Glasgow Subway new stock

[D6130]

Hunslet built three standard gauge battery locomotives for the Tyne & Wear Metro in 1987. That’s the only example I can think of.

They built hundreds - if not thousands - of standard gauge locos pre-1992. As well as a huge range of industrial locos, they built the BR class 05 shunters - the last of which ended-up on the Isle of Wight - and the three class 101 main line diesel-electric locos for Northern Ireland Railways, which were of course broad gauge. They also built a large number of standard gauge steam locos both for home and abroad....including many of the 'J94' type austerity 0-6-0 saddle tanks.

 

[Mothball]

Wouldn’t that prevent one set from rescuing another if that were the case?

I'd hazard a guess they can't be coupled electrically to prevent a fault on one unit transferring to the rescue unit.

Mechanical only coupling would still be possible for rescue/shunting.

 

[Dstock7080]

I believe that, by design, it was not possible to couple the cab ends of two motor cars together. This was to prevent the coupling of a live train to a dead train, which might have killed the live train.

Before the 1992 Hunslet trailer cars came along, it was possible to operate 3-car trains with the middle motors isolated, auto-couplers on each end of cars:
(blunt end of 128 in Riverside Museum)

 

[VioletEclipse]

Before the 1992 Hunslet trailer cars came along, it was possible to operate 3-car trains with the middle motors isolated, auto-couplers on each end of cars:
(blunt end of 128 in Riverside Museum)

I'm pretty sure that I've seen trains formed of 3 motor carriages within the last year. Although I haven't ever seen a motor and two trailers forming a train, which I doubt would be possible.

 

[hexagon789]

Before the 1992 Hunslet trailer cars came along, it was possible to operate 3-car trains with the middle motors isolated, auto-couplers on each end of cars:
(blunt end of 128 in Riverside Museum)

That was still a regular occurrence to the end, not enough trailers to run all 3-car sets otherwise.

 

[Rick1984]

It's odd that at one point they ran a mix of two and 3 car trains

 

[Buzby]

it was not possible to couple the cab ends of two motor cars together. This was to prevent the coupling of a live train to a dead train, which might have killed the live train.

I’ve been de-trained to let the train I was on move forward to ‘rescue‘ a set in front. The mechanics of doing so were unknown to me - which cab was driving, was it simply being pushed or fully connected?

 

[Snow1964]

BBC article on last train of old stock, with video

Glasgow's 44-year-old subway carriages have taken their last journey as the underground system undergoes modernisation.

The city's subway has been gradually phasing out the old trains since December and replacing them with new wheelchair-accessible cars.

In total 17 trains have been gradually brought into service during 2024.

The new rolling stock is just one part of a £288m upgrade programme to the subway system that will feature platform doors and driverless trains in future.

The old-style trains were introduced to passenger service on 16 April 1980 as part of the system's second modernisation project, which started in May 1977.

Subway carriages retire after 44 years of service

Glasgow's underground network has been gradually phasing out the old rolling stock since December.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[nlogax]

Indeed quite sobering to realise these “new” cars are themselves over 30 years old.

Most definitely!

 

[NotATrainspott]

The G1 stock only had one experimental 3 car set. It came about when trailer car No32 was damaged when then hook on the crane broke and the frame fell on top of the car. It was rebuilt with a two door centre entrance. Two motor cars were modified for multiple use can't remember which ones. The exits at either end of the set weren't used. There was constant problems and it was withdrawn in the 1960s.
Car 32 was one of the last cars lifted out of the tunnels prior to the 1977 modernisation. It was used for station clearance and the centre doors made loading easter.

37:48

This car was the victim of an accident in 1957 at the base of the workshop pit, when the lifting cradle of the overhead crane fell onto it as a result of a fractured hook. The side ribs were badly damaged on one side and it was decided to rebuild it with double centre doors. It was often used as the centre car of a three car formation known as the Sputnik.

Watching these old videos about the pre-modernisation Subway I'm curious whether the stations were extended as part of the work. I had it in my head that the original station platforms were only long enough for the original 2-car trains but that video suggests some were a bit longer. GPT-4o seems to think that they were, and is linking me to sources which don't seem to say anything about platform lengths, so I'm now quite confused.

Options to Extend Glasgow Subway - SPT

I did come across this SPT doc though, which gives a useful overview of previous studies and thoughts about extending the Subway network. The maps at the end are interesting, as is the repeated mention of studies looking at rebuilding to standard gauge. The City & South London Railway was rebored to match the rest of the Tube network under development, so it wouldn't be unprecedented. A rebore up to Tube gauge at some point would have left the Subway in a similar position to the Waterloo & City line, being able to tag on to other Tube rolling stock procurement projects.

Also, it has this comparison image which I think is useful to have in mind. The Edinburgh Tram vehicles are longer, wider and taller than the Subway vehicles.

 

[EMU303]

Is the plan to have prerecorded announcements of the next stations on the new trains? Drivers are inconsistent in their announcing the next station, some drivers do, some don’t, some are inaudible, some do but forget to announce some stations. Totally amateur from SPT!

 

[ScotsRail]

Not really a problem though is it.

 

[ld0595]

Not really a problem though is it.

It is a bit of a problem - particularly if the subway is supposed to be more accessible.

When it's particularly busy and I'm having to stand, I do sometimes find it difficult to know which station I'm actually at.

 

[EMU303]

Not really a problem though is it.

It is for partially sighted people

 

[Blindtraveler]

What is it with people on this thread showing such disrespect towards people who might want the odd announcement telling them where they are etc? Disrespectful and I'm sure that some of these same people would be the first to complain loudly should they be in this position

 

[allancmcd]

Seems to be another push to sell the G2 carriages.

Fancy owning an old Glasgow subway carriage? Yours for £5,000​

 

[Northerngirl]

Seems to be another push to sell the G2 carriages.

Fancy owning an old Glasgow subway carriage? Yours for £5,000​

Don't think I can squeeze one into the uni dorm, otherwise that seems a great deal for a summerhouse or glamping

 

[jagardner1984]

Will be interesting to see how the new stock performs when then denser service pattern resumes (currently on Summer 5/circle 5 min service in the peaks) in a couple of weeks, given currently the slower trains are running at close to off peak frequency in the high peak - sitting at 8 min or 11pm service level at 1720 this evening. Will be interesting if they can get the full 12 trains in service for when the schools / students are back ….

 

[Buzby]

Totally amateur from SPT!

A bit unfair - the in-carriage displays and auto-announcements are part of the upgraded signalling system which has not yet been commissioned. The existing legacy set-up cannot handle it (and it was never designed for it in the first place)

 

[Russel]

Did I read somewhere that one of the old cars is going to one of the Glasgow museums, possibly Riverside?

 

[hexagon789]

Did I read somewhere that one of the old cars is going to one of the Glasgow museums, possibly Riverside?

128 is already in the museum and has been on public display there since the 13th of June.

 

[jagardner1984]

Did I read somewhere that one of the old cars is going to one of the Glasgow museums, possibly Riverside?

Car 128 is now on display at the Riverside Museum. Of the remainder, some have been scrapped and there is some initiative to find homes for some of the rest. I wonder, given the physical condition they were in at the end, and the limited height inside, how long they would last in an outdoor environment tbh, though I feel Glasgow is ripe with opportunity to use the River more as a destination for leisure and hospitality, and maybe some bright spark might be able to find an innovative way to use one of these.

 

[Russel]

128 is already in the museum and has been on public display there since the 13th of June.

Car 128 is now on display at the Riverside Museum. Of the remainder, some have been scrapped and there is some initiative to find homes for some of the rest. I wonder, given the physical condition they were in at the end, and the limited height inside, how long they would last in an outdoor environment tbh, though I feel Glasgow is ripe with opportunity to use the River more as a destination for leisure and hospitality, and maybe some bright spark might be able to find an innovative way to use one of these.

Excellent, thanks, I'm in Glasgow for the day in a few weeks so I'll have to call into the Riverside Museum!

 

[Buzby]

I'm in Glasgow for the day in a few weeks so I'll have to call into the Riverside Museum

You certainly get to walk round the outside of the G2 carriage but not inside. For that, try the 2 G1 carriages - these have roughly the same dimensions and are worth a look, even their rather twee video projection at the end of one of the coaches (a recreation). Since the Museum itself is free to enter ~ go there by Subwa, and you’ll have bagged all 3 generations!

 

[michael8]

A bit unfair - the in-carriage displays and auto-announcements are part of the upgraded signalling system which has not yet been commissioned. The existing legacy set-up cannot handle it (and it was never designed for it in the first place)

This is good news

 

[clc]

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[Buzby]

These after-the-event fixes appear to be desperate. There has been test running at night for almost 2 years, and only NOW they are looking at shoogle-suppression? You couldn’t make it up!

 

[County Fox]

Can anyone confirm if ALL the new Metro Underground units are running now in Glasgow?

 

[Beebman]

Sky News report on the old cars being up for sale:

Subway carriages being sold for £5,000 each could become houses and even a sauna, it has been revealed. Around 25 carriages from Glasgow subway's 1980s fleet are being sold and gifted after the city's 128-year-old metro system was given a £200m upgrade. It is understood interest includes converting the carriages to cafes, offices, glamping pods and even a sauna. Read more: https://news.sky.com/story/subway-c...o-cafes-glamping-pods-or-even-saunas-13185631

 

[jagardner1984]

https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/glasgow-subway-slower-opened-1896-signalling-n2793h0tr

Times Paywall, but interesting to see timings up to 33/34 mins for what was previously a 22/24 minute journey (and this normally having some minutes of slack time at Govan).

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Lots of interesting replies to the author's post here. Beyond the usual Social media abuse of course.

Some quotes from SPT from the National's take on the same story.

A spokeswoman for SPT confirmed the new subway trains take 30 minutes to complete a full circle of the subway, slower than the legacy rolling stock.

She said: “This is due to the fact that currently the new trains are running on the old signalling system while the new signalling and communications system is being installed.

“Once the new signalling system is installed and operating, it is expected this will improve journey times.”

Doors on the new trains include audio and visual alarms, which SPT said caused slight delays at stations to allow passengers to enter and alight from the trains.

The spokeswoman added: “We are currently looking at a design modification to decrease the wait time for the doors to open.”

Also worth noting that the subway has not been exclusively the slower G3 trains since the students / schools broke up for summer, so this could get very interesting when late August / September comes around, since the 4 minute frequency, based on 6 trains per circle, 24 minute journeys, was very much required and utilised.