Right kids, next week I’ve got my first night out. Midday start Tuesday, up to Glasgow, trailer swap, night out and back the following day. Same again Thursday. Any hints/inside knowlegde would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ian.
dont park in glasgow.
try and get to the truckstop at lesmahagow
I second that 
Lesmahagow is the best place to park 
m74 bothwell services, got all the things you need.lesmahagow,or harthill.where are you going to in glasgow 
yep park at Lesmahagow nice brekky as well
I can confirm that Lesmahagow is the nearesr to Glasgow you can park safely, unless you can park on site and have reasonable facilities available there or near.
It is signposted on the M74 north bound, a bit before J10, which is the junction to use. I’me not sure about southbound for the signs but you must come off at J9 because there isn’t a J10.
One alternative is off J5 of the M8 (between Edinburgh n Glasgow), up the slip road to the T-junction, turn l3eft and its about a mile on the left.
Other places to stop not far off the M74.
Between J11 and J10 is the Old Star pub which does good meals. Its on the old A74 twintrack. Southbound take J11, take the second exit off the r/about at the bottom of the slip, under the M74, head back north towards the slip road back onto the M74. Take the twintrack B road (can’t remember the number, maybe 7078?) and the pub is abouit a mile towards Lesmahagow on the right. Northbound, take J12, follow the signs for the services but drive straight past, the r/about at the other end is the one at the bottom of the sliproad of J11.
Between J12 and J13 is the Red Moss pub n truckstop. Southbound come off at J11, drive past the services again. Go under the M74 and turn south at the second mini r/about, its quite a few miles down the old A74 on the right hand side. Northbound, come off at J13. At the top of the slip take the first proper road off the r/about, it has a sign for the Red Moss. A few miles up there its on your right.
At Crawford is the Heathergill. Its at the north end of the village, opposite the sliproad off for J14 southbound. Northbound come off at J14 as well, but they are about a mile apart. Down the slip, under the M74 to a T. turn left past the entry for the village, to the r/about. Turn right and its about 5 yards down on the right. I meant to put 5 yds by the way. Southbound is easy but if your northbound its a pain in the [zb] 
. You can either retrace your steps to J14 northbound, or drive north up the old A74 through Abington to J13.
I almost forgot, there is a 24hr opening services at J13, the ones between J11 and 12 close at 2200hrs, thats the services not the fuel.
That should give you plenty of variety if you start to do this trip regularly Mate.
id recomend the red moss as per simons post. cracking food, good beer and quiet parking(its not a busy road). i`ve been a few times and they always made me welcome
I also agree with Simon, Red moss is the best nights sleep ive had in my wagon when ive had a night out!!
Ben
Lesmahagow is okay, but its a right mud bath when wet.
If you need to be on the M8 west of Glasgow, then you could try Westway - see comments on the transport cafe web site (report posted by me!). Don’t know how to post links, but this is the address transportcafe.co.uk/glasgow_lorry_park.html.
I’ve used the Hamilton services a few times — not had any problems and the security chap seemed on the ball. But that’s when the night heater wasn’t working, so I stayed in the motel!
I’ve also used Lockerbie a lot further South, and had a good night in one of the local pubs.
Has anyone used Burnside?
Other than that, I agree with everyone else, be Very careful where you park up — don’t take any risks for the sake of missing the notorious M8 traffic or to save an hour or so.
Is it just me then?
I got weekended in Glasgow at the SEC and left the truck inside, I went exploring and had a brilliant weekend, Friday till Tuesday.
Since then I have made a point of parking in Glasgow, never had a problem! as long as you dont go wandering round Maryhill sober! Apology’s to any Maryhill readers.
I think there are a lot worse places to park than Glasgow.
Honestly I felt safe and walked for miles around the city, Its Beautiful and clean nowadays
think there are a lot worse places to park than Glasgow.
Honestly I felt safe and walked for miles around the city, Its Beautiful and clean nowadays
not many worse than glasgow
on your 2nd point…i take it you had a police riot squad with you…and a bin lorry
Pakred up in Oldham last week. Twice I had to move because of local kids hanging round outside the wagon. I ended up driving out of town to a nearby industrial estate which had a 24 hour Grampian foods depot. There was forklifts rumbling around all night, but at least I was safe. Would rather have been in Glasgow than Oldham!!
I’ll definatley use a truckstop as they’re paying my parking expenses. I’ll print this page and take it with me. Thanks all 
.
kitkat:
think there are a lot worse places to park than Glasgow.Honestly I felt safe and walked for miles around the city, Its Beautiful and clean nowadays
not many worse than glasgow
on your 2nd point…i take it you had a police riot squad with you…and a bin lorry
I was just thinking the same
Liverpool is worse, definitely.
Wheel Nut:
Is it just me then?
I got weekended in Glasgow at the SEC and left the truck inside, I went exploring and had a brilliant weekend, Friday till Tuesday.
Did you park up inside the SSEC compound Wheel Nut
If so, you where inside a security compound with cameras, fencing etc all around. As you were there that long, I imagine you had delivered and would reload, equipment for an exibition of some sort. Even parking just outside the fencing, the security would have been keeping an eye on you, because you would be ‘one of theirs’.
Glasgow is a very nice place, on the whole, but the rough areas are extremely rough, in my limited experience of the place.
Park in the wrong place and your wagon can be stripped down to a bare chassis inside half an hour.
As I think I’ve mentioned before, I did agency work for quite some time. A job I did one night was for a major bread baking and distribution company. I had to collect the wagon from a slightly rough area in Glasgow. On the way out, I was stopped by security. He checked that everything was in order then went back into his cabin. I started to drive off but the barrier didn’t lift. A moment later the security bod came back out of the cabin with a length of heavy fencing wire. Intrigued, I climbed out of my cab to find out what the score was. As we went round to the back of the trailer, he explained that just a short way down the road and around the bend, there was a pelican crossing. The local kids new when to press the button so that the lights changed just before you arrived, They would be through a padlock and have half of a full load out of the back doors before you could pull away and up to a speed where they couldn’t jump out. Threading the wire through the door catch several times and winding the ends together meant it took them too long to get through and get the back doors open.
That wasn’t in a rough area, just a little bit dodgy. 
The first time I stopped there was in the secc park, its open to the public though! I have parked regularly on old dumbarton road near the hospital and never had any agro.
I agree there are some parts that are unsafe but that is the case in any city now.
I did worry a bit one night I was in the Loudon Tavern on duke street, ( the most famous pub in scotland) and got called a southern jessie for drinking vodka instead of whisky. Its safe enough if you dont mention football. especially the opposition. 