Pollok stations

[Gathursty]

How do staff and passengers alike avoid getting mixed up between the 4 similarly sounding and nearby stations?
Pollokshaws West
Pollokshaws East
Pollokshields West
Pollokshields East

 

[hexagon789]

How do staff and passengers alike avoid getting mixed up between the 4 similarly sounding and nearby stations?
Pollokshaws West
Pollokshaws East
Pollokshields West
Pollokshields East

As a local I can't say I've ever given it second thought. I've used all 4, I know where they are, which route they are on and what they serve in the surrounding area.

I imagine for those who have one of those (or two, as the two Pollokshields stations are quite close in waking distance) would also know which is which.

I think only the tourist or occasional traveller would be easily caught out, but similarly if they know they want Pollokshields East for The Tramway or Pollokshaws West for Pollok Park/Burrell Collection, they might not even be aware of the other stations to get confused in the first place.

 

[Mag_seven]

I would have thought that the distinction between "shaws" and "shields" and "East" and "West" should be enough for most people.

 

[hexagon789]

I would have thought that the distinction between "shaws" and "shields" and "East" and "West" should be enough for most people.

As a local I agree, but I can also appreciate the potential for confusion. After all ScotRail thinks Newton and Neilston are similar enough for the latter to be displayed as <Neilston> on station PIS boards.

 

[Class800]

I've mentioned this in a thread a couple of years ago. We got them mixed up in ticket orders Pollokshields West and Pollokshaws West - the guard says it was a common mistake, it was no problem. staff (at least then) treated them as interchangeable and even the ticket office at Glasgow Central got them mixed up quite often

 

[Mag_seven]

As a local I agree, but I can also appreciate the potential for confusion. After all ScotRail thinks Newton and Neilston are similar enough for the latter to be displayed as <Neilston> on station PIS boards.

I find it more irritating that some people put a "c" in front of the "k" in Pollok.

 

[Strathclyder]

I would have thought that the distinction between "shaws" and "shields" and "East" and "West" should be enough for most people.

As a local (well, Clydebank!), I agree, but I also can see the potential for confusion. Same for Newton and Neilston tbh.

I find it more irritating that some people put a "c" in front of the "k" in Pollok.

What, like this?

'Pollock'

I readily admit to being guilty of making this mistake in the past, mostly as a typo and not intentionally lol

 

[Class800]

Some people pronounce it like Pillock Shaws which is confusing to say the least

 

[61653 HTAFC]

On paper, those stations are no different to say Pontefract Monkhill and Baghill in terms of how easy it could be for someone unfamiliar to confuse them...

Except that there's four of them rather than two, and (iirc) all of them have a frequent service from the same city centre terminus, whereas Baghill only has a few trains a day and doesn't share any route with Baghill. I must admit I didn't think there would be much inbound traffic to the Pollok stations other than the occasional tourist looking for an AirBnB... and those people are generally a bit more "savvy" about such things.

 

[Class800]

I do think the Shields and Shaws are more confusing, especially if a matched pair e.g. both West

 

[Strathclyder]

On paper, those stations are no different to say Pontefract Monkhill and Baghill in terms of how easy it could be for someone unfamiliar to confuse them...

Except that there's four of them rather than two, and (iirc) all of them have a frequent service from the same city centre terminus, whereas Baghill only has a few trains a day and doesn't share any route with Baghill. I must admit I didn't think there would be much inbound traffic to the Pollok stations other than the occasional tourist looking for an AirBnB... and those people are generally a bit more "savvy" about such things.

IIRC Pollokshields West & Pollokshaws East currently have a half-hourly service each way during the week (one hourly service around the Cathcart Circle and Central - Larkhall, the latter being the extended Newton services due to the current engineering blockade at Anderston closing the Argyle Line between Partick and Rutherglen).

 

[Peter0124]

As a local I agree, but I can also appreciate the potential for confusion. After all ScotRail thinks Newton and Neilston are similar enough for the latter to be displayed as <Neilston> on station PIS boards.

In my opinion I'd say its more due to the fact that they share a small section of the line (ie between Central and Mount Florida). Has anyone wanting Neilston ever boarded the Newton via Maxwell Park train by mistake?

 

[McRhu]

During the war.... I heard that Scottish troops returning north from London often found themselves mistakenly issued with tickets to TRING instead of STIRLING and were forced to modify said tickets themselves (and quite coincidentally saved a fortune in fares).

 

[hexagon789]

I find it more irritating that some people put a "c" in front of the "k" in Pollok.

So do I!

In my opinion I'd say its more due to the fact that they share a small section of the line (ie between Central and Mount Florida). Has anyone wanting Neilston ever boarded the Newton via Maxwell Park train by mistake?

Well, one is on the Queens Park side, two are on the Maxwell Park side and one os on an entirely different line altogether.

 

[Peter0124]

So do I!


Well, one is on the Queens Park side, two are on the Maxwell Park side and one os on an entirely different line altogether.

I'm refering to your point about Newton/Neilston not the Polloks

 

[hexagon789]

I'm refering to your point about Newton/Neilston not the Polloks

Oh sorry, was away thinking of the "Polloks..." situation again. I suppose its possible, but you'd hope less likely now than in 314 days, given all the trains now have a PIS.

If you genuinely had no idea of the difference between Newton and Neilston in a general sense, rather than simply picking the wrong train, there's little hope really!

 

[Falcon1200]

I find it more irritating that some people put a "c" in front of the "k" in Pollok.

So do I!

So do I too, and I threatened to sack anyone who did so in the Control Log..... Unfortunately my powers did not actually extend that far.

Off-topic but regarding Scottish spellings, a small part of me dies every time I pass the REB outside Glasgow Central with the Eglington Street sign....

 

[Dr Hoo]

The <Neilston>/Newton distinction is because they are final destinations of trains from the same group of platforms at Glasgow Central with the same stock. The ‘Polloks’ are never final destinations.

 

[Frankton Junct]

The station names are confusing to visitors especially. Even Glaswegians unfamiliar with the Southside get confused by them.

At Pollokshields West, visitors asked me for directions to the Burrell Collection (they should have gone to Pollokshaws West). At least, if they were fit, they could walk to Pollok Country Park or otherwise wait for the next train and travel for two stations to Shawlands.

Shawlands causes confusion too - many people consider Shawlands to be the shops along Kilmarnock Road. They get off at Shawlands station whereas Pollokshaws East would suit them better - I tell them to wait for the next train to go 1 stop or walk over Shawhill.

Once, a man who alighted at Shawlands asked me for directions to Giffnock - he should have taken the East Kilbride train. I told him how to walk to Pollokshaws West station.

In my opinion, Pollokshaws East would be better named Newlands, but I remember that Langside station was called Langside and Newlands years ago, and so perhaps that would still be confusing.

 

[hexagon789]

The station names are confusing to visitors especially. Even Glaswegians unfamiliar with the Southside get confused by them.

At Pollokshields West, visitors asked me for directions to the Burrell Collection (they should have gone to Pollokshaws West). At least, if they were fit, they could walk to Pollok Country Park or otherwise wait for the next train and travel for two stations to Shawlands.

Shawlands causes confusion too - many people consider Shawlands to be the shops along Kilmarnock Road. They get off at Shawlands station whereas Pollokshaws East would suit them better - I tell them to wait for the next train to go 1 stop or walk over Shawhill.

Once, a man who alighted at Shawlands asked me for directions to Giffnock - he should have taken the East Kilbride train. I told him how to walk to Pollokshaws West station.

In my opinion, Pollokshaws East would be better named Newlands, but I remember that Langside station was called Langside and Newlands years ago, and so perhaps that would still be confusing.

Shawlands should perhaps be Haggs Gate or Shawlands North, Pollokshaws East could then be Shawlands or Shawlands South and Langside could have Newlands re-added.

Pollokshaws West could then revert to simply Pollokshaws as it is actually in Pollokshaws, unlike Pollokshaws East which is in the middle of Shawlands and at least a 5 if not 10 min walk from the centre of Pollokshaws.

 

[Frankton Junct]

Shawlands should perhaps be Haggs Gate or Shawlands North, Pollokshaws East could then be Shawlands or Shawlands South and Langside could have Newlands re-added.

Pollokshaws West could then revert to simply Pollokshaws as it is actually in Pollokshaws, unlike Pollokshaws East which is in the middle of Shawlands and at least a 5 if not 10 min walk from the centre of Pollokshaws.

Shawlands station is south of Shawlands Cross and so Shawlands North would cause more confusion! It is adjacent to Waverley Park which is a long established name for the housing between Pollokshaws Road and the Glasgow - Barrhead - Kilmarnock railway.

 

[thenorthern]

Until the 1990s it was traditionally seen that Pollokshaws was Catholic and Pollokshields was Protestant. My mum was going out with a man from Pollokshields and the train to Pollokshields at Glasgow Central was delayed and she asked him why he didn't just catch a train to Pollokshaws as they were nearby. He was offended by her suggestion that he lived near a catholic area. Thankfully times have changed somewhat in Glasgow.

 

[hexagon789]

Shawlands station is south of Shawlands Cross and so Shawlands North would cause more confusion! It is adjacent to Waverley Park which is a long established name for the housing between Pollokshaws Road and the Glasgow - Barrhead - Kilmarnock railway.

Well more West, but the Cross isn't exactly centre of Shawlands geographically more in terms of amenities.

 

[Frankton Junct]

Well more West, but the Cross isn't exactly centre of Shawlands geographically more in terms of amenities.

Shawlands SSW?

The issue with the name of this station is its location at the junction of several neighbourhoods - Shawlands, Crossmyloof Gardens, Waverley Park and Nether Pollok.
Haggs Gate is in Nether Pollok (see the name of the football fields adjacent to it).

Of more concern to me than the names of these stations is the fact that none of them is PRM accessible. When Pollokshaws West was renovated for the bicycle repair charity, a lift was installed; however, there was no funding for maintenance and when it broke the bicycle repair charity could not afford to repair it. Now, they use it for storage.

The lift at Pollokshaws West station was only open when the charity was open and it gave access only to platform 2 (Up Barrhead). No access to platform 1. Many families use Pollokshaws West to visit Pollok Country Park; some of them have young children in strollers. They carry the stroller and child up and down the stairs.

 

[hexagon789]

Shawlands SSW?

The issue with the name of this station is its location at the junction of several neighbourhoods - Shawlands, Crossmyloof Gardens, Waverley Park and Nether Pollok.
Haggs Gate is in Nether Pollok (see the name of the football fields adjacent to it).

I doubt there's an easy answer.

The lift at Pollokshaws West station was only open when the charity was open and it gave access only to platform 2 (Up Barrhead). No access to platform 1. Many families use Pollokshaws West to visit Pollok Country Park; some of them have young children in strollers. They carry the stroller and child up and down the stairs.

I didn't even know they had a lift.

I wonder if, with some work, the stairs up to the platforms could be converted to ramps up. It would require some excavation of the platforms but the space is there unlike Shawlands where even a lift has no easy space to fit unless major work was done to the bridge and access at the Pollokshaws Road end.

 

[Taunton]

I can also appreciate the potential for confusion. After all ScotRail thinks Newton and Neilston are similar enough for the latter to be displayed as <Neilston> on station PIS boards.

You should try having an English accent and asking at the Anderston booking office for a ticket to Carmyle .

I realised there was no point saying "the one just off London Road" - because Carlisle station is just off London Road as well!

 

[Class800]

You should try having an English accent and asking at the Anderston booking office for a ticket to Carmyle .

I realised there was no point saying "the one just off London Road" - because Carlisle station is just off London Road as well!

In that situation, I would use the TVM or say Carmyle, station code CML.

 

[Southsider]

Until the 1990s it was traditionally seen that Pollokshaws was Catholic and Pollokshields was Protestant. My mum was going out with a man from Pollokshields and the train to Pollokshields at Glasgow Central was delayed and she asked him why he didn't just catch a train to Pollokshaws as they were nearby. He was offended by her suggestion that he lived near a catholic area. Thankfully times have changed somewhat in Glasgow.

I’ve lived in Glasgow for close on seventy years and never heard that one!

 

[FS-2-11]

IIRC Pollokshields West & Pollokshaws East currently have a half-hourly service each way during the week (one hourly service around the Cathcart Circle and Central - Larkhall, the latter being the extended Newton services due to the current engineering blockade at Anderston closing the Argyle Line between Partick and Rutherglen).

It's not even that. The Circle services only run in the peaks now, so the west side stations only get the hourly Larkhalls off-peak.

 

[thenorthern]

I’ve lived in Glasgow for close on seventy years and never heard that one!

Which part?