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The Hielanman's Umbrella (English: Highlandman's Umbrella) is a landmark in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. It is the local Glaswegian nickname for the glass walled railway bridge which carries the platforms of Glasgow Central station across Argyle Street. [1] It is built in Victorian style. [2]
Due to the forced displacement of people during the second phase of the Highland Clearances in the 19th century, 30,000 highlanders who spoke Scottish Gaelic, but not English, came to Glasgow to find work. [3] When arriving in the city they were housed in many different areas of Glasgow.
The highlanders predominantly found work within domestic service in areas like Park Circus or in one of the many industries, where they would work, for example, for the river ferries. [4] Over many years highlanders continued to arrive and began to keep in touch by meeting under the bridge, mostly at weekends. [4] With the city's inclement weather and the meeting of the highlanders it came to be known as the Hielanman's Umbrella. At the meetings they would share news and gossip from the homelands and of events in the city. [4]
The Umbrella tradition reached its height in the '20s and '30s, however, due to the Second World War and the resulting blackout, the tradition of meeting under the bridge died. [4]
The first long-distance television pictures transmitted in the UK were sent to Glasgow Central Station in 1927. [5]
Glasgow Central Station and the Hielanman's Umbrella has been renovated several times. [2]
In 1998, the bridge was substantially refurbished by Railtrack (which later became Network Rail in 2002) in line with the rest of the station - its distinctive Venetian style windows were reglazed, and the gold "Central Station" lettering was applied. Efforts were also made to improve the environment underneath the bridge to encourage retailers back into the shop units - high powered lighting and extractor fans were installed. The street level entrances to Central Station under the bridge were also upgraded.
In 2001, a new entrance to the burgeoning Arches nightclub and restaurant complex was added under the bridge which has led to the level of pedestrian footfall increasing markedly.
In 2015 The Hielanman's Umbrella, as part of the Glasgow Central Station, won the Scottish Design Award. [5]
In November 2019 a ten-year-regeneration plan for the Glasgow city centre was announced, including a plan of turning the Hielanman's Umbrella into a light and attractive station lobby. [6]
The Hielanman's Umbrella is mentioned in Jackie Kay's novel Trumpet from 1998:
We court for three months. A kiss on the cheek at the end of the date. Meeting at Boot's Corner, at The Shell in Central Station, or below The Hielan Man's Umbrella under where the trains come out of Central Station on Argyle Street, between Hope Street and Union Street. The times I've waited for Joss sheltered from the rain, under the Hielan Man's Umbrella imagining the Highland men years ago, fresh down from the Highlands talking excited Gaelic to each other. Either we go drinking or we go dancing.
— Jackie Kay, Trumpet
It also appears in Simon Jenkins' book Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations from 2017. [7]
The bridge is like a whale, beached across the street, except for Miller’s ability to lighten a blank wall with stylish, classically detailed and arched windows. They offer a glimpse of the interior roof and make the bridge seem almost lightweight.
— Simon Jenkins, Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations
Glasgow Central is one of two principal mainline rail terminals in Glasgow, Scotland. The railway station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 1 August 1879 and is one of 20 managed by Network Rail. It is the northern terminus of the West Coast Main Line. As well as being Glasgow's principal inter-city terminus for services to England, Central also serves the southern suburbs of the Greater Glasgow conurbation, as well as the Ayrshire and Clyde coasts. The other main station in Glasgow is Glasgow Queen Street.
Glasgow Queen Street is a passenger railway terminus serving the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. It is the smaller of the city's two mainline railway terminals and is the third busiest station in Scotland behind Central and Edinburgh Waverley.
Newcastle Central Station is a major railway station in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is located on the East Coast Main Line, around 268 miles (432 km) north of London King's Cross. It is the primary national rail station serving Newcastle upon Tyne, with local rail services provided by the Tyne and Wear Metro network to which the station is connected to by Central Station Metro station, situated beneath the national rail station.
The West Highland Line is a railway line linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban in the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow in Central Scotland. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the notable Trans-Siberian line in Russia and the Cuzco to Machu Picchu line in Peru. The ScotRail website has since reported that the line has been voted the most scenic railway line in the world for the second year running.
The Highland Main Line is a railway line in Scotland. It is 118 mi (190 km) long and runs through the Scottish Highlands linking a series of small towns and villages with Perth at one end and Inverness at the other. Today, services between Inverness and Edinburgh, Glasgow and London use the line. At Inverness the line connects with the Far North Line, the Aberdeen-Inverness Line and services on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line. All trains are diesel-powered.
Perth railway station is a railway station located in the city of Perth, Scotland, on the Glasgow to Dundee line, and the Highland Main Line. It is managed by ScotRail, who provide almost all of the services.
Inverness railway station is the railway station serving the Scottish city of Inverness. It is the terminus of the Highland Main Line, the Aberdeen–Inverness line, the Kyle of Lochalsh line and the Far North Line.
Dalmuir railway station is a railway station serving the Dalmuir area of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It is a large, five platform interchange between the Argyle Line, North Clyde Line and West Highland Line.
Sunderland is a railway station on the Durham Coast Line, which runs between Newcastle and Middlesbrough via Hartlepool. The station, situated 12 miles 15 chains (19.6 km) south-east of Newcastle, serves the port city of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains. Since 31 March 2002, the station has also been served by the Tyne and Wear Metro.
Stirling railway station is a railway station located in Stirling, Scotland. It is located on the former Caledonian Railway main line between Glasgow and Perth. It is the junction for the branch line to Alloa and Dunfermline via Kincardine and is also served by trains on the Edinburgh to Dunblane Line and long-distance services to Dundee and Aberdeen and to Inverness via the Highland Main Line.
Gretna Green is a railway station on the Glasgow South Western Line, which runs between Carlisle and Glasgow Central via Kilmarnock. The station, situated 9 miles 58 chains (16 km) north-west of Carlisle, serves the town of Gretna and village of Gretna Green in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by ScotRail.
The Arches was a bar, arts venue, theatre, live music venue and nightclub in Glasgow, Scotland, which first opened in 1991. It was a not-for-profit organisation, and was situated in the City Centre under Glasgow Central station and the West Coast Main Line in the brick arches of the viaduct leading into the station, with entrances on Midland Street, and an entrance underneath Hielanman's Umbrella on Argyle Street. The venue had 7,800 square metres (84,000 sq ft) of floor space which was spread over two floors and seven arches. In June 2015, The Arches announced on their website that the company would go into administration and had no choice but to close down the facility, after its licensing hours had been curtailed.
Dumbarton Central railway station serves the town of Dumbarton in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. This station is on the West Highland Line and the North Clyde Line, 15+3⁄4 miles (25.3 km) northwest of Glasgow Queen Street.
Coatbridge Central railway station is a station in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the Argyle Line. Train services are provided by ScotRail.
Partick station is an interchange station in the Partick area of Glasgow, Scotland. Along with an adjacent bus station, it forms one of the main transport hubs in Glasgow. The station is served by Glasgow Subway and National Rail services and was one of the first to receive bilingual English and Gaelic signs, because there is a significant Gaelic-speaking population in the Partick area.
The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an individual regiment. However, three regular battalions maintain their former regimental pipes and drums to carry on the traditions of their antecedent regiments.
51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland is an Adaptable Force Brigade of the British Army. It is the regional administrative formation responsible for all the units of the Army Reserve based in Scotland and an Adaptable Force Brigade under Army 2020. The Brigade is also regionally aligned with the Persian Gulf region as part of defence engagement.
Argyle Street is a major thoroughfare in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland.
The Shotts Line is a suburban railway line linking Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts in Scotland. It is one of the four rail links between the two cities.
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Media related to Hielanman's Umbrella at Wikimedia Commons
Coordinates: 55°51′30″N4°15′30″W / 55.85847°N 4.25824°W
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