Helensburgh - why three stations?

The North British Railway wanted to develop Helensburgh as a Clyde port. This film explores that, as well as the West Highland Line.
#railways #trains #trainspotting #scotrail #scotland #helensburgh #ferries #firthofclyde #westhighlandrailway #westhighlandway
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[@buffalomerkis7603]

If the wind is southerly and stormy and the waves get up, sometimes the trains take a bath on their way into Craigendoran.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Indeed, like at Saltcoats. You can see the waves hitting a train at Saltcoats in one of my other films kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaHVeX-IhKp-gas

[@neilbain8736]

Saltcoats too. It's like Dawlish and makes for some great photos :)

[@pingupenguin2474]

Sometimes so do the passengers. Waiting there in wild weather you can taste the salt in the air !

[@cmtransportvids]

Brilliant video Clive! Also nice meeting you at Glasgow Central earlier today. 😃😃

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

It was great meeting you and your pals too - I'm just going through all my clips now and hope to post soon. Seeing the Azuma parked between two Pendolinos was fun. Enjoy your trainspotting.

[@keithwoodburn7895]

Thanks Clive, very informative. I first visited Helensburgh through work (Faslane) over 40 years ago and I am still a frequent visitor on holiday. Interesting about Craigendoran, I guessed it was just the junction with the through line and did not know about the ferry pier. Thanks again.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment. There's always more to things than meet the eye!

[@ronaldbayne1431]

Great. Loved it. You showed many of my childhood haunts. Not that changed over 60 years ago. Except for Craigendoran. Happy days. Rmb 5*

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment, glad you liked the film. I enjoyed filming it.

[@Andrew-rd4ig]

Nice video👍

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment.

[@Marc-so2cd]

Cause at least if one sucks you still have two left😊 You'd think they'd clean up the Craigendoran pier by now. I'm not a mega fan of trains, but it's always nice to see an old Class 43.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment. I think the Craigendoran pier is well past redemption - car ferries rule now, Western Ferries take a lot of beating.

[@fhwolthuis]

Nice video, Clive. Thank you!

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks Frank, much appreciated.

[@edwardbarnes2702]

Nice little informative video! Eddie 🤓

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment, which I appreciate. I am trying to become more informative in my videos!

[@douglascampbell2140]

Single line trackbed still existed in the 1970s- it was sunk next to the wall adjacent to the Clyde. It's been filled in. There were even a set of wheels and an axle on that track bed that could be pushed about if you had enough people. The station buildings and platforms next to (not on) the piers still existed in a ruinous state. Tracks continued onto one of the two piers. The railway bridge in your film was erected probably in the 1980s (ignore any plaques) replacing a substantial timber covered bridge (which used to be our playground provided the person in the ticket office was not aware) It had also linked to the upper station platform, although that was blocked off in my day. Half way through the underpass you can see the truncated steps to the upper platform. Sad to see it as it is now.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment and the interesting childhood memories you share. I had assumed that the current station footbridge at Craigendoran was put there to provide clearance for overhead wires when the line was electrified in 1960. However, your comment got me digging further and I discovered a photo on the Railscot website taken in 1963 showing the large wooden footbridge still in situ. So it must have had adequate clearance for the overhead wires and only succumbed when the pier station buildings were demolished, I would guess. My research also revealed that the Craigendoran-Arrochar shuttle (which I mentioned in my film) went onto the Pier platform rather than clutter up the through West Highland tracks. It gives me great satisfaction when my historical films unearth these memories, thanks.

[@jimcrawford5039]

Very interesting video! Cheers from Oz.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment - I enjoyed making the film. I've enjoyed some good train rides in Australia too.

[@neilbain8736]

The North British also couldn't get much water at low tide at Helensburgh which compounded the lack of rail access to the pier and restricted opportunities. I think the NB all but gave up for a bit though eventually opened the pier at Craigendoran which also suffered from really low water at low tide. This is why the NB and LNER ran paddle steamers. They have shallow draught. The NB was absorbed by the newly formed LNER in the 1923 grouping. Railways were not allowed to operate steamers so set up subsidiary Co's till the law was changed. The NB operated steamers via the North British Steam Pkt Co. (till 1901 or was it 3? when they were allowed to operate steamers directly). The LNER really wanted to sell out by the 30's and services were drastically reduced but no agreement was ever reached with the LMS. Per changing times from train to steamer, I believe 2 mins was a normal allowance by The Caley at Gourock. There were over 40 steamers pre WW1 in competition serving dozens of piers from the Broomielaw to Inveraray, Ayr and Campbeltown. So with coal only 3 ' 6 a ton (17 1/2p) there was no hanging about! (Henry Bell who ran the first successful commercial steamship*, the Comet, in 1812, also ran a hotel beside the pier in Helenburgh. I think it was in the wife's name. Hang onto that thought because Brunel said 'Bells scheming got Britain steaming' which shows that Brunel had a sense of humour because I don't think James Watt quite ever got paid for the engines, or various others for various other bits either. A complete Arfur Daley. But. Bell got there first). *There was also Fulton in the US on the Hudson but... well, y'know, the arguments just never cease :)

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment, which is really interesting. I have recently acquired a copy of Trains Annual 1953 which contains a good article on the Clyde steamers and railways - I wish I had read it before making my film!

[@neilbain8736]

@@Clivestravelandtrains Just have a wee sail on the Waverley. Many of the regulars are well versed in history and are happy to talk over a wee dram or so :)

[@jimmcintosh9045]

The paddle steamer Waverley was originally based at Craigendoran and is still sailing. She also called at Helensburgh but the pier is not available now.Wouldn't class these old steamers as ferries though.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thank for your comment. My 1959 British Railways timetable shows several ferries per day leaving Craigendoran for Dunoon and Rothesay, with rail connection from Glasgow Queen Street. They were the ferry services. The Waverley has called at a wide variety of places and sometimes it has toured Great Britain, and can't really be described as a ferry as you wouldn't normally use it to get from A to B. The timetable showed that the ferries between Gourock and Dunoon "also convey motor cars", whereas the Craigendoran ferries did not.

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Helensburgh Upper Station has a weird vibe I've always thought ? It has something of the air of a cemetery ? I assume it's to do with it being so peaceful and the well tended trees and towers . Very odd.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment. Maybe it's an Upper Class station!

[@Amalik83]

Can i ask a question- train is arriving at platform 2, and if one is to catch a bus heading to Luss. Is 6 mins good enough to reach the bus stop? Thank you

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

The 302 bus (Garelochhead Coaches) is shown in their timetable as departing from Helensburgh Central. I think 6 minutes should be adequate. There are also buses from Balloch to Luss.

[@Amalik83]

Thank you very much

[@buffalomerkis7603]

not so many stop at Bowling either.

[@Clivestravelandtrains]

Thanks for your comment, the Helensburgh trains omit a number of stops and if I'd listed them all that may have sounded a bit tedious. Bowling is interesting and merits a visit in ts own right.