Anderston Bus Station

[robertclark125]

Does anyone out there remember Anderston Bus Station, in Glasgow? I think it was a product of the 1960s, but it had a short life, closing in 1988/9 I believe.

What did people on here who used it think of it? Why did it close? And, what's on the site of it now?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Looks like this now https://flic.kr/p/dWHDAH

The area is used for offices for financial and legal firms among others

 

[Strathclyder]

It was part of the notorious Anderston Centre, which was completed in 1972 and opened the following year. The bus station's primary function was to serve Glasgow's southern suburbs and the surrounding towns, intending to make use of the never-completed southern flank of the Glasgow Inner Ring Road.

It was closed completely by September 1993, after the decision had been taken to consolidate all services into Buchanan Bus Station in the late 80s. The closure of the bus station dealt the final fatal blow to the complex's shopping centre, which itself was totally abandoned by the mid 1990s, as the bus station effectively acted as the centre's 'anchor tenant'.

Part of the former bus station is still in use as parking space for the office building above the station. The Europa Building was built over the western end of the former bus station and the rest was cleared to reconnect Douglas St with Argyle St.

For anyone that's interested, linked below is a diagram of the whole complex (incl. buildings that were never built):
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6477172627_41397ea85d.jpg

It was before my time, but looking at pictures of the place, it's not a place I would have liked to have hung around in for long, particularly at night...

 

[Robertj21a]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/scottishcoachman/6576883647

 

[ian1944]

I used Anderston only once, in the late 80s. Memory says that it was to catch a Citylink coach to Edinburgh via Buchanan, the purpose in joining at Anderston being to jump the queue at BBS. The same memory says that the coach had started at Glasgow Airport and quite a lot of passengers got off at the first port of call in the city but few joined there, making my strategy a sound one.

But how reliable is my memory? Was there a time when all 900 services (I think the current number was used then) ran Glasgow Airport - Edinburgh, or only some of them?

Anyway, the place was a dump, with about as much charm as Edinburgh SAS had in its later years, being dingy and dark.

 

[martinsh]

Anderston bus station made Northampton Grayfriars look good !!

 

[Robertj21a]

Anderston bus station made Northampton Grayfriars look good !!

I doubt that !

Greyfriars managed to win all the awards for the worst black hole in the UK.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I doubt that !

Greyfriars managed to win all the awards for the worst black hole in the UK.

Greyfriars was bad but Newcastle (Eldon Square) was worse!!

 

[overthewater]

Greyfriars was bad but Newcastle (Eldon Square) was worse!!

Was that the one underground next to John Lewis? I visit it once, that was dire, but there were plenty of people about. But Cumbernauld still out shine the lot of them of being uttley dire, especial with a duel carriageway way in the middle

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Was that the one underground next to John Lewis? I visit it once, that was dire, but there were plenty of people about. But Cumbernauld still out shine the lot of them of being uttley dire, especial with a duel carriageway way in the middle

Agree Cumbernauld is bad but the old Eldon Square was a fume filled basement and toilets out of Trainspotting!

 

[overthewater]

Agree Cumbernauld is bad but the old Eldon Square was a fume filled basement and toilets out of Trainspotting!

You had Toilets? Such luxury compared to Cumbernauld

You have to wonder why certain bus stations are so poorly designed or have been left to rot. Even during the water running years in the 2000's nothing was spent on improving these important facilitates.

Mind you compared to some Multi-stories, it no better traveling by car.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

You had Toilets? Such luxury compared to Cumbernauld

You have to wonder why certain bus stations are so poorly designed or have been left to rot. Even during the water running years in the 2000's nothing was spent on improving these important facilitates.

Mind you compared to some Multi-stories, it no better traveling by car.

Eldon Square's toilets were not as asset and it was not designed as a bus station but was actually supposed to be an underpass!

I could write a book on bad bus stations I have known!!

 

[Stan Drews]

I used Anderston only once, in the late 80s. Memory says that it was to catch a Citylink coach to Edinburgh via Buchanan, the purpose in joining at Anderston being to jump the queue at BBS. The same memory says that the coach had started at Glasgow Airport and quite a lot of passengers got off at the first port of call in the city but few joined there, making my strategy a sound one.

But how reliable is my memory? Was there a time when all 900 services (I think the current number was used then) ran Glasgow Airport - Edinburgh, or only some of them?

Anyway, the place was a dump, with about as much charm as Edinburgh SAS had in its later years, being dingy and dark.

Your memory appears to quite reliable. The 500 (as i think it was at the time) ran through from Glasgow Airport (and even Gourock) to Edinburgh calling at both Anderston and Buchanan bus stations in Glasgow.

 

[exile]

This is getting like the Four Yorkshiremen - but Manchester Chorlton Street used to be dreadful (though the cafe was OK)

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There was a thread for good and bad bus stations about 18 months ago, my nominations for worst then were Ormskirk (still extant AFAIK) and the old Wakefield (replaced in the late 1990s) and probably still would be, but perhaps I've led a sheltered life when it comes to bus stations...

 

[St Rollox]

Anderston Bus Station replaced Waterloo St Bus Station and the large pick up points like Clyde St.
And the ancestors of British Airways, BEA and BOAC had their own terminal in St Enoch's Square.
Your suitcase left you in St Enoch's Sq and was returned to at the destination, all very civilised.
Anderston can still be seen, the buildings are mostly still there.
The bus station is now a car park.
Mistakes, probably too early for the shopping mall idea and just too far for foot fall from the main shopping area.
And as darkness fell the place turned into the red light district and that was pre the drug scene on today's scale.
The area never recovered from Radio Clyde leaving from above the bus station.
I wonder if it would work better as a bus station now.