By 1848 most of the great trunk railways of Scotland had been built, as well as a considerable number of branches. Communities in rural areas found that a railway connection reduced the cost of necessities considerably, and made it cheaper to get local manufactures to market. Conversely places without a railway suffered. The Peebles Railway opened in 1855, transforming the economy of the town. The Peebles Railway ran on high ground well to the east of the River North Esk.
