to see so many using our newly named ‘Hailes Castle’ train this morning.”

Chris was joined at the arrival of TPE’s 11.52am service by Rachel Sydeserff, Historic Environment Scotland’s District Visitor and Community Manager for South Region.

Rachel said: “We’re delighted that such a wonderful and symbolic local landmark has been used for the naming of the first TPE service into East Linton train station.

“Celebrating our heritage is so important, and the introduction of this named train means the historic Hailes Castle, located just two miles from East Linton train station, is commemorated in a new and exciting way.”