STEAM trains will return to the Borders next year and bring with them an expected tourism boost.

First Minister Alex Salmond announced the initiative and disclosed the date of the first operational passenger service on the returning Borders Railway - September 6, 2015 - between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.

And that a feasibility study, led by Scottish Enterprise in partnership with VisitScotland, Scottish Borders Council and Transport Scotland, will look at how the Borders Railway can transform the tourism potential of the region.

As well as the planned steam train experience, it is hoped to develop facilities along the length of the line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank.

The First Minister said: “From September 2015 - for the first time in almost half a century - there will be passenger train services running on this track.

“For commuters and tourists alike, the reopened line will provide opportunities to enjoy the many fantastic attractions and experiences on offer in the Borders.

“We can expect the Scottish economy to benefit by tens of millions of pounds from the regular train line. The feasibility study will look at how the area can benefit from the railway.

“With a dedicated tourist service and the attraction of the Great Tapestry of Scotland to be based at Tweedbank, more people than ever will get to visit and enjoy Scotland’s stunning Borders.

“There will be few railway journeys anywhere in Europe to match the outstanding scenery along the route of the new Borders Railway. I have no doubt that Borders Railway will be profoundly successful and I will be one of the first in line for a ticket when the trains are running in September next year.” Wifi connectivity will be available at all seven stations along the route of the railway, and the platform at Galashiels Station will be extended to accommodate longer tourist trains.

A new footpath will also be constructed at Newtongrange Station to enable direct access for users of regular rail services to the award-winning Scottish Mining Museum Catherine Maxwell Stuart from Traquair, who is the tourism business representative on the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership, believes the railway will be a huge boost for the entire region.

She said: “The Borders Railway offers a fantastic opportunity for local tourism businesses to attract new visitors to the area and to offer them exciting, new experiences.

“The Scottish Borders has so much to offer visitors, whether they are here for a day, or for a week.

“I am sure that this new link from the heart of the city to the heart of Scott’s Country will be a catalyst for our local tourism sector, with benefits rolling out across much of the area.

“This announcement will really help to put the Borders on the map as a tourist destination for all. “