It’s Quicker By Hearse : The Tale of the Petitioning Housewife, the Protesting Schoolboy and the Campaign Trail Student

Multi-Media commission for the National Railway Museum, York, 'Beeching 50' exhibition, 22 March–16 June 2013.

When Madge Elliot complained about the announced closure of her local train station in Hawick, her mother told her to do something about it, and that’s just what she did.

Hawick Station was part of the 98 mile Waverley Route which had a working life of 120 years, and was one of the largest routes recommended for axing by Dr Beeching. No other closure in Britain left so large a population so far from the rail network.

In protest at the threatened closure Madge and a delegation marched to Downing Street to deliver a petition of 11,768 signatures on 18 December 1968. It’s Quicker by Hearse was the slogan for their campaign. The slogan refers to the deathly slow bus journey from Hawick to Edinburgh. A journey of over two hours would replace the one and a half hour train ride.

The line closed on 6 January 1969. On the last train to London campaigners sent a coffin, marked ‘Waverley Line – born 1848, killed 1969’ to the Minister of Transport Richard Marsh. 50 years later a section of the route is being revived.