Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:21 — 35.1MB)
From Glasgow Queen Street – UK Rail Journeys Series 2 – Episode 20
In ‘From Glasgow Queen Street‘ I start my journey from Glasgow’s second station to Mallaig.
Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast:
Glasgow Queen Street station:
Glasgow Queen Street, Scotland’s third busiest railway station, is the smaller of the city’s two mainline railway terminals. Opening in February 1842 as Dundas Street Station for the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway it later becomes Queen Street.
It takes until 1878 to complete the train shed’s curved glass roof.
Trains run to Edinburgh, the north-west coast on the West Highland Line, the Scottish Highlands and also use the Glasgow–Dundee line.
Leaving Queen Street:
Our first challenge is the 1 in 42 climb through the tunnel to Cowlairs. Until 1909 a stationary engine hauled trains up on a rope . Once through the Queen Street Tunnel we leave the trunk route to Edinburgh and Perth and follow a north-westerly route through the suburbs of Maryhill and Kelvindale.
After 9 miles our first stop is at Dalmuir station, a five-platform interchange between the Argyle, the North Clyde and the West Highland Lines.
Dumbarton and Helensburgh Upper:
The next stop is at Dumbarton Central station, which has a category A listing. We are now 153⁄4 miles northwest of Glasgow Queen Street.
We then take the branch at Craigendoran Junction towards Garelochhead, the point where the West Highland Line is generally accepted to begin.
When we reach Helensburgh Upper station we’re just over an hour into our journey. Its is in a residential area overlooking the town centre and is near Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House, now preserved by the National Trust for Scotland.
Garelochhead:
We pass through beautiful scenery on the journey to Garelochhead railway station which is served by ScotRail and the Caledonian Sleeper.
There was a camping coach from 1935 to 1939. Later British Rail Scottish Region put one here from 1964 to 1967.
Whilst there are benches on the platform, a help point, a car park and 2 bike racks, the only access is via a subway, some steps, and a ramp – no step-free access and there are no facilities for buying tickets.
We now travel across country towards Loch Long with high level views over the water.
Listen to the podcast to hear more about my journey on the West Highland Line.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Podchaser, Spotify, YouTube and others.
Music:
AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Inspire for use in this podcast.
