Borders railway: Couple give baby girl route's old name

Natasha and Daniel said the name had a "nice ring" but also had "real meaning" for them

A couple who met while helping to publicise the Borders railway have given their daughter a name inspired by the landmark project.

Odell-May Waverley Black's middle name is a tribute to the old name of the Borders to Edinburgh line.

Her parents, Natasha and Daniel, met while giving out leaflets about the scheme seven years ago.

The new line between Tweedbank and the capital is set to open on 5 September this year.

The route has extra significance to the Blacks, who were summer interns with the project's solicitors Brodies LLP when they met.

Following his internship, Mr Black continued to work full time for the firm. The couple's relationship continued and they married five years later and now live in Edinburgh.

Odell-May's mother Natasha said: "Daniel and I met whilst I was doing a summer job at Brodies.

"Our roles saw us travel throughout the Scottish Borders delivering information about the project to homes along what was then the proposed new rail route.

"You could say our relationship started on the A7 which isn't exactly romantic!"

She said it was when they started discussing names for their child that the thought of including something about the railway came to them.

Golden ticket

"When we discovered we were due a baby last year, we came up with lots of different names," she explained.

"We then got to thinking about how we met and felt it was appropriate to include a reference to the railway.

"Waverley seemed a sensible choice and was also reflective of the old Borders route and our history together."

She said that as well as "having a nice ring to it", the name also had "real meaning".

"It's a fun story to tell our friends and family and we look forward to telling her about its origins when she's older too." she added.

Craig Bowman, senior communications manager with Network Rail, offered his congratulations to the couple.

"Their early dedication to the project has helped to give new life to the Waverley route and it's great that they have celebrated that in the naming of their daughter," he said.

Network Rail, which has led the construction of the project, has gifted the family golden tickets for the inaugural journey along the new route.