PEOPLE used to be smarter dressed when they travelled by public transport. That striped scarf the chap sports may well be his old university scarf. How splendid.

This is Glasgow's now demolished Buchanan Street Station in May, 1955, and the reason the photographer was there because there was a national rail strike in progress and this was one of the few trains running.

It had come from Perth where records show this steam engine was based from 1951 to 1967.

The strike was by members of Aslef over pay, and the members of the other rail union, the NUR were not in dispute so trains run by their members were still operating.

The Government declared a state of emergency however as much of the country's goods were still transported by rail and there were fears of food and fuel shortages.

Older readers will remember the signs for a separate waiting room for ladies in stations then which some probably think would still be a good thing.

The strike lasted 17 days before an agreement was reached that while British Railways would not concede on pay while workers were on strike, both sides would agree to a judge taking a decision on outstanding grievances the day after a return to work.