PASSENGERS arriving at Glasgow Central station were treated to a slice of cake as one of the city’s biggest landmarks celebrated its 140th birthday.

A photographic archive charting the birth and growth of Scotland’s busiest railway station was displayed on the concourse to mark the milestone, close to the famous clock which has been a meeting point for Glaswegians for decades.

Scotrail was among those tweeting Happy Birthday messages, hailing the “magnificent” station that was opened by the Caledonian Railway on August 1 1879. 

Read more: Taking a step back in time to tour Glasgow Central Station 

"Check out the fascinating archive photos on the main concourse if you're passing through today."

With just under 33 million passengers in 2017–18, Glasgow Central is the twelfth-busiest railway station in Britain, and the busiest in Scotland.

Glasgow Times:

The station was built over the site of Grahamston village, and had eight platforms when it opened.

In 1890, the bridge over Argyle Street was widened and a ninth platform on Argyle Street bridge was completed.

The low-level platforms were added to serve the underground Glasgow Central Railway opened on 10 August 1896. Between 1901 and 1905 the original station was rebuilt.

Central is the northern terminus of the West Coast Main Line, north of London Euston and for inter-city services between Glasgow and England and is a Category A  protected building.

The station’s famous architectural features are the large glass-walled bridge that takes the station building over Argyle Street, nicknamed the ‘Hielanman’s Umbrella’ because it was used as a meeting place for Highlanders who had come to live in Glasgow.

Read more: How the Queen Street refurbishment has re-kindled city's love of station

In Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins, the station was one of only ten to be awarded five stars and it was the subject of a recent BBC documentary.

The Glasgow Central tour, led by Paul Lyons, which includes a visit to the old Victoria platform in the bowels of the station, is regularly listed as the city’s top tourist attractions.

Paul said of the station: “It’s more than a railway station. It’s part of the very social fabric of Glasgwegians.”