Book review: Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins

Passengers mentally listing their favourite Scottish stations might include the magnificent and largest – Glasgow Central – or perhaps its east coast counterpart, Edinburgh Waverley. However, many may be unfamiliar with the one given pride of place in Simon Jenkins’ beautifully illustrated and handsomely designed book – Wemyss Bay. The Clyde coast station’s wonderful restoration is gloriously pictured on the cover, its roof sprouting like a huge glass plant over the concourse. Wemyss Bay is everything a station should be, its superbly preserved architecture evoking the railways’ past glories while largely unsullied by unsympathetic later additions that have ruined others. Built as a ferry interchange for Bute, it is a joy to pass through, with its shops, cafe, and floral displays. As Jenkins puts it, “What a wonderful send-off for a holiday”.