I always enjoyed the old A74 far more than the Motorway that replaced it. Leaving our place on a Sunday I would get tea at Beatock, or Cairn Lodge Or Crawford, then park by the police station in Larkhall.
Never got touched there.
The old Star Cafe on the old A74 was always good for a “plus”… paid for your tea and a couple of pints that night.
Any pictures…■■?
I used to grab a brew at Beattock, was always too early, and save my appetite until a butty bar near Airdie, for the delights of a flat sausage and egg barm, with a potato cake in there as well. What a combination. Nothing like it south of the border.
Also, does anybody remember those pink parcel trucks? Was it ‘Independant’ or something? Trunk man always used to pass me like I was standing still, and that was pre-limiter.
Yep thats coatsgate
robroy:
There was also the Kirtle Cafe at Kirtlebridge n/b…anybody?
always an entertaining few minutes wondering if you were going to coup the lot over the side as the trailer wheels disappeared into another puddle…but worth it when you got your sausage egg and chips on an oval plate the size of a bin lid…i got caught just before there by the dark blue sd1 rover,cant remember what year though there was some big union strike on at the time and our mob were flat lit even worse than normal…the gits followed me from gretna before they stopped me…they showed me i was doing 84 average over a cpl miles and it took them so long to stop me as they didnt want me to see them.they put on the big white hats as they were alongside smiling out the window at me…a bit of haggling (grovelling ) and it was reduced to 78 which meant not getting an instant ban as it obviously was on the pre m/way 74…quite nice of them really??..and i got the biggest portion in world history when i got to kirtle as the wifey had a soft spot for me being so young and handsome at the time… 
My first trip to Scotland was in the early 70s as a passenger, in my old mans tk,
It expired nr the Coatesgate and was towed into Abington by Millars.
dieseldog999:
robroy:
There was also the Kirtle Cafe at Kirtlebridge n/b…anybody?always an entertaining few minutes wondering if you were going to coup the lot over the side as the trailer wheels disappeared into another puddle…but worth it when you got your sausage egg and chips on an oval plate the size of a bin lid…i got caught just before there by the dark blue sd1 rover,cant remember what year though there was some big union strike on at the time and our mob were flat lit even worse than normal…the gits followed me from gretna before they stopped me…they showed me i was doing 84 average over a cpl miles and it took them so long to stop me as they didnt want me to see them.they put on the big white hats as they were alongside smiling out the window at me…a bit of haggling (grovelling ) and it was reduced to 78 which meant not getting an instant ban as it obviously was on the pre m/way 74…quite nice of them really??..and i got the biggest portion in world history when i got to kirtle as the wifey had a soft spot for me being so young and handsome at the time…
Hard to believe today that the limit was 40mph then on dual carriageways, the 74 used to be red hot for ‘‘Bears in the bushes’’ as we called them then on the CB at that time, (Traffic Police parked where you couldn’t see them) waiting to pounce.
I remember seeing one one day and while I was flashing other trucks and giving the thumbs down sign, I didn’t notice that he was sat down alongside me judging my speed.
When I think back it was actually Coatesgate where he pulled me.
Been a long time since I did A74 etc,is there any cafe’s at all??
I use to follow a Scots man they seemed to know all hiding places for speed traps!!! Usually flat to mat loaded or m/t.!!
Hahaha what a braw place, a fine place for some stodge food. Remember it well and I also remember the aborigines climbing out the massive potholes on the S/bound side parking area if that’s what you could call it.
Braised steak,egg and chips,mug of tea,say no more. Do not knock the holes in the car park as in the summer they held some nice brownies! Joepipe
Those cafes on the old A74 bring back memories.Some of them required running into the villages if I recall correctly;Rosebank(?) in Gretna,London House in Kirkpatrick Fleming,a couple in Crawford and Abingdon and one in Blackwood.Haven’t been up there in years.Is the A74 still 40 mph? The traffic police were a bit serious and there were signs every few miles to remind you that the HGV limit was 40 mph.
always laughed at the state o the parking at coatsgate when we were looking over from the tar plant waiting to load or at the “salthopper”, if only a fraction of the stone that was dumped ower the back went across the road/over the ditch (sb) it would have been like an airfield.IIRC wull Ireland the Kings" quarry manager at the time had a real dislike for the owner of the café "jim/■■?. just a thought can anyone remember the wee café /garage on the SB south o greenhill stairs /railbridge iirc chrichtons garage. Spent many a night at the boundary/greenhill stairs junction
on a winters night sitting in a gritter during 79-85.
Gidders:
Those cafes on the old A74 bring back memories.Some of them required running into the villages if I recall correctly;Rosebank(?) in Gretna,London House in Kirkpatrick Fleming,a couple in Crawford and Abingdon and one in Blackwood.Haven’t been up there in years.Is the A74 still 40 mph? The traffic police were a bit serious and there were signs every few miles to remind you that the HGV limit was 40 mph.
Aye them sneaky sods waited by the woodyard on that nice long downhill stretch , but anyone who was up there regular knew it .
JIMBO47:
always laughed at the state o the parking at coatsgate when we were looking over from the tar plant waiting to load or at the “salthopper”, if only a fraction of the stone that was dumped ower the back went across the road/over the ditch (sb) it would have been like an airfield.IIRC wull Ireland the Kings" quarry manager at the time had a real dislike for the owner of the café "jim/■■?. just a thought can anyone remember the wee café /garage on the SB south o greenhill stairs /railbridge iirc chrichtons garage. Spent many a night at the boundary/greenhill stairs junction
on a winters night sitting in a gritter during 79-85.
Hi JIMBO47,
Remember it well was of my favorites woman and her Two Daughters ran it lot of good home baking,
Ben.
Ben thank you, I thought I was imaging it after all these years as nobody I mentioned it to remembered it. jimmy
I used to stop at The Jungle Cafe on Shap.
