 Sir Walter Thorburn added a plea to continue the operation of the line to run public passenger trains for the benefit of the residents of Tweedsmuir.The population there was very small, having been 196 and declining in 1861, and the request was declined.In subsequent years several approaches were made, but the Caledonian had clearly evaluated the potential loss from agreeing to operate a branch line to such a small community, and continued to decline to do so.