Strathclyde/SW Scotland 1-2 May 2009

Another trip to Scotland, this time the first of two to tackle the couple of lines in SW Scotland and a chunk of the massive Strathclyde railway system. It begins late on Thursday 30 April 2009 when I arrive at the Lowland Caledonian Sleeper at London Euston. I'm booked in the seated coach but, aware of the long days ahead of me would prefer a berth. Luckily there is a spare berth. I have to share but luckily there's no snoring from the bunk below! Also he is only only going as far as Motherwell which is handy because finding room for two people to struggle into clothes and sort out baggage at the same time in a sleeper compartment is a tall order. Anyway, I must be getting used to the sleeper because I sleep really well, waking up just twice, the second occasion being when we arrive at Carstairs and the train is divided into two portions, and I would be very surprised to sleep through being shunted. I step on to the platform at Glasgow Central at 7.20am and the quest continues.Before the main event I fit in three suburban lines. The first is out to Newton via Maxwell Park and back via Queens Park. Then on to the Cathcart Circle (called Inner and Outer to reflect the track used). All three trips are on 3 coach class 314 EMUs. It's very much being at home as I join the Glasgow rush hour, especially sitting on the Clyde bridge just outside Central station queuing for a platform - it's like going into Charing Cross to work.The first of three more epic trips then ensue. Epic because of the sheer length of time rather than distance! The first is back over the border to Carlisle via Kilmarnock. It's single track for a large chunk of the route and thus we sit waiting to pass at one point. I have a wander around Carlisle up to the castle and look around its many charity shops. It's a much smaller city than I remember and frankly, the station is possibly the most impressive sight there, despite it boasting a cathedral and a castle! Indeed, the station was originally called Carlisle Citadel. The incessant rain does not help the place.Next step is to catch one of the rare Carlisle to Stranraer services (in fact it has come all the way from Newcastle, and while publicised as a Northern Rail train, is run with Scotrail stock and crew). The journey almost backtracks the entire journey from Glasgow but splits off to the west after Kilmarnock and heads south west. When we reach Stranraer Harbour we are almost at the same latitude as Carlisle, ie, twice the distance as separates the two as the crow flies! It's a scenic trip through empty green sheep country. Hardly a road in sight and the odd signal box where driver and signaller swap tokens for the next stretch of line. Stranraer Harbour station is a massive affair, built chiefly to serve the Belfast ferry (which may well move to another port!) and has a feel of having hosted more traffic in the past. Indeed there was a London sleeper to conenct with the ferry as recently as the 1980s. Anyway, I have less than two hours before the return trip and so get myself a drink in a very Irish feeling bar and a haggis and chips to follow.Then it's back on the same train (a three coach class 156 DMU as the first one out to Carlisle was), but this time all the way to Glasgow Central. The rain is mostly gone and it's a beautiful evening. Ayr and Kilmarnock are the major towns on the route, but they have nothing on the amazing sprawl of Strathclyde that extends way beyond Glasgow itself. The night is a vista of blinking lights pretty much all the way after Ayr is passed. I head through the rowdy crowds around Central station for the youth hostel, only to discover I've cocked up the booking and got the wrong day. Needless to say they are full but call another place for me where I head next. It's not an ideal billet, shall we say, but it's 11pm and I need a bed for the night. I get off to sleep without trouble and depart shortly after 7am the next day.Back to Central and a quick breakfast. Then it's off to Ardrossan Harbour on the first 6 coach Class 334 of the day - the next four lines all being serviced by these. At Adrossan I track the line back to Saltcoats - 3 stops back but they are very close together - to get the Largs train. The stretch from Adrossan South Beach to Largs is very picturesque. At Largs I have no time to do anything other than get the return EMU to Paisley Gilmour Street - where the other Clyde Coast line diverges. This one takes me out through the very poor looking Greenock to Gourock, at the western fringe of the Clyde estuary. A quick turnaround later back to the somewhat depressed Port Glasgow - the junction for the Wemyss Bay branch. This branch seems considerably more attractive than the Gurock line, including a massive well preserved terminus feeding directly to the Bute Ferry and a halt seemingly built by and for an building IBM. At the end of the line it's another fast return and we're heading back to Glasgow. I wonder how these four coastal branches have managed to get electrified - as well as the line to Ayr - as it seems almost impossible to get much electrification in England full stop.Back at Central I grab lunch then jump on yet another two coach 156 DMU to Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts. This is the route back to London today due to engineering works on teh West Coast main line after Lancaster, and its handy because it mops up the last of the three routes between the two cities for me to cover (the others being via Carstairs and Falkirk). It seems to take forever because it stops everywhere but eventually the Forth bridges come into view and then the vista of Calton Hill and Arthur's Sear ahead of us. I just have time to get a drink in my favourite Edinburgh pub, the Half Way House, then I'm on to a class 43 hauled service - otherwise known as the High Speed Train Inter City 125 - that has come from Aberdeen and wil return me to London King's Cross for 10.20pm. To my delight I discover I've booked 1st class - a very cheap ticket that I'd completely forgotten about - a nice surprise as it means peace and free coffee!Back home via the Piccadilly line and Charing Cross, a satisfying trip including suburban, coast and inter city routes. In two weeks I am off to Scotland once more to mop up the remainder of the Strathclyde lines - watch this space.

Lines completed this trip:
Glasgow Central-Maxwell Park-Newton
Newton-Mount Florida-Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central-Cathcart-Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central-Dumfries-Carlisle
Carlisle-Troon-Stranraer
Stranraer-Ayr-Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central-Ardossan Harbour
Saltcoats-Largs
Largs-Paisley Gilmour Street
Paisley Gilmour Street-Gourock
Gourock-Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow-Wemyss Bay
Wemyss Bay-Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central-Shotts-Edinburgh Waverley