We're On The Wrong Side - Episode 51, Day 93 - Haymarket to Glasgow

It's 7th August, and we're leaving Edinburgh and heading west to do a whole week on the suburban network of Glasgow, making sure we pick up the awkward station that is Briech along the way ...
There is an online petition you can sign if you want to see Breich saved and NOT have it closed! Here: you.38degrees....
Download the All The Stations theme tune from iTunes here: itunes.apple.c... (other stores are available....)
Geoff and Vicki are visiting ALL 2,563 national railway stations in Britain - view the progress map and loads more information about the project on the website at: allthestations....
ROUTE: Edinburgh Haymarket - Carstairs - Motherwell - Coatbridge Central - Kirkwood - Glasgow Central - Gladgow Queen Street - Airdrie - Edinburgh Waverley - Addiewell - Breich - Glasgow Central

[@Lartr1]

My friend brought this to my attention. I was the driver of your train from Motherwell to Whifflet and Coatbridge Central. I can be seen on the platform at Motherwell at 3 min 24 sec...just after Ye Olde Bounty Offering 😂

[@georgedocherty2024]

You should see Breich now. All modernised with new shelters, seating and of course access. The station didn’t close which I put down to you guys! The power of the internet 😊

[@hhgttg69]

just saw the pics online, very impressive now. but is there a carpark?

[@nicoledavis7904]

I just looked this up as watching the episode all these years later and was so interested to see that some of the suggestions were put in place, the station saved and in 2019 had regular services. But there still doesn't seem to be a carpark? Or is there and do people now use the service?

[@TomsPhotos]

Great work again guys. Great ambassadors for the railway. The railway needs love.

[@euanstrachan-orr4574]

Your graphic said you got off at Glasgow Queen Street after Bridgeton (05:50) - but that's definitely Glasgow Central LL! 🙈 Hate to be a perfectionist in your otherwise excellent videos!

[@networkstepfordcounty6264]

Look at the sign at 7:04 it is definitely queen st. Sorry about pointing this out! ;(

[@SSW2503]

@@networkstepfordcounty6264 At 5:50 it is Central Low Level, so Geoff is wrong. There is no direct train from Bridgeton to Queen Street, but there is one every 10 minutes or so from Bridgeton to Central Low Level (stopping at Argyle Street along the way, which is between the two stations). Furthermore, Queen Street Low Level has side platforms, while Central Low Level has an island platform. The video at 06:03 briefly shows it is an island platform, so Central. The very next scene, at 06:08 is the main concourse at Central. Strangely, the video cuts off to the Dundas Street entrance to Queen Street Station at 6:13, which is about a 10 minute walk from Central.

[@weealvin8586]

jax plays_yt As someone who uses Queen Street and Central. It was central at the first station

[@HenrysAdventures]

My guess is the longest distance between to stations in Scotland is Lockerby and Carstairs!

[@liamgaynor3576]

Just came across this site, its just great, when you love trains and stations 🚂🚂

[@Tevildo]

Re Geoff's question at 1:30 - Kirknewton to Carstairs is only 17 mi 8 ch (according to Google Maps). Lockerbie to Carstairs is 47 mi 67 ch. The next-longest distance between stations is Bruton to Pewsey (via the Westbury avoiding line) at 36 mi 32 ch, but no direct services are available for that route either.

[@JoshMC.travels]

Tevildo longest one in Scotland that has a direct train from is from Montrose to Stonehaven

[@matthew.trains4841]

UK Railways Wouldn't it be Lockerbie to Motherwell?

[@JoshMC.travels]

Tevildo Ye so your right Mathew

[@Tevildo]

ScotRail170471 - The WCML from Lockerbie to Motherwell goes through Carstairs (the avoiding line at Carstairs doesn't connect with the WCML northbound). UK Railways - Montrose to Stonehaven goes through Laurencekirk, which is (very approximately) half-way between them, so that will kill the distance between stations figure (unfortunately). Transpennine run direct services from Lockerbie to Carstairs.

[@petekernow1]

Isn't Bruton on an avoiding line too? I did this a few years ago and got Pewsey-Castle Cary c39.75. Then Swindon-Bristol Parkway 34.5. Etc etc!

[@pumax4083]

the train at addiewell was a class 156

[@obel15k]

15:16 Behind you are the windows where staff used to manually add and remove printed departure boards with train details and platform numbers. Used to fascinate me when I was a youngster on trips to visit relatives as I had never been in such a large station.

[@trishrobertson1558]

I also remember these, massive printed boards for the route, paper bands covering station that were non-stopping.

[@georgedocherty2024]

Further to my last comment about the upgrade to the station, Breich now has one train every hour since the new timetable came into force in May.

[@penninetrains1398]

Hi guys. I think you will find that the longest distance between two stations in Scotland (and in the UK) which can be covered on a train stopping at both stations is Lockerbie - Carstairs (42 miles). There is currently only one train per day on weekdays which stops at both stations: the 04.57 Trans-Pennine Express service from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central, which departs Lockerbie 07 11 and arrives Carstairs 07 44......unless, of course, anyone knows different! Great vlog guys......very enjoyable!

[@ThomasWhiteford]

Bit info The Driver at kingsknowe & Kirknewton Activates a Plunger Button witch then activates the Level crossing and Signal. Also the Brick building you showed before Kirknewton in your video is the westerhails Healthy living centre and doctors surgery

[@peteryoung1902]

I hope Network Rail listened to you both. Another great video.

[@benivanphillips]

Finnnnnally got wifi and so many episodes to catch up on!!

[@ianshort2935]

Don’t forget about Spondon on Day 31!

[@RahulPatel-im5nk]

Saw you on BBC Breakfast this morning!

[@connellylawcoprusjuris4408]

I used to say that the sound you hear when the doors are closing sounds like a canary with a stutter.

[@carolynurquhart2153]

The Distance Between Carstairs and Kirknewton is 19.8 miles

[@ramongonzales1007]

It's so weird to see abellio trains in those videos, as my hometown railway in Germany is also operated by abellio :D

[@RWL2012]

welcome to Britain's privatised railway

[@epender]

but not for long!

[@Nige031077]

They didn't want to work, rest and play at the well judging by the Bounty or they would've had a Mars instead. ☺ However litter bins are put where they are located for a reason people, keep Britain and other parts of the map tidy. ☺

[@sreevesfrancois]

at 5mins 58 into the video- big mistake! You are NOT at Glasgow Queen street but at Glasgow Central!! Wrong on screen text info!! (at 7mins45 you are at the low level of Glasgow Queen Street however)

[@AllTheStations]

Kirsty meets us at Glasgow Central, and then it's edited when we walk over to Glasgow Queen street. No biggie ...

[@pauldevey8628]

IRN Bru, love that stuff.

[@airfoxtrot2006]

Excellent video, love Scotland.

[@yindee372]

The ‘Refurbished 158’ is actually a 156...

[@RWL2012]

yep

[@EinkOLED]

9:02 Your typical Glaswegian Spy, aye.

[@alexstrains903]

2:37 - 2:51 ALL THE WELLS!

[@gobears6487]

Pilning: I heard they're about to start major works at Bristol Parkway and are therefore going to increase Pilning services while that's going on... Maybe someone can say whether I heard correct info or not...?!

[@thryduulf]

Unfortunately for Pilning, it is Patchway station that is getting the bulk of the services that cannot call at Bristol Parkway. Patchway has two usable platforms of sufficient length for HSTs (I can't remember how long Pilning is), and is closer to Bristol Parkway so it does make sense to stop there.

[@gobears6487]

+Chris McKenna That sure makes sense... can't remember if it was a GWR employee who told me, or just a rail enthusiast.

[@sharondebrun2073]

28 mile gap between Dunbar and Berwick-on-Tweed

[@parsnips800]

Cor, I fancy a Bounty now. I might do 'all the chocolate' bars. I could do that in one weekend, no bother. I'm a pro.

[@maxwelsh4126]

At central low level the caption said Queen Street

[@4guyzb974]

They didn’t go to Kyle of Lochalsh

[@thryduulf]

8:51 Geoff: "It's taken us until the third month to get on the wrong train". kzbin.info/www/bejne/poCwk4t3Zs-em7M you got on the wrong train and so had to go back to get Woolwich Dockyard.

[@harrymarston6607]

Also at Spondon

[@neilwilson5785]

It's the five fifty six, not the seven fifty-six. Internet drama follows.

[@jamesw5138]

Ahh Carmine and Cream

[@Lord_Acidicus]

At 10:58 he said class 158 when its class 156

[@RWL2012]

yep

[@ChoobChoob]

Do they sell hay in Haymarket?

[@johnmccallum8512]

It is named so because the farmers sold their hay in the area for the various stables in and around Edinburgh.There is also an area called The Grassmarket in the Old Town lots of nightclubs and bars now

[@sambooth1623]

John McCallum A stretch of the royal mile is called lawnmarket too, which I always assumed had a similar purpose to the other two markets

[@johnmccallum8512]

Yes . The lawn in that use is Linen fabric I believe of the weight to make thing like shirts and dresses etc.

[@limeyfox]

If the running lines at Coatbridge aren't called the 'Sunnyside Up' and 'Sunnyside Down' lines then Network Rail have seriously missed a trick.

[@southcalder]

I hate to be the one to tell you, but they are the Up and Down Airdrie. Sorry.

[@DerekHartley]

3 months in and you're still just as enthusiastic and passionate about the project as you were back in May. It's going to be very weird when it's all over. Can't imagine how you guys will feel.

[@SamSitar]

they will find another all of something do visit.

[@agent_605]

DerekHartley Because the footage is delayed, they’ve actually already done it all, they finished it the day before the last main video was uploaded. If you follow their twitter it is more up to date etc and tells you where they are

[@DerekHartley]

Alasdair Clift Um, I know. Why are you telling me this.

[@agent_605]

DerekHartley because from the way you worded it, you sounded like you thought it wasn’t over yet but it was

[@DerekHartley]

Alasdair Clift It isn't in terms of videos which is obviously the context I was speaking in.

[@alicehancock1]

"It reminds me of Pilning" "We've a footbridge though" Least-used station BURN :D

[@ChrissyThePoo]

The old livery you pointed out is Strathclyde Passenger Transport.

[@DJRyanJamesUK]

Chris Wright Probably the best livery ever!

[@xanrhind9350]

Funny thing is that the old Strathclyde livery is fairly common

[@joannestirling675]

@@DJRyanJamesUK what about black and orange

[@ericjamieson]

Fun fact, the "Ye" in "Ye Olde..." actually should be pronounced "The." There's an old letter called "Thorn" that's extinct in all modern languages except Icelandic, and is the same sound represented by "th" in modern English. When the printing press made it to England, most printers used lettersets made in Germany, which didn't include the thorn, because it didn't exist in German. So they developed a convention of using "Y" to represent it (even though it looks more like a P or a D).

[@grahamlive]

Congrats Vicki on exploring Motherwell and getting out alive. Or at least not with your camera equipment nicked. At least you didn't try to explore Coatbridge. You'd have had no chance. The dismal town thing is 100% true.

[@nathandufc3785]

AND Cumbernauld

[@seanny5472]

And the east end of Glasgow

[@gobears6487]

I'm joining the bandwagon of: I'm going to be SO SAD when these are over!!! (Can we stretch the last weeks into, like, months of ATS videos?!?! #allthefootage 😃)

[@gobears6487]

+Tina Onions - was a Marshall once. LOL ☺ Excellent idea!

[@Andrew-jv7tc]

Can they do Northern Ireland? That's still National Rail, right?

[@barvdw]

No it's not, it's Translink. But definitely worth a visit! They could probably do it in a day or 2, 3 tops. I believe it's possible in one day, but that would leave you with no time to explore.

[@chris075uk]

I used to work at Queen St low level a few years ago, as area relief. On quiet nights, I'd go behind the paneling where the seating is, wait for one of the ticket examiners on the barrier to radio me to say there was a passenger on the way down, then after a couple of minutes I'd start making spooky noises, dragging an old metal bucket and various other things to see what reaction we'd get from the passengers

[@danthefryingpan963]

Ive been watching these as a stress reliever from year 12. Its been helping me a lot. I only allow myself to watch the video if i have my 800ml cup of tea with three tea bags in it.

[@priestland1]

Lovely to see you both on BBC Breakfast this morning, at last they had a quality item.

[@cmtransportvids]

you should see Breich now! The platform is all done up, electric wires, and better parking!

[@stevehallam0850]

How could we remember who is who if you don't stay on the same side? Ant and Dec have a similar problem 🙃

[@George_Azeria]

One of Nottinghams former stations is now the Vicky Centre, a shopping centre. And still has the clock tower at one end. So take that Glasgow.

[@egpx]

Geoff at Queen St: "Say hi to the delightful Kirsty!" Cut to Geoff at Central meeting the delightful Kirsty for the first time. Cut back to Queen St where Geoff has an introductory chat with the delightful Kirsty. Do I detect a bit of editing has happened ;)

[@SamSitar]

yes they edited it.

[@EdgyNumber1]

Breich needs to be a parkway style station. Just brainless closing a station when other solutions exist...

[@gibbo9089]

ATS =All the Tunnocks Shops?

[@adamblack1684]

You'll be pleased to know Breich survived closure and now (pre-lockdown at least) has an hourly service Monday to Saturday and a two-hourly service Sundays.

[@pxsrrail2558]

11:04 that's a class 156 the 158s don't have those because there are going to be extra class 153s refurbed to accommodate bikes and other outdoor equipment to be joined up to them

[@RWL2012]

yep

[@callumBee]

Unless fact: St Enoch station was knocked down and the rubble and stone from the building was used to fill in the docks where the SECC now is!

[@davekirwin]

The Cream and Carmine livery is old (SPT) Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (PTE) livery. Quite rare as I was under the impression nearly everything is in new ScotRail - blue with white Saltire markings.

[@barvdw]

I quite liked it, a little dated, perhaps, but very unique.

[@matthewalbery8827]

PTE: Passenger Transport executive, there were seven of them around the country (still are). Presumably the inclusion of that organization in the livery was a result of the finance streams, then needed by British Rail, whereas now railways are turning a profit the operator is afforded more 'focus'. Perhaps that or to present a more local identity in contrast to the national focus of British and subsequently Regional Railways.(?)

[@Band-maid-fan101]

Wasn’t queen street low Level you were at it was central where you met Kirsty

[@chris075uk]

The cream and maroon livery was the last of the SPT (Strathclyde Passenger Transport) liveries, it is gradually being phased out and replaced by the Scotrail Saltire livery

[@nonconformalism]

Re: Glasgow Central. The wooden paneling is an original feature, though some have been removed or tweaked since the Victorian days.

[@whiskeytuesday]

Happened to randomly watch this today and when Geoff said "Today is August the 7th" I was rather surprised by the accuracy

[@SimonHeartfield]

Why is Geoff constantly baffled by changeable British weather?

[@kuoster]

3:25 The livery looks a bit like the Keikyu trains in Tokyo. :P

[@TheAlbatross365]

I'm guessing I'm very suggestible. Went shopping and came back with Irn Bru, teacakes and caramel wafers 😂😂😂

[@barvdw]

Can't get Irn Bru in Brussels... And haven't tasted it yet, the one time I bought a bottle, I forgot it on the train...

[@epender]

​@@barvdwThat's strange, I've seen it in multiple shops in little Denmark so I see no reason it shouldn't be in Belgium.

[@barvdw]

@@epender in the meantime, I did find it in the UK (not just Scotland), and while it wasn't my favourite, it was okay (stay away from the light stuff, though, it's foul). Still nowhere in Belgium, apart from shops that specialise in imported goods.

[@AlexOnTheBus]

4:31 - Good to see Travis getting a mention at the start of Glasgow week.

[@Bachsoboe]

To the Tunnock's factory!!!!

[@gobears6487]

yes!!! 😀👍

[@gobears6487]

+John Peat (shrewdLogarithm) Oooooohhh, yes please, I'd like to guest star if possible... ☺

[@matthewalbery8827]

"All the breweries" looking at you Wainfleet (WFL), and a funny place called Burton-upon-Trent (BUT).

[@radarskiy]

Once more unto the Breich, dear friends, once more

[@amacksplatoon]

9:17 A very brief shot of my local station, Livingston North! This is now my favourite video on this channel. I always love it when UK transport you tubers visit scotland :)

[@discogareth]

It's getting so close to the end now. I can feel the withdrawal symptoms already setting in!

[@moritzl7065]

Shortest distance: City Thameslink Blackfriars?

[@harrymarston6607]

Bilbrook-Codsall

[@Nayson]

11:27 I doff my cap to whoever got that shot. It's gorgeous.

[@TheNails3]

Vicki I wonder if you could do a hair tutorial for this plaited look? I like it! 😊

[@will13333]

now what catches me about Scotland is: So you know how the weather apps display it as hourly times, what do they do for Scotland, because as Geoff and Vicki said, the weather changes every 30 minutes!

[@connorwatson7823]

Isn't the longest distance from York to London Kings Cross? There are a couple of journeys which run non-stop between those stations...

[@stephenreardon2698]

the 05:40 'Flying Scotsman' Service from Edinburgh Waverley stops at Newcastle, departing 07:04 and then does not stop again until it reaches London King's Cross at 09:40.

[@flufmuffinz5734]

I think they mean the longest distance between any two stations on a stopper

[@southcalder]

There isn’t any station between Kirknewton and Carstairs, so what they refer to is a service between two stations with nothing in between. Also, Carstairs to Lockerbie (which has one train a day) would be a contender.

[@freedombono]

The unit with the bike rack was a 156, not a 158, surely?

[@charliemallindine8164]

freedombono it's too square to be a class 158 and I should know it's my favourite non demu dmu

[@karlormerod5904]

Geoffrey you do realise that coming into Addiewell you said you were on a refurbed 158, you were on a rather disgraceful 156. CRACKING SERIES BTW

[@TheNails3]

3:20 lol Vicki that was hilarious, "Ye olde Bounty bar" XD Those naughty litterbugs

[@IRythmzGamingg]

So strange seeing Vicky being excited being in Motherwell, a town I'm in almost daily and can tell you right that it's a shit hole. Haha.

[@RWL2012]

a lot of people visiting places don't realise how crap they are to actually live in!

[@stobartfanboygaming4157]

that refurbished class 156 is the only class 156 that has bike racks

[@gersfan2412]

Interesting fact you may not know. The underpass at Coatbridge Central originally led into a grand station building, the other side of the tracks from where the entrance/exit is now & you can see where the passageway & windows have been filled in. The old station became a pub, then a different pub & is now a printing shop.

[@josephbowietaylor]

I wish I'd known about your channel when you did this! I live in Glasgow and I would have come to see you!

[@TravelJackJourneys158]

@10:59 you said refurbished class 158 that train you was on is not a class 158 but it was a class 156 I can tell by the engine noise and the lighting off the train

[@jakegtr]

Jack Newell and the doors were sliding not plug doors

[@86Dillan]

And the shape of the bodywork

[@SeligsTrainsandTravels]

Dayne Powell Plus the windows matched that of a 156

[@matthewalbery8827]

Jake83: Single plug (refurbished 156) rather than twin-leaf plug (158). Originally the 156s had single sliding but presumably they did not leave enough room for DDA?

[@james123212]

you must be mistaken theres has never been a 156 with plug doors only single leaf sliding doors. plug doors are the ones that are in line with the body and come out when open

[@johnclements8534]

Coatbridge cental used to have 2 direct trains to london from inverness the clansman during the day and the night sleeper the royal highlander

[@byronhornemusic]

it's a blood and custard livery Geoff and I love it too!

[@servertoaster]

7:30 I was drinking Irn Bru while watching this! Anyone else?

[@33m3c]

aww this is so werid seeing you both walk about and explore where I'm from and places I pass by daily haha! From Airdrie !

[@BigLogic001]

I'm from Paisley

[@jerrydowse5061]

Please get Kirsty on the team.she is lovely , Happy travels

[@390h8er]

Frankie Boyle also stated that Coatbridge was the shittest town in Scotland.

[@leow_se]

High street is my local station!

[@markcollinson8545]

Fantastic videos! Just watched them all. Didn't see the Cathcart Circle or East Kilbride lines though, or Helensburgh Central.

[@Nathanstrains]

And they also didn't do the Yoker Branch , the Section from Partick - Larkhall and Greenfaulds and Cumbernauld.

[@johnclements8534]

You need to change at motherwell for lockerbie very few trains aday

[@BillyPilgrim1959]

I'm surprised I've still been to at least one of the stations per video

[@paulbishop6091]

Kirsty is lovely

[@jamiekent5156]

That's actually Glasgow CENTRAL at 05:57!

[@GMTrainspotting]

Breich not Briech.

[@LucyMichela]

Geoff called a class 156 a class 158. Well... I mean he was close enough to have the right family of train xD

[@Flymochairman1]

Hi Geoff and Vicki, in your closing shot at Glasgow Central there, the woodwork is all original; the 'windows' above you and left on the higher level were where the 'Departure, Destination and Arrivals' boards were put, changed from the offices behind. To the right upper on the other side of the stations, I can't remember if that was used for anything other than advertising. There is some remenance and reminders of St Enoch Station, mainly the huge car-park it made as well as there being a chord line from what would've been the 5th big over-ground railway station in Glasgow, Glasgow High Street High Level, to join up with the line just south of leaving Glasgow Central. Glasgow High Street High Level was latterly used as a Goods Sorting Depot by Road-Line, N.C.L. and other Freight Carriers as well as the remnants of St. Enoch Stations Parcels Office at King Street, which basically ran under the throat of St. Enochs station. It had a beautiful Gothic Style Hotel and frontage. There is video on here (YT) of a 'Deltic Special'(?) traversing the old High Street-St. Enoch-Central Chord and old footage of the railways mentioned around on here if ya really need to. I just remember St. Enochs but Buchanan Street Station had gone and the Bus Station was open in its place by the time we moved out of Glasgow. Geoff, I agree with you, we need to be re-opening old lines and stations on present lines. There's always the time-table and extra fuel use to consider but surely modern control systems can be biult to cope. Dr. Beechings remit was to 'assume no population expansion'. How wrong that was. Great fun watching you on this series and I will watch the Documentary Feature when I catch up. Cheers and safe travelling folks.

[@patricialockhart2135]

Coatbridge Sunny side the most ironic station name in the world.

[@CaseysTrains]

Scotland and Florida share common weather when it comes down to the rain. Rains are heavy for an hour then it's bright and sunny again.

[@neilburns8869]

I can tell you some stories about Carstairs junction and station. Firstly, Carstairs lies at a point where the trains coming up from Birmingham on the WCML (West Coast Main Line) can branch off to go to Edinburgh at the appropriately named Carstairs Junction. Carstairs station wasn't as open as you see now, it was a huge stone building in the middle but the place was almost always deserted from what I can remember (and I have Aspergers - which means ultra good memory). There used to be many trains that would come up from England stop at Lockerbie then go to Carstairs where the train would divide into 2. The front carriages would continue on to Motherwell and Glasgow Central whilst the remaining carriages would sit and await another locomotive to take them to Haymarket then Edinburgh Waverley. Carstairs station itself, as I said was this giant stone building with a waiting room and the platforms that you can currently see. It was an old and often unmanned place and was quite an eerie and intimidating place because there was nobody else around. Then, you add into the equation the fact that the main mental hospital for Central Scotland is based less than a mile away - you can actually see the security fencing for it as you head towards Edinburgh from Carstairs junction. My Granma, years ago was travelling from Lockerbie to Kirkcaldy and part of her journey meant that she had to disembark at Carstairs and await another train to continue on towards Edinburgh. The stone building was knocked down over 15 years ago because it was said to create an uncomfortable and intimidating atmosphere for vulnerable passengers.

[@pauldevey8628]

3 months, this is an impressive effort. Congrats!