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Glasgow Central Tour – UK Rail Journeys Series 2 – Episode 18
In ‘Glasgow Central Tour‘ I join a group for a tour ‘behind the scenes’ at Scotland’s busiest station.
Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast:
The Concourse:
We meet in the station’s spacious concourse which dates from the station’s rebuild between 1901 and 1905. Before the rebuild the buffers were where today’s concourse is. Today the station looks after 25 million passengers a year. It is also seventeenth busiest in Britain and third busiest outside London!
We don our green high viz jackets and orange bump caps whilst waiting for the final arrivals. Paul Lyons, our guide, has managed Kings Cross, Euston and Glasgow Central stations during his career.
In Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins, the station is one of only ten with five stars. The only other in Scotland, Wemyss Bay, has the same architect.
Below ground:
We visit a number of areas below the public areas of the station. These areas used to store a great deal of goods transported by rail. One store was for the coal used by the by the Central Hotel on Gordon Street, another for grain.
Many of the areas used to be badly lit and large rats were common.
Artefacts:
Paul has collected many railway artefacts over the years. As we walk around we see destination boards from yesteryear. There is a museum with a wide range of items, maps and photographs bringing the past to life.
We hear about Grahamston which lies under the foundations of the original station.
How to book:
The tour is a very reasonable £18.00 and lasts about an hour and a half. You can find out more and how to book at https://glasgowcentraltours.co.uk/
Listen to the podcast to hear more about my tour of Glasgow Central.
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Music:
AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Local History 1940s for use in this podcast.
