Forgotten Towns

Series 12 Episode 11 - LARGS (# 1,000 Visited 25/08/2025)

Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 11,260 (Rank # 858)

The show that sees us reach the end of the trail: Will your narrator escape with sobriety or dignity? Will he be bludgeoned by his AI sidekick? All will be revealed in this feature-length final episode.

MUSIC

So You'll Aim Toward the Sky - Grandaddy

We've Been Everywhere - Forgotten Towns ft. Patricia

Bye Bye - The Clean

THANKS

The priorietor and patrons of Broome Lodge, Largs

The staff and patrons of Sharp's Bar, Largs

The staff and patrons of The Three Reasons, Largs

The staff and patrons of The Paddle Steamer, Largs

Caledonian MacBrayne

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see ⁠https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 10 - GOUROCK (# 999 Visited 25/08/2025)

Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 10,350 (Rank # 909)

An emergency episode of '999' heralds the 999th town on our list.

MUSIC

999 BBC1 Theme Tune - Roger Bolton

I Can See For Miles - The Who

THANKS

Michael Buerk

The staff of Cleats Bar, Gourock

The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 9 - GREENOCK (# 998 Visited 25/08/2025)

Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 42,680 (Rank # 249)

Our antepenultimate excursion takes us 'doon the watter' to Sugaropolis.

MUSIC

Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills

This Town - The Go-Go's

The Last Farewell - Roger Whittaker

Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker

THANKS

The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 8 - PORT GLASGOW (# 997 Visited 25/08/2025)

Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 14,620 (Rank # 697)

Get yourself filled in on Port Glasgow's shipbuilding as we go diving for pearls of wisdom.

MUSIC

Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills

Shipbuilding - Robert Wyatt

THANKS

The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 7 - BARRHEAD (# 996 Visited 25/08/2025)

Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 17,610 (Rank # 592)

Save your thankses; we're flushing out Shanks's... and other elements of Barrhead's industrial past.

MUSIC

Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills

Carry On At Your Convenience (Opening Theme) - Eric Rogers

Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker

THANKS

The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 6 - NEWTON MEARNS (# 995 Visited 25/08/2025)

Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 26,600 (Rank # 401)

Bagpiping suburban fact into travelogue fiction.

MUSIC

Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills

Scotland The Brave - The Auld Town Band & Pipes

THANKS

The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

F Edgar

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 5 - BONHILL (# 994 Visited 24/08/2025)

Dunbartonshire, Scotland : Population 9,050 (Rank # 988)

Is the Leven going to get us down, or will we distract ourselves with the not-so-great library of Alexandria? The first half of the final season winds up in Dunbartonshire.

MUSIC

Heartsong - Gordon Giltrap

Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle & Sebastian

Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 4 - ERSKINE (# 993 Visited 24/08/2025)
Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 15,510 (Rank # 658)

The one where we pay tribute to the late Anne Gregg, for no obvious reason.

MUSIC
Heartsong - Gordon Giltrap
Get On Up - James Brown
The Last Farewell - Roger Whittaker
Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker

THANKS

Anne Gregg (1940-2006)
BBC Holiday 89 (Episode 11 - 16/03/1989)
The staff of Spar, Erskine
The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 3 - JOHNSTONE (# 992 Visited 23/08/2025)
Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 16,090 (Rank # 639)

What local lad Gordon Ramsay might've made of my black pudding supper is anyone's guess and, as he'd probably have peppered Callum's karaoke with profanity, it's just as well we didn't invite him.

MUSIC
Heartsong - Gordon Giltrap
Smalltown Boy - S3 Klassiker (orig. Bronski Beat)
I Am A Cider Drinker - The Wurzels (orig.)
Forever In Blue Jeans - Neil Diamond (orig.)
Some Girls - Racey (orig.)This Town - The Go-Go's
The Last Farewell - Roger Whittaker
Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker

THANKS
The staff of Sandro's, Johnstone
The staff and patrons of Callum's Bar & Kitchen, Johnstone
The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 12 Episode 2 - GIFFNOCK (# 991 Visited 23/08/2025)

Renfrewshire, Scotland : Population 12,300 (Rank # 802)

Don't panic! My AI companion makes an unexpected return to the fray, but Giffnock has coped with worse in the past.

MUSIC

Heartsong - Gordon Giltrap

Panic - The Smiths

The Last Farewell - Roger Whittaker

Durham Town (The Leavin') - Roger Whittaker

THANKS

The staff of the Giffnock Cafe

The Buildings of Scotland (Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org