A transport hub designed as a modern interpretation of the Borders textile mill, linking bus, rail and town-centre movement.
Quick facts
- Date
- Built 2014–2015; completed August 2015; Borders Railway opened September 2015
- Architect / designer
- D5 Architects; Morrison Construction for Scottish Borders Council
- Type
- Bus station, passenger facilities and business hub beside the railway station
- Designation
- No linked statutory designation identified (focused search checked 21 August 2026)
- OS grid reference
- NT 49363 36270
A contemporary gateway shaped by local industry
Regularly spaced windows, natural stone and a folded zinc roof reinterpret the rhythm and roofscape of Galashiels textile buildings. The bus concourse and passenger facilities occupy the lower levels, with office and meeting accommodation above.
Its story
Scottish Borders Council commissioned the £5.2 million project as part of the town’s preparation for the restored Borders Railway. The interchange was completed in August 2015, shortly before passenger trains returned in September, and was planned to combine transport functions with a business hub.
Why it is included
It tests the directory on recent everyday infrastructure and shows how a new civic building can respond to local industrial character without copying an old style.
What to notice
- The repeated window pattern, recalling the long elevations of textile mills.
- The twisted mansard-like zinc roof and the way it changes along the street.
- The short pedestrian relationship between bus facilities, the railway station and the town centre.
Reading the surroundings
The building sits beside Galashiels railway station and near Stirling Street. Its role depends as much on connections and public space as on the enclosed rooms.
Timeline
- 2014–2015 The interchange was constructed for Scottish Borders Council.
- August 2015 The completed transport and business hub was handed over.
- 6 September 2015 Passenger services began on the restored Borders Railway.
- Present The interchange continues to serve bus and rail passengers.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
No linked statutory designation was identified in the focused search. The point is a site marker, not a surveyed boundary, and current services should be checked directly before travel.
Sources & further reading
- Hub South East Scotland: Galashiels Transport Interchange — Client, project team, cost, programme, functions and completion.
- Galashiels Heartland: architecture trail — Architectural character, materials, textile-mill interpretation and opening context.
- Transport Scotland: Borders Railway background — Official opening date and wider railway context.
- Scottish Borders Council: bus network update — Recent evidence of active bus use at the interchange.
Explore further
Location
OS grid reference NT 49363 36270 · Location confidence: Moderate to high: the point is cross-checked against a geotagged building record and the official project location, but it is not a surveyed site boundary. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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