The Bay City Rollers are coming home tonight!
ScotRail plans upgrades to trains
New business at Waverley Arches
Edinburgh Festival of Ireland
84 year-old walking footballer wins award
Forty years ago The Bay City Rollers were the biggest pop band in the country and soon to be the world.
Now, Rollermania has kicked off all over again with the announcement fans across the globe were waiting for.
It’s been a long time coming, but Les, Alan and Woody are back to do what they do best.
As soon as it was announced that the band would be playing a one off concert at the world famous Glasgow Barrowland on 20th December , the demand was so great that a second date was added as the first show sold out in just under 3mins, a third and then a final fourth show was added all selling out in record breaking speed.
Regular Music and CPL then announced that The Bay City Rollers are coming home for Shang a Lang Festive show at the Usher Hall tonight and on Monday (both shows sold out as far as we know).
Promoters Donald MacLeod and Mark Mackie said :”We are absolutely delighted to be bringing the boys back home for a Xmas Shangalang ..it proves yet again that Rollermania never ever went away, it just took a little holiday.
Founding member Longmuir, who was raised in Dalry, said: “I’m very excited to be coming home. I can’t believe the reaction we have received. “It’s amazing. At my age I never expected to experience this again. I left Edinburgh 40 years ago, travelled the world with the Rollers, settled in Dollar and then Bannockburn, so it’s going to be great to actually get home.”
The ScotRail Alliance announced earlier this month the start of its largest-ever train improvement programme – pledging to deliver thousands of extra seats, new trains, improved accessibility and enhanced facilities such as at-seat power points and better wifi.
ScotRail will spend £475 million on the programme over the next seven years. This will see 75% of its train fleet either new or fully refurbished.
Speaking as they unveiled a newly-refurbished Class 318 train at Milngavie station, Derek Mackay, Minister for Transport & Islands, and ScotRail Alliance managing director Phil Verster confirmed that during the next three years:
– 180 carriages will be added to the fleet – bringing the total to almost 1,000
– Two-thirds of current ScotRail trains will be refurbished by 2018
– More than 17,000 at-seat power points will be added to trains
– 346 more trains will be equipped with free wifi
– And seven Class 320 trains will be introduced in Scotland from early 2016.
Mr Verster said: “This is the biggest improvement programme in ScotRail’s history. Over the course of the next three years we will bring in new trains, upgrade our existing fleet and deliver exciting upgrades like better wifi and at-seat power points. This is an extraordinary programme of works that will give Scotland a railway of which we can be truly proud.
“I know that one of the biggest issues concerning our customers is busy trains. I hope, with the programme we are announcing today, people will see we are taking action. Alongside the massive projects we are currently delivering, this programme will bring more seats, shorter journey times and a rail service that is better for our environment.
“We are not just about running metal boxes up and down tracks. We want to connect people with jobs, business with customers and tourists with destinations. Our vision of Connecting Scotland is about using the railway to help our country to grow and prosper. The transformation of our fleet in the next few years will help deliver that.”
Transport Minister, Derek Mackay, said: “The Scottish Government wants to see more people choose to leave their car at home and make use of public transport. That is why we are investing a record £5 billion in our rail network, including significant improvements to rolling stock, to ensure that infrastructure keeps pace with demand and that Scotland’s rail passengers are offered the very best value for money.
“When completed, this major train improvement programme will mean that 75% of trains on our railways are either brand new or newly refurbished, meaning all passengers across the network will have access to more modern, comfortable and accessible trains.”
Eversholt Rail is carrying out the refurbishment programme and providing the seven additional Class 320 trains.
ScotRail’s new High Speed Train fleet will be introduced from autumn 2017 and throughout 2018 and used on the Glasgow–Aberdeen, Edinburgh–Aberdeen, Glasgow–Inverness, Edinburgh–Inverness and Aberdeen–Inverness routes. As this fleet is made up of four and five-carriage trains, rather than current three-carriage trains, the seating capacity will increase on these services by, on average, 36%.
All 21 of ScotRail’s Class 318s are being fully refurbished inside and out, with new accessible toilets, wheelchair spaces and companion seating. Further enhancements will also see power sockets fitted for the first time, with cycle storage, CCTV and free wifi to follow next year.
These 70 brand new electric Hitachi Class 385 trains will be rolled out by December 2018 on a number of routes in Central Scotland, including:
- Edinburgh Waverley – Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High
- Edinburgh Waverley – Dunblane / Alloa
- Glasgow Queen Street – Dunblane / Alloa
- Glasgow Queen Street – Cumbernauld / Falkirk Grahamston
- Edinburgh Waverley – North Berwick / Dunbar / Berwick
- Edinburgh Waverley – Glasgow Central
- Glasgow Central – Newton / Neilston / Cathcart Circle.
A brand new concept store has been unveiled in Edinburgh, becoming the first of its kind in the UK to use advanced laser printing techniques to customise personal possessions.
Uncover Lab is the latest independent trader to open in the new Waverley Arches.
Inspired by an unplanned visit to hipster Amsterdam, cutting-edge laser technology is used to imprint any design you like on any object you own, taking product personalisation to a whole new level.
Uncover Lab will be launched in the UK by city entrepreneur Stephen Gorman. He says: “Uncover Lab is unlike anything the UK has ever seen. We have brought together a unique team of artists and designers to push the boundaries of personalised design. Armed with specially designed etching technology, we can transform just about any object you own into an eye-catching art piece, either using your own design or one of ours.
“Laptops, iPhones, chargers, phone cases, tablets, tablet stands, laptop bags can all be transformed into your personal brand or one designed just for you. We also attack designer clothes, jeans or even Moleskin diaries. Everything you own can feature your own personalised art form.”
The idea for Uncover Lab was spawned by accident, during a trip to Amsterdam. He adds: “Just before we were about to leave, we discovered artist Victor Van Dorn in a downtown ‘pop-up’ store doing incredible things with advanced laser printers to everyday objects. It created an instant impression – and a few weeks later we had negotiated exclusive rights to open the UK franchise, leading to the opening of our first flagship store here in Edinburgh.”
The store environment will be different too. The Waverley Arches’ double-height arched ceiling and original brickwork are stripped back to provide a post-modern, almost industrial space, save for an elegant sofa from which you watch your object being transformed into something more personal.
“Uncover Lab couldn’t have launched anywhere else in the city” adds Stephen. “We are not a typical high-street product so we needed a location which defined what we do – edgy, independent and ground-breaking. The Waverley Arches provide all of that.”
Uncover Lab is the first shop to open in the Arches on Market Street as part of the New Waverley development
Uncover Lab is one of 15 new businesses which will be operating over the coming months from The Waverley Arches, a newly renovated row of historic Victorian arches on East Market Street – part of the £150 million New Waverley development in the heart of the Edinburgh’s Old Town. It is fast becoming the place-to-be-seen in Edinburgh, with a range of diverse and exciting shops, restaurants leisure concepts soon to be creating a vibrant new quarter for the city.
For more information visit Www.uncoverlabuk.com and www.newwaverley.com
Edinburgh’s Festival of Ireland will take place in March 2016. There will be a concert at the Queen’s Hall on 12 March ‘A Celtic Crossover’ including
The Tannahill Weavers
Cathal McConnell and friends
Siamsoir Irish Dancers
Thistle & Shamrock Ceilidh Band.
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An 84 year old walking footballer from Straiton has become the latest person to be presented with a pair of golden football boots, to celebrate how he’s already kicked flu into touch by getting the flu vaccination.
Active Peter Collins, who plays walking football five times a week and regularly attends his local gym, proudly displayed his golden boots as he backed the campaign to encourage other people over the age of 65 to follow suit and get vaccinated.
The great grandfather of 14, who gets the vaccine every year, is one of many to be pictured with golden boots this winter to raise awareness of how the vaccine can help protect against flu. Over two million eligible people in Scotland are being offered the vaccine as part of the national flu immunisation programme.
Whilst the level of influenza activity in the community remains low, flu levels traditionally increase during the months of December, January and February. Health Professionals should advise patients that it’s still not too late to get vaccinated and be protected against the virus before flu begins to circulate.
The most recent uptake figures for NHS Lothian highlight that almost three quarters (71 per cent)1 of over 65 year olds in the region are already showing flu who is boss by getting the flu vaccination.
As well as 65s and over, pregnant women, healthcare workers, children aged 2-5, primary school children and people with underlying health conditions are being encouraged to get the vaccine because many of them are at greater risk of experiencing complications if they catch the flu virus.
Peter said: “I’m looking forward to trying out my golden boots on the field, and am hoping they improve my game.
“I suppose you could say that I lead an active busy lifestyle and the last thing I want is to be floored by the flu. Even though I stay fit and healthy, flu would hit me hard, so I don’t take any chances.
“That’s why I get the vaccination every year at my GP, for my health and for peace of mind, meaning I can get on with enjoying the festive season with my family.”
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
