So, here's a thing I did: a guided tour of the Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust's bus garage. Now, before you ask, no, I haven't suddenly developed a burning passion for vintage buses. But when in
Glasgow, why not dive into something as corny niche as a bus garage tour, right?
Getting to the Bridgeton Bus Garage felt like a mini expedition in itself. Tucked away from the usual tourist spots, you might say it’s off the beaten path. So far off that the beaten path is barely distinguishable in your rear-view mirror. So it was something of an adventure.
Once I got there, it was, well, let's say “uniquely charming.” Also, I expected to be one of a very few people there, but no, we were a group of about 25. Apparently, the love for vintage buses runs deep in Glasgow.
The garage houses more than 120 buses—along with the occasional fire engine and commercial vehicle—most polished to a shine while others look like they need some lovin'. It’s a pretty eclectic collection of mostly Glasgow and Western Highlands buses, but you’ll see one or two from Edinburgh and London, too.
Our guide was a retired bus driver, a character as vintage as the buses themselves. He was literally 107 years old.* He was a retired driver, so his meandering stories were well-earned. It was all so fascinating, in a “this is so random” kind of way. Honestly, I was just there for the pictures, but I learned some things, too. So there, low expectations!
The tour itself was surprisingly engaging. I say “surprisingly” because let's face it, a bus garage isn't exactly the Colosseum. But there's something oddly compelling about being in a space so devoted to preserving these hulking pieces of metal and history.
This visit wasn't about nostalgia or a deep appreciation for vintage vehicles—I mean, I’m just an Oregon boy with no emotional connection to buses or Glasgow. It was more about stumbling across a quirky corner of Glasgow and rolling with it. It's the kind of place you visit not because you love buses (I mean, maybe you do, who am I to judge?), but because it's there and it's different. And it turns out that rows and rows of old buses, each with its own story and design, can be pretty photogenic.
This kind of tour is just something you do for the sake of trying something new. It's not going to change your life or ignite a newfound passion for vintage buses (unless it does, in which case, good for you). But it's an interesting detour, a way to see a side of the city that's definitely off the typical tourist track.
And if nothing else, you'll come away with some great photos and a story about the time you spent a cloudy morning wandering around a bus graveyard in Glasgow.
* No, he wasn’t. But he was real, real old.
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