Breich

Breich is a small village lying in the western part of West Lothian, Scotland.[1][2] It lies on the A71, the Edinburgh to Ayrshire road, which also goes to the large town of Livingston 7 miles to the east. It is situated at the junction of the A706, to Lanark, Bathgate and Linlithgow.

Breich railway station.

Breich
The A71 through Breich
Breich is located in West Lothian
Breich
Breich
Location within West Lothian
Population209 
OS grid referenceNS963608
Civil parish
Council area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townWEST CALDER
Postcode districtEH55
Dialling code01501
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament

Etymology

Breich is named after the nearby Breich Water.[3] This name may be derived from Brittonic *brïch,[4] meaning "variegated, mottled, speckled" (Welsh brych),[4] or the early Gaelic cognate brecc.[4] Derivation from Gaelic breac, meaning "trout", is possible,[4] but the earliest form is Brech from 1199.[4]

Demography

According to a 2015 West Lothian report,[5] Breich has a population of 209.[5]

Amenities and features

The village consists mainly of a single row of houses by the roadside, with some new builds behind the single row. Breich railway station is on the Shotts Line, until 2018 was served by one eastbound and one westbound train per day. Since then, the line has been electrified the station has been rebuilt and is served by an hourly train in each direction. A nearby coal bing (spoil heap) was used as a speedway training track in the late 1960s.

Media

The Channel 4 TV comedy series Absolutely used Breich as a location for the fictional town of Stoneybridge, showing photographs of the houses by the roadside in a mock promotional video. It also used the nearby 'Five Sisters' spoil heap in the same scene.

References
  1. Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 65 Falkirk & Linlithgow (Dunfermline) (Map). Ordnance Survey. 2012. ISBN 9780319229705.
  2. "Ordnance Survey: 1:50,000 Scale Gazetteer" (csv (download)). www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  3. "View: Linlithgowshire Sheet XII.SW (includes: West Calder; Whitburn) - Ordnance Survey Six-inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1960". maps.NLS.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  4. James, Alan G. "A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence - Guide to the Elements" (PDF). Scottish Place Name Society - The Brittonic Language in the Old North. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  5. "This Scottish railway station is used by just three passengers a week". RailStaff. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
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