SOME like to scatter their loved one’s ashes on land or in the sea, others keep them in a casket at home.

But the family of an Innerleithen train enthusiast who died in March have decided that his remains will go on a special rail journey.

Stan Graham was set to become one of the first passengers to use the new Borders Railway - now his ashes will be going instead.

The former engineer was looking forward to the historic trip after his son Brian had paid £500 for Golden Tickets, allowing a journey the day before the railway’s public opening. The urn containing Stan’s ashes will be popped into the handbag of his daughter-in-law for the excursion to Edinburgh’s Waverley station on September 5.

Stan’s son Brian is in no doubt it is what his dad would have wanted.

“It was my wife Linda’s idea but all the family thought it was the right thing to do,” he said. “We think it’s a fitting way to celebrate his life and I am sure he would have approved.” Brian does not believe the authorities will baulk at the ashes being carried on the train.

“When I filled in the application for the form for the tickets, I put that I was going with my wife Linda plus ashes - I haven’t heard back from them yet, but I think everything will be all right,” he said.

Brian’s brother Allan said: “We all thought this would be a fitting tribute to Dad. It’s the only way he could have made the journey - it would have been a bit awkward in a coffin.” Once the return journey is completed the family will take the ashes to Peebles to be interred alongside Stan’s father Thomas, who died after an accident on the railways.

Stan was brought up with trains - his father was the stationmaster at Cardrona - and he liked nothing better than making a rail journey, especially to his native Cumbria.

“He used to go all over Britain and would sometimes go for a whole weekend,” said Allan. “I think sometimes my mother would get a bit fed up. He would land up at Waverley at all sorts of different times wanting a lift home.” Brian, who runs the Tweedside Caravan Park in Innerleithen, was the underbidder in an auction on Borders Radio for the two Golden Tickets.

“We wanted the tickets to treat my dad,” he said. “The people that beat us in the auction paid £1,300 but they were offered another two tickets and as the second highest bidder we were able to get the tickets for £500.

“All the money is going to charity and I was delighted to get the tickets for Dad.

“His death was unexpected and I really wish he could have lived to make the journey on the new railway - but it makes us all feel so much better that we are able to do it this way instead.” Stan, a former retained fireman, worked for many years as an engineer with Hogg and Robertson in Innerleithen before branching out on his own and working with his sons.

He and his wife Janet, 80, featured in the Peeblesshire News in April last year to mark their diamond wedding anniversary. The couple lived in Innerleithen throughout their marriage. Their large family consists of three sons, two daughters, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.