Glasgow Central station tour revolves around the famous congested station of Glasgow… an architecturally brilliant ensemble that dates back to 1879 and has a mystery laden past. The building is recognised to be one of the most legendary buildings in Scotland (it’s category ‘A’ listed) and it stands on the North bank of Clyde.
Once upon a time there were 8 platforms that were linked by a railway bridge over Argyle Street… an extremely picturesque sight. Several modifications and more than a century after, the Glasgow Central station is now the biggest station in Scotland’s biggest city and is the busiest in Scotland. More than 130,000 people use the station each day and the Queen Anne style architecture is highly photographed.
The station changed a lot during the years and it’s fascinating to know the history of the place plus seeing the different nooks and crannies that normally remain hidden from public view. The public of Glasgow passes through this station for their travel needs but there are lots of history and interesting facts about the station that open up once anyone goes below the concourse level. Glasgow Central station tours are exclusively operated and managed by the station authorities and for many many years historian and guide Paul Lyons (he has decades of experience in the railway industry) has been conducting these tours.
The Tours
The tour kicks off in its full flavour as the group descends below the concourse level into an entirely different medieval world that’s unlike the lively and modern everyday look of the Glasgow Central Station. At the first look the soot darkened walls and the maze like tunnels may seem gloomy but the excellent narrative provided by the guide puts colour in it.
The fascinating features of the station require some introduction. The glass panelled roof (biggest glass roof in the world) has more than 48,000 pieces of glass that make it up. The station covers almost 2.2 square miles and it could take years to know it well. There is a hidden area that used to host coal and grain stores in medieval times. There was even a mortuary that was constructed here during the First World War. The bowels of the station are humid and hot and yet seem like a fascinating maze of cables, power rooms and zig zag paths.
Some historical sites like the place where mail was dragged in to load up on the Royal mail train, are mostly a part of all Central station tours. Then there are walls filled with beautiful murals of Caledonian Railway Company and the engineers who constructed the station (artwork done by Glasgow school of art students).
If you are lucky the guide will show an area that hosts several finds associated with the station. There is an antique street map of Grahamstown (a village that vanished when the station was constructed), 18th century bottles, wheelchair and stretchers from the First World War, map of the station in its 1920 version and a pair of church headstones. There is also a gorgeously intact Victorian era platform that was sealed behind a wall and vanished from memory for about 50 years before the guide Paul Lyons discovered it. Then there are steam boiler rooms.
The guide Paul Lyons’ passion about Glasgow’s history and in depth knowledge about every crevice of the station…is legendary. Lyons takes visitors into the hidden corners of the station continuously mixing facts with interesting stories about the place and in the process creating a fascinating narrative. There are moving accounts of the First World War, famous romances connected to the station, general plight of women, economic issues etc.
There are also stories about the engineers and workers who lived and died in this building and the commoners whose lives were inextricably tied with it. It’s also appreciable that he uses Glesga Patter; Glasgow’s famous dialect and that’s laced with a healthy dose of Glaswegian humour. Glasgow’s famous dialect has been aptly showcased at yet another fantastic attraction… the People’s Palace at Glasgow Green.
Paul Lyons also opens up about his wish to see more statues dedicated to women in Glasgow (for an enlightened city, Glasgow has only 4 statues dedicated to female luminaries) and a proper museum for the Central Station. He also wants a Victorian steam locomotive and a vintage news stand to be installed in the lower level Victorian Platform… plans are already underway for these. At the end of the tour most visitors end up enthusiastically rooting for his goals.
The Glasgow Central Station website makes no mention of where the group meets the guide but Paul Lyons with his movie like long grey beard and bowler hat is hard to miss anyway!!
Duration & Timings
The tours are usually one hour long and happen on weekends and selected weekdays. The tour starts off near the information kiosk right at the heart of the station. There is a huge clock in Glasgow central station and the information kiosk is right near it. There is a Banner announcing ‘Glasgow Central Experience’ here so you can’t possibly miss the location.
Indicative Prices & Booking
The dates for Glasgow Central tours are published about 6 weeks in advance and you will find the dates on the calendar on the official website. The white dates are all unavailable ones and the pink dates are all sold out ones. All other dates are available ones and you can click on a date of your choice to book it.
The price per adult is 13 pounds. The money earned from the tour goes back into making the tour and station even better. A beautiful memento booklet is presented to the visitors at the end of the tour.
The tour is amongst the top tours of Glasgow and is almost always fully booked. You need to book it only through the official website and well in advance.
Here is the Booking Website.
Note: Minimum age is 12 years old. The tour takes visitors along dark cramped places. Also the tour takes visitors to places well below the platforms via steep flights of stairs into abandoned tunnels. There is a lot of stair climbing involved and it’s not suitable for people with mobility issues. Even healthy adults would need to wear comfortable walking shoes to get on this tour.
Location & Contacts
Glasgow Central Station
Gordon Street, Glasgow, Phone: +44 845 748 4950
A travel addict. Still celebrating the day when he quit his high-profile corporate job to pursue his passion for travel writing.