Maxwell Park Station Adopted

Maxwell Park Train Station has been adopted by a local conservation group under Scotrail’s ‘Adopt a Station’ scheme.

Pollokshields Heritage has transformed the station’s former ticket office and turned it into a community meeting venue and exhibition space. The station adoption was officially launched by Jack Kernahan, author of ‘The Cathcart Circle’ and railway historian.

Jack shared memories of spending time at the station in the early 1960s when he was a pupil at Hutchie Grammar. Jack and his friend Hamish Stevenson helped out at the station in their spare time and did their best to maintain the gardens. Jack also donated some historic artefacts, including station master Tom McPherson’s hat, a map of the surrounding area drawn by a staff member in 1920, and a selection of photos and tickets from the 1960s. One of the photos from 1951 shows the station in the days before the line was electrified. Lighting came from gas lamps and the locomotives on the line were mostly steam powered.

The station was built in 1894 by the Caledonian Railway Company as one of the ten original stations on the Cathcart Circle. Although it was un-staffed by 1987, the building was ‘B’ listed in 1990. By 1996 the building was in serious disrepair, and British Rail actually applied to demolish it, as they subsequently did to Pollokshields West train station. 

China Trip for Future Leaders

A GROUP of Glasgow youngsters visited China in November as part of a cultural exchange programme.

Organised by the British Council, the UK- China 400:An Exchange of Future Leaders, will initially enable 100 UK young people to visit the Far East. The primary aim is to strengthen the understanding between youngsters in both countries.  Over the next 12 months another 300 young people will visit different parts of the China. Organisers also hope to arrange a reciprocal visit to the UK, including Glasgow, for Chinese young people.

The Youth Counselling Services Agency (YCSA) is leading the 10 member Scottish delegation. Anita Yu of the YCSA said: ‘I am delighted to be part of this exchange programme as it is an excellent opportunity for me and the other participants to experience a new culture and learn from other young people from areas around UK as well as China.

‘It is a fantastic opportunity for me as China is the root of my heritage, but I have not visited it before. Although I am born into a Chinese family, my upbringing has been a Chinese culture within a Western society.  What I can experience during the exchange is a Chinese culture within a traditional Chinese society.’   

The China 400 programme was officially launched at the British Council HQ in London and has the support of Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao. 

The Glasgow group will travel to London, where they will join the 90 other youngsters before flying to Beijing.  Apart from the Chinese capital, they will visit Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang province. The visiting schedule will include youth organisations and educational establishments in villages and towns. The British Embassy in Beijing will host a reception in their honour.

Liam McEmerson, 21, from Clydebank says the trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Currently working for the Prince’s Trust, he said:  ‘This visit will broaden my mind and give me invaluable knowledge of how things are done in a different country.  Hopefully, some of the things I pick up, can be transferred to my current job here.  I am also secretly looking forward to eating some authentic Chinese food.’

Samira Adris, 22, is from Pollokshields. She said: ‘It will be the furthest I will ever have travelled.  I never imagined that working as a volunteer youth worker I would get to China.  I have been learning a few Chinese phrases and can’t wait to share my experiences with other youth workers in China.’