Botanic Gardens railway station
Encyclopedia
Botanic Gardens railway station was a railway station serving the Botanic Gardens
located in the Kelvinside
area in the West End of Glasgow
.
. Although the station building was on ground level, the actual station platforms were underground, beneath the Glasgow Botanic Gardens
. It was closed between 1 January 1917 and 2 March 1919 due to wartime economy, and closed permanently to passengers on 6 February 1939, with the line being closed on 5 October 1964.
is of a similar design. It was a well known landmark along Great Western Road and was designed by the renowned Glasgow railway architect of the period, James Miller
.
Miller also designed the next station on the line at Kelvinbridge
and went on to design the main buildings for the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition in nearby Kelvingrove Park
and the interiors of the famous Clyde Built ocean liners, the RMS Lusitania
in 1907 and RMS Aquitania
in 1914. Hints of features in these more famous designs could be found in the building.
and the Evening Citizen, of 23 March 1970 stated the fire started after a 'Battle of the Bands' contest had been held in the nightclub and it was likely someone had left a cigarette burning in the attic as it was primarily the roof space that had burned resulting in the decision of the Fire Brigade to pull down the two domed towers for safety reasons the following day. The cafe owner's German Shepherd dog
died of smoke inhalation but no humans were injured.
Despite the outer walls of the building remaining intact and the damage confined largely to the roof area, the decision was taken by the then Glasgow Corporation to not undertake repairs and instead to completely demolish the building and leave the site derelict. At the time of the fire, plans were being considered to demolish the building as part of a controversial scheme to widen Great Western Road and this might lie behind the decision not to repair the building despite its prominent and recognisable presence in the West End for seventy-four years and its housing of three viable local businesses.
It was reported on 17 April 2008 that the campaign against the plans had been successful and Glasgow City Council had abandoned the plans. There are no current plans to redevelop the site.
Glasgow Botanic Gardens
Glasgow Botanic Gardens is an Arboretum and public park located in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. It features several glasshouses, the most notable of which is the Kibble Palace. The gardens were created in 1817, and run by the Royal Botanic Institution of Glasgow , and were intended to supply...
located in the Kelvinside
Kelvinside
Kelvinside is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde and is bounded by Dowanhill, Hyndland and Broomhill to the South with Kelvindale and the River Kelvin to the North...
area in the West End of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.
History
The station was opened on 10 August 1896 by the Glasgow Central RailwayGlasgow Central Railway
The Glasgow Central Railway was a railway that ran from Maryhill in the north west of Glasgow through the West End and City Centre to Rutherglen and Newton to the south east of the city.- Early days :...
. Although the station building was on ground level, the actual station platforms were underground, beneath the Glasgow Botanic Gardens
Glasgow Botanic Gardens
Glasgow Botanic Gardens is an Arboretum and public park located in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. It features several glasshouses, the most notable of which is the Kibble Palace. The gardens were created in 1817, and run by the Royal Botanic Institution of Glasgow , and were intended to supply...
. It was closed between 1 January 1917 and 2 March 1919 due to wartime economy, and closed permanently to passengers on 6 February 1939, with the line being closed on 5 October 1964.
Architecture
The station building was an ornate red brick structure with two towers sporting a clock and Caledonian Railway monogram and topped by domes reminiscent of a Russian orthodox church. The extant, but disused, station building at PossilPossil railway station
Possil railway station was situated on Balmore Road, in the north of Glasgow, Scotland and served the Possilpark and Parkhouse areas of the city.-History:...
is of a similar design. It was a well known landmark along Great Western Road and was designed by the renowned Glasgow railway architect of the period, James Miller
James Miller (architect)
James Miller was a Scottish architect and artist. He is noted for his many buildings in Glasgow and for his Scottish railway stations. Among these are the heavily American-influenced Union Bank building at 110-20 St Vincent Street; his 1901-1905 extensions to Glasgow Central railway station; and...
.
Miller also designed the next station on the line at Kelvinbridge
Kelvinbridge railway station
Kelvinbridge was a railway station for the Kelvinbridge area in the West End of Glasgow, close to Kelvinbridge subway station on the Glasgow Subway.-Chronology:This station was opened on 10 August 1896....
and went on to design the main buildings for the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition in nearby Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park
Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, containing the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.-History:...
and the interiors of the famous Clyde Built ocean liners, the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
in 1907 and RMS Aquitania
RMS Aquitania
RMS Aquitania was a Cunard Line ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. She was launched on 21 April 1913 and sailed on her maiden voyage to New York on 30 May 1914...
in 1914. Hints of features in these more famous designs could be found in the building.
Use following closure
The building was converted into shops after the station's 1939 closure and by the late 1960s was occupied by a popular cafe called 'The Silver Slipper', a nightclub called 'Sgt. Peppers' and a plumbers shop, 'Morton's'. It was ravaged by fire on the night of 22 March 1970.Destruction by fire
Local Glasgow newspapers, the Evening TimesEvening Times
The Evening Times is an evening tabloid newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The paper, an evening sister paper of The Herald, was established in 1876. The paper's slogan is "Nobody Knows Glasgow Better"....
and the Evening Citizen, of 23 March 1970 stated the fire started after a 'Battle of the Bands' contest had been held in the nightclub and it was likely someone had left a cigarette burning in the attic as it was primarily the roof space that had burned resulting in the decision of the Fire Brigade to pull down the two domed towers for safety reasons the following day. The cafe owner's German Shepherd dog
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
died of smoke inhalation but no humans were injured.
Despite the outer walls of the building remaining intact and the damage confined largely to the roof area, the decision was taken by the then Glasgow Corporation to not undertake repairs and instead to completely demolish the building and leave the site derelict. At the time of the fire, plans were being considered to demolish the building as part of a controversial scheme to widen Great Western Road and this might lie behind the decision not to repair the building despite its prominent and recognisable presence in the West End for seventy-four years and its housing of three viable local businesses.
Today
The site of Botanic Gardens Station remains derelict to this day, almost forty years after the fire. The platforms still remain underground where they can be seen from above through still open airvents in the Botanic Gardens and the floor of the building is still visible within the fenced-off section of the gardens marking where it stood. The platforms are accessible via the tunnel portal at the Kirklee end of the Gardens. An abandoned tramway kiosk designed in the same style as the building and built in 1903 is still present at the site. The site is heavily overgrown, vandalised and dilapidated and is considered dangerous to enter.Redevelopment
In September 2007, it was reported plans are under consideration to redevelop the site as a Bar/Restaurant/Nightclub/Exhibition Space and miniature railway which would involve completely rebuilding the station building to its original design on its footprint, almost 40 years after it was destroyed. The plans were met with considerable opposition from local people who organised a campaign group largely objecting to the idea of a nightclub appearing in a tranquil place like the Gardens.It was reported on 17 April 2008 that the campaign against the plans had been successful and Glasgow City Council had abandoned the plans. There are no current plans to redevelop the site.
Sources
- Urquhart, Gordon R. (2000). Along Great Western Road: An Illustrated History of Glasgow's West End. Stenlake Publishing. ISBN 1840331151.
- Worsdall, Frank (1981), The City That Disappeared: Glasgow's Demolished Architecture. Glasgow: Richard Drew Publishing. ISBN 0-904002-69-1.
External links
- Video of the station April 2011
- UrbanAdventure.org tour of the station in 2002 where it was described as the most beautiful abandoned underground rail station in the world. With video.
- Exploring Botanic Gardens Railway Station
- Postcard depicting station building in 1906.
- Photograph showing Edwardian tram passing the station building the 1950s, showing its post-closure use.
- Botanic Gardens at Hidden Glasgow
- RAILSCOT pictures on platforms
- David White's Link Not Working 240408