Stranraer (a general question, though it does relate to NI)

[Ivo]

Hey folks,

I am looking for some help with regards to Scotland's forgotten line. On Wednesday morning I am due into Stranraer from Belfast at 10:20 (as things stand anyway). But there isn't a train until 12:40! Does anyone have any idea as to what one can actually accomplish in that time please? I would simply get a later ferry, but I'm being stingy and insisting on using the Clockwork Orange before I get back to Bath!

TIA

N.B.: I may yet revise my return plan; if so this won't be as important. But the information would still be appreciated!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

You couldn't get aanything by way of track done, the town is about 10 or so minutes leisurely walk, not much there though! Not much on the station either, or much rail infrastructure. To be fair, sitting on the seafront and looking at the boats etc might be interesting.

 

[4SRKT]

Stranraer is the most boring town in the universe, so I'd bring a book. I understand you don't drink, so that closes down just about the only possible thing to do in such a place

Balls to the Clockwork Orange! You'll get it on the way there anyway, and it's easy to reproduce the effect of being on it by sitting in the cupboard under the stairs with a 150 watt light on, sitting on an unsteady chair and swaying about, all the time listening to a recording of Rab C Nesbitt.

Why not get the later boat at 11:45, then spend only an hour in Stranraer hitting Glasgow at 17:09 changing at Ayr. Then you can get the 17:40 odiousness to New St at 21:48, in time for further odiousness to Oxford at 22:03 and on to Didcot etc and home? More 80 class action on Wednesday morning awaits the person who takes this later boat, and you'd end up home at the same time anyway.

 

[Nightrider]

Better to in Stranraer at 10.20am than 10.20pm

 

[4SRKT]

But not by much. If could choose where to end my days, Stranraer would be high on the list, because there the transition from life to death would scarcely be noticeable.

 

[kylemore]

After Stena abandon Stranraer later this year and move to their new terminal at Cairnryan Stranraer will officially become the most pointless town in Scotland, and believe me in Scotland they're up against some pretty tough competition in the pointless places category.
In addition the Ayr to Stranraer line will become the most pointless railway in Scotland, if it could be shifted a bit east and re-laid from Edinburgh to Galashiels that would solve a two problems in one go!

 

[Lad Brookes]

I used to regularly get the HSS that left Belfast at about 02:00, into Stranraer about 04:00, no train until 07:09.
The only other options were a cab to Girvan to catch the 06:40 from there to Carlisle or Newcastle, or a bus (at about 06:30) to Dumfries for a tight connection with that Newcastle train there.
Not the best way to spend a night.

 

[kylemore]

Up until the 70s (approx) there was sleeping accomodation on the boat, you could arrive at Stranraer on the last train claim your berth and wake up in Larne next morning, very civilised!

 

[4SRKT]

Up until the late 80s there were sleeping cars on the overnight train from Euston to Stranraer as well. How things have changed.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Try this site... http://www.stranraer.org/sti_visit/stranraer.html

Looks an even more exciting place to visit than Holyhead... (!)

 

[Liam]

There also used to be a sleeper/mail train (The Paddy) from Stranraer to join the Lowland sleeper at Carlisle. I think it ended in about 1990.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Well, I've found Stranraer and the immediate surrounds to be quite a pleasant change from spending time in the cities, if the weather is okay. But I realise that not everyone finds the natural world interesting.

But I'm a bit unclear about the 'Clockwork Orange' reference. That applies to the Glasgow underground which is nowhere near Stranraer! It must be nearly 100 miles away.

 

[PaulLothian]

A few years ago, my wife and I used Club 55 tickets to go to Stranraer. We took the first train back out again!

 

[kylemore]

Well, I've found Stranraer and the immediate surrounds to be quite a pleasant change from spending time in the cities, if the weather is okay. But I realise that not everyone finds the natural world interesting.

But I'm a bit unclear about the 'Clockwork Orange' reference. That applies to the Glasgow underground which is nowhere near Stranraer! It must be nearly 100 miles away.

You're right about the surroundings which can be spectacular, the coastal scenery on the Mull of Galloway and interesting ancient monuments etc, but the town itself is a bit of a hole, and now an economic basket case.
The Stena move was allowed without any consideration of the consequences for Stranraer or for the Rail line which has completely lost it's reason for being.
It may well be that they could'nt be stopped and that anyway Stranraer people will still be employed at Cairnryan, but the sight of scottish govt bigwigs "celebrating" stena's investment without thinking about the consequences was galling.

 

[junglejames]

You're right about the surroundings which can be spectacular, the coastal scenery on the Mull of Galloway and interesting ancient monuments etc, but the town itself is a bit of a hole, and now an economic basket case.
The Stena move was allowed without any consideration of the consequences for Stranraer or for the Rail line which has completely lost it's reason for being.
It may well be that they could'nt be stopped and that anyway Stranraer people will still be employed at Cairnryan, but the sight of scottish govt bigwigs "celebrating" stena's investment without thinking about the consequences was galling.

At one point (Dont know if its still the case), Stranraer wanted Stena out so they could try and redevelop the port area.

 

[4SRKT]

At one point (Dont know if its still the case), Stranraer wanted Stena out so they could try and redevelop the port area.

I wonder what they thought they could redevelop it as?

 

[Blindtraveler]

get a fryup mate. It wil cost less than onboard and theres no trollie on the glasgow train. The subway is worth getting if you have free time in Glasgow.

 

[wintonian]

I wonder what they thought they could redevelop it as?

I believe they wanted to create a bus/ rail interchange and some kind of commercial buildings, can't remember what though.

Just found this document

 

[kylemore]

I believe they wanted to create a bus/ rail interchange and some kind of commercial buildings, can't remember what though.

Just found this document

Remember the "Super casinos"?
Stranraer was bidding for one of the "mini" supercasinos which was going to link into a re-developed waterfront with marinas, hotels etc etc on the site of the present stena terminal.
Needless to say it's all come to nothing, ah for the good old days of the 90s and 00s when we thought we could all live on hype and fresh air for ever and ever!