The Clockwork Orange

[umontu]

Or as it's known, the Glasgow Subway. Might be using it this summer, anyone used it and do they have any opinions on the quality of the network?

 

[Mike395]

Havent used it personally, but it seems like a nice, albeit small, metro system

One thing my scottish friend warns is you must mind your head on the doors, as the curve is even worse than the one on the LU deep-level lines!

 

[Bill EWS]

Used it a fair number of times now, the last time back in April. Interesting little trains. While just a circle it includes most places of interest in and a round Glasgow. It's a shame that it didn't take in the new Science Centre which you reach from either Queen Street and Central lower stations. The service has always proved reliable and quick when I have used it. There is a useful map availabe at the stations which gives details of places of interest at each station. The most interesting station building is at St. Enoch but which isn now a tourist Information office. The station is reached by two stairways and elevators on both sides of the old building. St. Enoch mainline station was immediately alongside but is a large Shopping Mall. Remains of the layout can be seen at the east5 end of the Mall where the viaduct that took trains north to south are used a a small shopping precinct. Freight still uses the north to south section although I believe they are few and far between, if still actually in use.

The railway bridge over the river is interesting as is the viaduct all the way northwards and which crosses the two main roads at the Trongate by the old Market Cross and the Glasgow Cross (Clock Tower) itself. This had been a very interesting area when the trams also ran along both London Road and the Gallowgate, which split at that point.

 

[umontu]

Cheers for that, will take the advise from both of you there.
Including avoiding the decapitation.

 

[WestCoast]

It's the only metro system system in the UK which can be compared in appearance to the London Underground.

I've never used the system, but when I've seen it in pictures the train dimensions always look rather small - although that might be more to do with the station's box signs as opposed to the tube shaped stations you might find on LU.

The station's are very retro 70s/80s - looks quite interesting?

 

[kylemore]

The approach line across the Clyde to St. Enoch and onwards to the Queen St low level line is still in use although the actual viaduct across the Clyde is more a tree sanctuary than anything else evidence of the complete lack of pride in appearance and for the job typical of the UK!
I can remember using the old subway which in the 1970s was essentially unchanged from the 1890s apart from conversion from cable haulage to electric.
The subway is very much a part of Glasgow culture and the Govt has just approved a modernisation scheme with updated stations new driverless trains etc. No extensions tho. They say the system will continue to operate during this but we shall see!

 

[tbtc]

It's the only metro system system in the UK which can be compared in appearance to the London Underground.

Good point: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebustocrookes/193651864/ - this could be in London

The Subway's good points are also its bad points. Its simple (every train stops at every station, regardless of whether you get the clockwise one or the anticlockwise), but that means it can't easily be extended anywhere.

The other trouble with it is that it doesn't directly serve any stations in the City Centre (or Buchanan Bus Station, or the previous bus stations at Anderston etc), which limits connectivity, but (in fairness) the distance from Central Station to the Subway platform at St Enoch Square is probably a shorter distance than a journey from the "Main Line" platform at Kings Cross/ Waterloo to the London Underground platform.

 

[kylemore]

Theres a direct link to Queen St Mainline station with covered moving walkway.

 

[tbtc]

Theres a direct link to Queen St Mainline station with covered moving walkway.

Is there? How have I missed that?

 

[kylemore]

From Buchanan St stn approx 200m under cover straight to top of low level stairs but giving access to rest of stn. No longer and shorter than many tube/mainline stn links in London!

 

[jamesontheroad]

The Subway is a cute little thing - generally loved by those who use it, despite its moderate reliability, early end of service at weekends and general run-down atmosphere. If you're visiting Glasgow, it's a very useful way to get from the West End in to town, but that's about it. Although the system will be refurbished, its biggest constraints are the Victorian-era dimensions of the carriages, tunnels and trains and the fact it's a closed loop. There was once a suggestion for a second loop that would have served the East End of the city, perhaps sharing tracks or running parallel to the existing tunnels between Buchanan Street and St. Enoch stations, but that came to nothing.

It's worth remembering that Glasgow has, outside of London, the largest suburban rail network in the UK, so heavy rail passenger trains are actually much more important in terms of connecting communities and getting people in, out and around the city. The two underground east-west railway lines that pass beneath Queen Street and Central stations provide a phenomenally useful pair of interchanges; very few cities in the UK - arguably even London - are as well connected between north / south / east /west like this.

 

[WestCoast]

The two underground east-west railway lines that pass beneath Queen Street and Central stations provide a phenomenally useful pair of interchanges; very few cities in the UK - arguably even London - are as well connected between north / south / east /west like this.

It reminds me of a suburban rail system you might see in continental Europe - like the S-Bahn in Munich crossing the city centre providing key links.

 

[kylemore]

It reminds me of a suburban rail system you might see in continental Europe - like the S-Bahn in Munich crossing the city centre providing key links.

Yes but which German cross city S-Bahn in a conurbation of 1 million approx would have a paltry half hourly service (Queen st low level) on a Sunday?

 

[W-on-Sea]

You can also see (well, you could in the past: I've not been in Glasgow at all for three years now, so I presume it's still there...) part of an old "gate entrance" car (in use until the system closed down for complete refurbishment in the late 1970s) in the ticket hall at Buchanan Street Station.

The subway is very small and (in - many - places) very damp; it serves quite a useful purpose and does its job reasonably well, though.

 

[Nightrider]

The approach line across the Clyde to St. Enoch and onwards to the Queen St low level line is still in use although the actual viaduct across the Clyde is more a tree sanctuary than anything else evidence of the complete lack of pride in appearance and for the job typical of the UK!
I can remember using the old subway which in the 1970s was essentially unchanged from the 1890s apart from conversion from cable haulage to electric.
The subway is very much a part of Glasgow culture and the Govt has just approved a modernisation scheme with updated stations new driverless trains etc. No extensions tho. They say the system will continue to operate during this but we shall see!

After it was closed for three years, 1977-1980, for modernisation, most of the new station staff were ex bus conductors who couldn't pass the driving test for the one man operated, omo, bus service.
Take it most of them must be retired by now.

 

[bAzTNM]

Ibrox Subway Station is scary when there is a Rangers home match nearby. The station is totally inadequate to hold the amount of people at those events. It's absolutely bloody amazing really that no sort of disaster has happened there.

 

[PaulLothian]

It runs for a very short time on a Sunday - something like 10.00 to 18.00. Just as well that most of the trips you would otherwise do on it are within walking distance.

 

[Aictos]

It's certainly a experience in it's own, has a retro feel to it.

Certainly worth using though,

 

[Anon Mouse]

I love the Glasgow Underground. I managed to get some shots of units in the open air outside of Govan Depot (not the best place to walk around with photography equiptment mind)