In the late 80s early 90s before the arrival of number one sone a trip to Scotland used to occur which involved both seeking out new obscure pieces of track around Glasgow and Edinburgh and a visit to the model railway exhibition in the SECC. The trip would normally take place on the Friday as this was the quietest day at the exhibition and the day to find those bargain purchases.

 

These trips had become less frequent due to pressure of work and the nearly 1000 mile round trip. West Coast Route Modernisation had made weekends impossible.  It was not possible to go on Friday becuase of differing half term holidays in Wales and Scotland and number one son wanting to attend.

 

For 2008 a new plan was hatched this involved the use of BMI Baby who were offering some excellent value flights and a reasonably priced hotel on the station at Glasgow Central. The plan was to cover some new track on the Saturday then visit the exhibition on the Sunday and come home.

 

The Plan:

 

 

 

BMI Baby

18:20 Edinburgh Airport - Cardiff Airport

 

This was the plan and it meant a very early start on the Saturday morning but had some new track involved and the model railway exhibition on the Sunday which is nearly always a very good show.

 

Day 1 - 23 February 2008

314211 at Neilston 23/02/08

 

It meant an early start a 04:00 departure to the airport in wet and very windy conditions. Arrived at the airport to find that the car park entrance and one way system had been improved to assist traffic flow which meant there was now one entrance rather than several and a massive queue to get into the car park. We had already checked in online so no need to queue just walk straight through. Plane departed Cardiff and arrived in Glasgow on time. The seats I had chosen on the plane were right at the front so a quick exit could be achieved as the connection to Glasgow was quite tight to make the first train and get to the new track.

 

Problem 1 - First off the plane and through to arrivals however at the entrance to the main airport building was a door, which was locked, and no one to open it. Stood there for at least 5 minutes and the queue behind us is getting longer and longer and the time available to catch the bus is getting shorter and shorter. Eventally a happy smiley member of staff arrived to grunt at us and opened the door. Customer service is alive and well in Glasgow Airport.....

 

Out to the front of the Airport to find the bus stop where the Arriva bus departs to Paisley Gilmore St station. This is a good way to get from the Airport to central Glasgow as you do not get stuck in the traffic nearer to Glasgow if you use the direct bus. An Arriva bread van appears and this takes us on an intersting tour of Paisley and we eventually arrive at the bus stop round the corner from the station. This is situated in a dark cave underneath what I think is a car park/shopping centre.

 

Up on to the platform and 5 mins to wait for the train into Glasgow.

 

On arrival at Glasgow the team expands to 3 as it has been arranged with a long time friend will go looking for new interesting bits of track some we individually need to cover and some both. Number one son is a complete starter and needs it all.  We join the first train to in order to cover the first piece of required track Cathcart North Jn to Cartcart East Jn. After 10 mins pass through Pollokshaws East and penny drops. A horrific timetable reading error has taken place. We are going the wrong way round the loop to Newton and this train will not cover this piece of required track. !?******!!?? you get the idea! Oops entirely my fault as I drew up the plan and was in charge on timetable reading. Not happy. First piece of new track not covered.

 

Next few legs operated without incident all working like clockwork which is normally the case on the Scotrail operated SPT network.

 

Lunch was taken at the very good and reasonably priced snack bar in the station building at Hamilton Central. They have a good choice of food which is cooked to order to take away. If you are looking for something to eat on the move worth a visit.

 

The afternoon turns out to be very uneventful with again Scotrail performing to time and the itinary working as it should.

90019 at Edinburgh Waverley 23/02/08

 

Stayed the evening in the Quality Hotel Glasgow. This hotel is looking quite shabby and has seen better days but the room was clean and the breakfast good which after a day travelling round on trains is what you need.

 

 

Slightly better day still very windy but a bit of sun coming through.

 

Exhibition was good as always (except for the food which was very average).

 

Back to Glasgow where the team divided again with the temorary member returning home on the new improved high speed West Coast Mainline which does not operate on a Sunday in Winter but involves a bus journey. So he has decieded to go on the Scotrail operated Class 156 via Dumfries to Carlisle. Better than 2 hours on a bus. Train looks very full as we see it pull out.

 

We have time to kill before the flight home from Edinburgh so a supplementary plan is drawn up on the train to Edinburgh. If we leave the train at Haymarket you can get to Kirkaldy and back in time to catch the bus out to the Airport.

43318 heads the HST we join and left 24/02/08

 

Dive across the platforms at Haymarket and join an extremely full NXEC HST and manage to get a space in the vestibule with the 20 other people squeezed in there. There is an annoucement on the train that because of engineering works this train is first stop Dundee. Make a hasty departure from the train realising that we do not have time to get to Dundee and back.

 

Quick consultation of the timetable we have time to go on an anti-clockwise trip round the Cowdenbeath loop over the Forth Bridge. A pleasant trip on 170476 watching the sunset over the Firth of Forth.

 

Arrived back in Edinburgh and onto the bridge above Waverley station. The bus service out to the airport is again very good with a high quality vehicle (first bus I have been on with leather seats) and very frequent.

 

An uneventful flight back and drive home.