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The Fight is Not Over Yet

Friday 27th April, 1984, Barrhead News

More than 400 villagers turned out last Tuesday to demonstrate against the closure of the Neilston station.

It was a bright morning and it augured well for the ‘pack-a’train’ protest organised by the special action group and the Community Council against the proposed closure of the station. It is impossible to forecast how a demonstration of this nature will be supported so it was with delight that the organisers saw villagers turning up to board the 9.24am train in ever increasing numbers.

They came with their placards, some made out of cardboard, some of paper, some of hardboard and some of wood and they all presented the same message although in different ways: “Neilston railway line must stay”.

The time arrived when the train was due to leave for Glasgow and there was still a queue at the box office waiting to purchase tickets, but eventually all were onboard and on their way. Strathclyde Regional Councillor James McGuire joined the train at Neilston and marched with the protesting villagers from Neilston and Uplwamoor to India House. Labour Party candidate Danny Collins and Conservative party candidate Jessie Dunlop also travelled with the protesters.

PIPERS

On arriving at Glasgow Central the march set off for Strathclyde region headquarters, led by three pipers. The march attracted interest all along the route and on reaching India House the chanting, singing procession was eventually greeted by Councillor Malcolm Waugh and other councillors.



They agreed to meet a delegation from the group and Mrs Anne Garscadden, Mr John McKay, My Jim Sword, Mr Jim Gallacher and Mr Alan Whitelaw went in to put their case. The delegation was in consultation with the regional councillors for about an hour and during this time the pipers played, the crowd chanted, sang, cheered and showed their displeasure – whichever was appropriate.

There was one group who composed choruses as they went along and these drew wild acclaim from the protestors. Around 400 people were in the train when it left Neilston and all marched to India House, but now there were about half that number still making the protest. Most of them had been at Neilston station before 9.am and they had been waiting at India House for over an hour, so it was not surprising some decided to drift off. The remainder were determined, however, to wait for their spokesmen to appear and when they eventually did they were rewarded with a rousing cheer for their fellow protestors. This was a positive protest from villagers and clearly demonstrated the strength of feeling regarding any suggestion of interference with the rail service.

It is around 8 weeks since the public meeting to discuss the proposed rail closure but last week’s demonstration proved that the determination of village fold to keep their rail-link has not waned. The action group who excellently organised a train