Glasgow's abandoned railway tunnels and stations. Kelvinbridge to Stobcross.

World Trip 2002 - Glasgow N55 52.686 W4 17.361

The Botanic Gardens station in Glasgow was my primary reason for visiting the city. It was beautiful in the pictures I remembered. I was hoping that it would not prove too difficult to locate. It wasn't. An easy walk from Kelvinside saw me arrive at the entrance to the Gardens. There I spotted a rather unusual police call box, just like the one popularized by the BBC series, DR Who. I walked into the gardens and soon spotted the station vents. The problem was getting in. Luckily I recalled the tunnel emerged at Kirklee. It was an easy walk down there, and once again some one had proceeded before me leaving an entrance open. Botanic Gardens did not disappoint. It has to be the most beautiful abandoned railway stations I have ever seen.

Botanic Gardens Station - Glasgow

Botanic Gardens Station vents.

The sign reads: Botanic Gardens Station. Before you are the ventilation shafts for the Botanic Gardens Station. Plans were passed on the 10th August 1888 for the Glasgow Central Railway which would link the Stratclyde Junction on the Dalmarnock branch with Stobcross in the west. The Railway opened on the 10 August 1896.

The line entered The Gardens close by the main gates and exited at Kirklee Station close by Kirklee gate.

Botanic Gardens Station was the first on the line to be closed on 6th February 1939 followed by Kirklee on 1 May 1939. The entire line was finally closed down on 5th October 1964 after just 68 years.

Looking down to the station from above.

Kirklee Station with walled off end where a bridge once was.

The overgrown Kirklee station city bound platform.

Another tunnel portal where once again someone had been before me.

Brilliant! Beautiful. What more can I say? This made the trip worth it.
Looking out of the tunnel into Botanical Gardens Station Glasgow Scotland.

The trackbed was covered in tree growth. Some as high as the vents.

An underground forest. The ceiling tilework can be seen.

Old 60's Graffiti. Ringo, Lenard Skinard.

The station curves gently to the left.

Further down the track bed is much clearer.

Tree ferns and vines cover the track bed where the platform has partially collapsed. This area was quite swamp like.

You can see more pictures of the line on this web site.
You can read about the history of the lines on the Railscot Glasgow Central Railway page.

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