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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
David McLean

Forgotten railway burger chain tucked away in Glasgow's stations in the 1980s

Back in the 1980s, it was the very British burger chain of choice for rail commuters and workers at Glasgow's two mainline stations.

Operated by British Rail via their catering arm, Travellers Fare, Casey Jones burger bars could be found at Glasgow Queen Street, Glasgow Central and many other major railway stations all over the UK.

But while British Rail were obviously keen to capitalise on the American-style fast food fad, they made sure to include a number of more traditional menu options. As well as their very popular burgers, fries and shakes, the Casey Jones chain also sold filled rolls and cups of tea.

READ MORE: Before McDonald's and Burger King, Glasgow had Wimpy - just take a look at the menu prices

The burger bar's name had a strong connection with railway history. It was derived from the 1950s American Western TV series Casey Jones, which itself was based on the life of 19th century engineer Casey Jones who became a folk hero for sacrificing himself to save the lives of others in a train crash.

Boasting a presence in stations in Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London, the Casey Jones brand proved incredibly popular - but it wasn't everyone's cup of tea.

While this was an era when smoking was still permitted on certain carriages, some commuters were unhappy about the stench of fast food on board services.

Leading the anti-burger campaign, regular rail commuter and book publisher Colin Webb wrote in The Times: "It is quite impossible to enter a carriage without being insulted by the gross eating habits of those more wretched and overweight commuters.

"As elbow to elbow, they tuck into their greasy Casey Jones specials, the stultifying odour of onions, French fries and other noxious edibles manages to over power even the strongest pipe tobacco."

For the most part, however, commuters and rail workers alike loved a trip to Casey Jones.

Remembering the vanished burger chain on the Lost Glasgow Facebook group, a number of members and former British Rail employees waxed lyrical about Casey Jones' Central Station branch.

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Ex-train driver Jim Clark joked about how Casey's was to blame for an increase in his belt size.

He wrote: "At night when Casey's was closing, they sent all the leftovers up to our messroom. As I did a lot of nightshifts, I ended up with my current girth."

Former Central Station news vendor Lawrie McInally also enjoyed a freebie from Casey's.

He said: "I used to sell the Daily Record at night and we would go in just as it was shutting. They'd give us all the burgers and stuff leftover - we loved it."

Jo Malley, who used to work at Casey's, wrote: "I worked there a few nights a week. Loved my wee part time job, always good fun, never a dull moment."

Travellers Fare worked hard to ensure that Casey Jones delivered new menu items and flavours on a regular basis. Prices were competitive with other fast food rivals of the time, which in the late '80s and early '90s was mainly Wimpy and McDonald's.

In June 1993, customers could get a basic burger, the Great Casey, for £1.80, a Great Casey with cheese for £1.99, or a Mighty Casey for £2.95.

In late 1993, it was announced that British Rail's new catering arm Compass had struck a deal that would see US fast food giant Burger King replace Casey Jones in 17 major stations up and down the country - Queen Street and Central included. The last Casey Jones burger bars vanished in 1994.

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