Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is a metro system in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened in 1896, it is the third oldest subway system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Originally a cable railway, but later electrified, the Subway has only one circular line; it has not been expanded since it was opened. Between 1936 and 2003 it was officially called the Glasgow Underground, but the official name has now reverted back to its colloquial usage of Subway. It remains one of only two underground railways in the UK outside London, the other being the Tyne and Wear Metro. Unlike the London Underground, Glasgow Subway is not policed by British Transport Police.
The circular route is slightly less than 6.5 miles (10.4 km) long, and extends both north and south of the River Clyde. The tracks have the unusual narrow gauge of four feet (1.22 m), and the tunnel diameter of 11 feet (3.35 m), comparable to that of the deep-level lines of the London Underground (11'8" or 3.56m). It is one of the few long-lived metro systems that have never expanded from its original route, although a £40,000 study is currently in progress to examine the feasibility of an expansion into the city’s south side [1].
The subway is not the oldest underground railway in Glasgow itself; that distinction belongs to a 5-km stretch of the North Clyde line of the suburban railway network which runs in a sub-surface tunnel under the city centre between High Street and west of Charing Cross.
The subway’s running lines are entirely underground, but the maintenance depot at Broomloan Road (located between the Govan and Ibrox stations) is above ground, as was the earlier depot, also at Govan. Prior to modernisation, trains used to be hoisted by crane onto and off of the tracks. Modernisation brought the installation of points and a ramp between Govan and Ibrox where trains can exit the underground tunnel system to terminate for engineering, cleaning or storage.
The system is owned and operated by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, formerly Strathclyde Passenger Transport, and typically carries between 13.3 and 14.7 million passengers per year.
History
1896-1977=
As built and opened on 14 December 1896 by the Glasgow District Subway Company, the subway was powered by a clutch and cable system, with one cable for each direction. The cable was driven from a steam-powered plant between West Street and Shields Road stations. Rather than installing an additional cable to allow trains to reach the depot, they were transferred to and from the running lines by crane operating over a pit at the Govan workshops; this also meant that the two tracks could be completely separate, with no points anywhere. The company's headquarters' were located in the upper rooms at St Enoch Subway station - this distinctive ornate building still stands in St Enoch Square and is now used as a travel information office.
When originally opened, single carriage trains were operated. An accident on the opening day entailed the closure of the Subway until 1897. The 20 original carriages were built by the Oldbury Railway Carriage and Wagon Company of Oldbury, Birmingham. Many continued in service until 1977. A further 10 were delivered by the same manufacturer in 1897. From 1898 second (trailer) carriages without a cable gripper mechanism were added, albeit considerably shorter than the front (gripper) carriage. These additional carriages (which eventually totalled 30) were built by Hurst Nelson & Company, Motherwell, Lanarkshire. These carriages were soon lengthened to the same as the front carriages (but carriage 41 has been restored to its original length and can be seen preserved at Buchanan Street station). Most of the gripper carriages were subsequently converted to electric traction in 1935. All carriages were originally built with lattice gates (instead of doors) at the ends; many were converted to air operated sliding doors in the 1960s but a few retained the gates until 1977.
All 15 stations were built with island platforms (i.e. one central platform with a track on each side). The trains were thus built with doors on one side only. When electric lighting in the trains was introduced the current was supplied by two parallel wall-mounted rails (known as "T-irons") at window level on the non-platform side of the trains; trains were equipped with skids to pick up the electricity. The trains remained cable hauled until 1935, though the anachronistic way of supplying power for the lighting continued until 1977.
Glasgow Corporation took over the company in 1923, and in 1935 the existing trains were converted to electric power delivered by a third rail at 600V dc. From March to December 1935, clockwise trains were cable-hauled whilst counter-clockwise ones were electric. The trains lost their original plum and cream liveries, being painted red and white instead. From the 1950s the trains became all red - in a similar shade to London buses. In the early 1970s trailer carriage number 41 was repainted in the original 1896 livery - part of the carriage (shortened to its original length) is now preserved at Buchanan Street station.
Following the Beeching Axe of the 1960s, both St Enoch and Buchanan Street mainline stations were closed and subsequently demolished. This left a lasting legacy for the Subway, since it was left with no direct passenger connection to the national railway network - a major weakness which exists to the present day, although an interchange to the suburban rail system exists at Partick, and a moving walkway was installed between Buchanan Street station and Queen Street mainline station as part of the late 1970s modernisation. Kelvinbridge station was fitted with a lift.
Prior to the 1977-1980 modernisation, the stations had a unique earthy smell. The trains (mostly dating back to 1896) were always formed with two carriages - the front (motor) carriage with red leather seats and the rear (trailer) carriage with brown leather seats. Smoking was permitted in the rear carriage only. The backs of the seats were attached to the sides of the carriages, which moved semi-independently from the floor (to which the seats themselves were attached), leading to passengers being rocked forwards and backwards as the carriage ‘shoogled’ passengers around. Passengers always entered at the middle of the train ("Q here" signs were painted on the platforms), exiting by the front door of the front carriage or rear door of the rear carriage.
By the 1970s the stations (internally and externally) were very dilapidated. Stations were marked with a circular sign often attached to lampposts. This sign had a white background in the top three-quarters (containing a large red letter "U") and black in the bottom quarter (containing the word "UNDERGROUND" and an arrow to the station entrance). No station had an escalator; Kelvinside had a lift, the others making do with stairs. Each station had a ticket office (often very small, little more than a booth with a window). The ticketing system was identical to most cinemas of the era, with tickets emerging from slots in the counters of the station ticket offices (the words Control Systems Ltd or Automaticket Ltd were printed on all tickets). Tickets were invariably collected on leaving the train. Until 1977 the staff wore dark green uniforms, with black braid on the cuffs which had been introduced at the time of the funeral of Queen Victoria in 1901.
Glasgow’s Museum of Transport has an area dedicated to the subway, with models showing the operation of the clutch and cable system, as well as a full scale replica of part of a subway station, complete with different rolling stock of the pre-modernisation era.
Modernisation (1977-1980)
By the 1970s usership of the Subway had significantly declined. This was partly due to the closure of some of the dockyards and widescale demolition of tenements south of the River Clyde. The original carriages (mostly dating back to 1896) were still in use, albeit adapted for electric traction in 1935. Breakdowns were becoming increasingly frequent; because trains could only be removed from the tracks to the depot by crane a single broken-down train could cause major delays. The future of the Subway became a major issue for the Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive, which took over responsiblity for the line from Glasgow Corporation in the late 1960s.
On 24th March 1977 cracks were noticed in the roof of Govan Cross station, leading to suspension of services until 2nd May. The service resumed with only 4 trains per circle. On 21st May 1977 the system was prematurely shut down for a major refurbishment and modernisation. The scheduled date for closure was 29th May, but had to be brought forward due to the appearance of further cracks in the roof of Govan Cross (now Govan) station. Badly deteriorated tunnels were repaired, stations were rebuilt and enlarged, with additional platforms built at Buchanan Street, Hillhead, Govan, Ibrox and St Enoch. Merkland Street Station was closed and a new station to the north was built at Partick to provide an interchanges with the suburban rail system. The site of the Merkland Street station can be noticed by the characteristic hump and the larger diameter tunnel with both tracks. A further interchange via moving walkway was installed between Buchanan Street station and Queen Street mainline station as part of the modernisation.
In August 1977 all redundant fittings and equipment from the old system were sold at a public sale at Broomloan Works. During the 1977-1980 modernisation, two Clayton battery locomotives were used by the contractors Taylor Woodrow to haul construction trains. The locomotives were nicknamed Roger and Claus - the latter allegedly because of its habit of bringing unwelcome "presents" and surprises through reliability problems.
Heavier track was installed (although still at the unique 4' gauge), the original Broomloan Depot was modernised and equipped with connecting tracks (with points) to replace the crane transfer, and a new electrical supply from Westinghouse Electric Corporation was installed. A new ticketing system, with passenger-operated vending machines and automatic barriers, replaced the old cinema-style tickets. The post-1980 yellow tickets have since been replaced by a newer system, issuing credit card sized tickets.
The line was formally reopened by the Queen on 1st November 1979. However, rebuilding work was still uncomplete and the line did not reopen to passengers until 16th April 1980. 33 new carriages were built by Metro Cammell and equipped with GEC electric motors. Eight additional centre trailer carriages were built in 1992 (the body shells by Hunslet Gyro Mining Transport Ltd in Leeds for completion by Hunslet-Barclay Ltd in Kilmarnock), making all trains three carriages in length. Smoking has never been permitted on the modernised system.
A new corporate identity was introduced (following contemporary fashions of the 1970s), with trains painted bright orange, stations largely rebuilt using dark brown bricks, orange-yellow wall tiles and other surfaces in off-white, plus brown uniforms for the staff. Large, illuminated orange "U" signs were placed at station entrances (since removed, with the readoption of the name "Subway"). Since the 1990s, ongoing renovation work has resulted in most stations adopting individual colour schemes. The trains' initial orange livery of 1980 (with a white stripe) was soon replaced by a darker and more durable shade of orange, itself currently being replaced by SPT's latest carmine red and cream livery.
Future development
The system is unique compared to other metro systems as it has never been expanded from its original route, although ambitious plans were unveiled during 2005. Many schemes for extending the system have been proposed but none has come to fruition owing to the technical problems — tunnelling beneath the city is difficult owing to its geology, which is composed of solid rock and abandoned mineshafts making underground construction hazardous and expensive.
In Spring 2005, SPT announced that they would employ consultants to look into extending the system in the West End, East End, Southside and Glasgow Harbour areas of the city. The extension will take advantage of existing unused tunnels underneath the city, and there is a possibility that roads will be dug up to install tunnels before being replaced and resurfaced (cut-and-cover tunnelling). The plans are expected to take twelve years to come to fruition. In the mean time there are plans to replace the fleet of trains and to install new electronic destination signs in stations.
At the moment, the Partick Interchange project is under way which will result in a complete re-development at the station which hosts a rail station, a subway station and a bus terminal on the outside.
Should the long-awaited Glasgow Crossrail project get the green light, then West Street station will be redeveloped as an interchange between the new surface railway and the Subway. This is projected to be completed by 2010, if funding is made available.
Connections
The underground has passenger links to the main railway system at two locations — at Partick, the system connects with the North Clyde line and Argyle lines of the Glasgow suburban railway network, and Buchanan Street station is connected to Queen Street main-line station by a moving walkway. Glasgow Central station and Argyle Street railway station (for the Argyle Line) are both a short walk from St. Enoch, and most stations connect with bus routes.
Stations
The stations on the underground, in clockwise order from the northernmost, are:
- Hillhead — Serves the University of Glasgow, Glasgow Botanic Gardens and BBC Scotland
- Kelvinbridge — For Great Western Road and Kelvingrove Park
- St. George’s Cross
- Cowcaddens
- Buchanan Street — connects to Glasgow Queen Street Station via travelator
- St Enoch — short walk to Glasgow Central Station and Argyle Street railway station
- Bridge Street
- West Street
- Shields Road
- Kinning Park
- Cessnock — Serves the Glasgow Science Centre, the Glasgow Tower and the IMAX cinema
- Ibrox — serves Ibrox stadium (named Copland Road before modernisation)
- Govan (named Govan Cross before modernisation)
- Partick (replaced the pre-modernisation Merkland Street station; the old station is slightly to the south-west of the current one)
- Kelvinhall (named Partick Cross before modernisation)
Hillhead, Buchanan Street, and St Enoch are the busiest stations; some of the stations south of the Clyde are very quiet. Ibrox is very busy during Rangers’ home football games, and on match days there are signs at the stations warning passengers when to avoid football related congestion.
Subcrawl
A subcrawl is a favourite pastime for Glasgow students. It is a pub crawl using the subway to move from pub to pub. The nearest pub to each station must be visited, leading to a total of (at least) fifteen drinks consumed. See binge drinking.
On a similar theme is the more traditional ‘Half & Half Tour’, referenced in Iain Banks’ novel Espedair Street as the ‘Clockwork Orange Pub Crawl’, where the participants must consume one measure of whisky and half a pint of ‘Heavy’ (80/- ale) in each establishment visited.
Nicknames
It is said, but mainly by the media, to be nicknamed the ‘Clockwork Orange’ (coined from the title of the book and film A Clockwork Orange) because most of its carriages were painted orange, the then corporate colour of Strathclyde Passenger Transport, although some have since been replaced with a new colour scheme of carmine and cream with a thin orange band, which will be implemented progressively throughout the fleet as cars are refurbished.
While the ‘Clockwork Orange’ nickname is often referred to in tourist guidebooks and local literature, most Glaswegians tend to refer to the system by its historic (and now official) name — ‘Subway’.
It is rumoured by locals that during the late 1950's the Subway took on a new nickname of "Sputnik" as the tube took approximately the same amount of time to go round as the more famous probe.
See also
External links
- Strathclyde Partnership for Transport — Subway
- Photographs of Glasgow’s rolling stock
- Article and photo gallery about the Merkland Street station (now Partick)
- Collection of Google Earth locations of SPT Subway stations (Requires Google Earth software) from the Google Earth Community forum.
- Glasgow Page at Urbanrail.net
References
See also: J. Wright and I. Maclean, Circles under the Clyde: A history of the Glasgow Underground, Capital Transport, 1997, ISBN 1-85414-190-2