Fire at Glasgow Central (08/03/26)

[kkong]

I’m I right to say I be best going in via Hope Street than say Argyll Street?

There is an entrance on Hope Street at the junction with Argyle Street and the low level ticket office is directly inside there.

There is an escalator and lift right next to the ticket office, which will take you to the high level platforms which are currently operational.

There are also escalators and a lift to the low level platforms from the same area.

 

[Pinus contorta]

I arrived and departed from Central on Friday early afternoon and the flow of passengers through the station seemed to be operating smoothly with no pinch points or congestion anywhere. I noticed on my return journey the platform for my train was on the departure board approximately 18 minutes before its departure so there was no need to wait in the limited concourse area.

I noticed on TRAKSY that there are 3x EMUs stabled on platform 9 and have been since the station partially re-opened and I noticed their presence on Friday - anyone know the reason platform 9 does not appear to be in use.

I was there on Friday afternoon and noticed this. I thought it might have been a mechanism for allowing for segregation of passengers waiting to travel with Avanti to London from those getting off the Avanti train. I couldn't think of any other reason.

 

[kez19]

There is an entrance on Hope Street at the junction with Argyle Street and the low level ticket office is directly inside there.

There is an escalator and lift right next to the ticket office, which will take you to the high level platforms which are currently operational.

There are also escalators and a lift to the low level platforms from the same area.

Thank you, I’ve been so familiar with going in by the front so this will be a new experience

 

[Retorus]

There’s an iron fence circa 60’s to prevent this. Unless you plan to squeeze through the coffee stall. P1&2 has no gateline and there’s no way to get to P3/4 without going through the concourse.

It's a gate, not a fence, and is used regularly.

 

[Buzby]

It's a gate, not a fence, and is used regularly.

As I noted earlier, not by me - and ScotRail disliked it because it was the only platforms with no gateline. If this changed, then their takeover is complete.

 

[swt_passenger]

Latest update from Glasgow City Council, there’s a couple of photos of what’s left:

The facade on Gordon Street has now been demolished by contractors who will now focus on the external back wall of the collapsed building and joining the gable end of the Voco Grand Central Hotel.
Our building control colleagues are liaising with the hotel's structural engineers about access and timelines to restrain the wall and make it safe.
Work has begun in earnest to remove the rubble from the site.
Central Station has announced that from today, Sunday 22 March, the Hope Street exit restored at Glasgow Central to improve passenger flow

Union Street - Updates - Glasgow City Council

Updates on the Union Street incident.

glasgow.gov.uk

 

[norbitonflyer]

I noticed on TRAKSY that there are 3x EMUs stabled on platform 9 and have been since the station partially re-opened and I noticed their presence on Friday - anyone know the reason platform 9 does not appear to be in use.

Could the units be being used as a screen? I've seen this done before, for example during the rebuilding work at Waterloo a few years ago, or to provide some privacy for a special train (eg the Royal Train)

 

[Chrism20]

I arrived and departed from Central on Friday early afternoon and the flow of passengers through the station seemed to be operating smoothly with no pinch points or congestion anywhere. I noticed on my return journey the platform for my train was on the departure board approximately 18 minutes before its departure so there was no need to wait in the limited concourse area.

I noticed on TRAKSY that there are 3x EMUs stabled on platform 9 and have been since the station partially re-opened and I noticed their presence on Friday - anyone know the reason platform 9 does not appear to be in use.

Are they possibly being used as mess rooms? Lots of space will no doubt be out of use at the moment.

 

[Warrior2852]

If this changed, then their takeover is complete.

It's been in regular use at least the last 6 months, possibly longer.

 

[Bill57p9]

I noticed on TRAKSY that there are 3x EMUs stabled on platform 9 and have been since the station partially re-opened and I noticed their presence on Friday - anyone know the reason platform 9 does not appear to be in use.

One day they were showing as "WAIT" "ROOM" so I had assumed they are a temporary waiting room (or possibly mess as @Chrism20 suggests) complete with toilets.

I haven't been through Glasgow Central recently so cannot confirm

 

[DaventryRabbit]

I heard they were in use as additional seating and toilet facilities

 

[Chrism20]

Normal ScotRail timetable to resume on Wednesday with all platforms in use

ScotRail said platforms one to 15 can now be used from the start of service on Wednesday.

Glasgow Central Station to fully reopen more than two weeks after massive blaze

The fire resulted in the closure of Scotland's busiest train station.

news.stv.tv

 

[kez19]

Normal ScotRail timetable to resume on Wednesday with all platforms in use

Glasgow Central Station to fully reopen more than two weeks after massive blaze

The fire resulted in the closure of Scotland's busiest train station.

news.stv.tv

I was just reading this, that’s good news at least

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are there any toilets for public use at Glasgow Central station just now? Or are they still closed / inaccessible for the time being?

 

[nlogax]

Normal ScotRail timetable to resume on Wednesday with all platforms in use

Glasgow Central Station to fully reopen more than two weeks after massive blaze

The fire resulted in the closure of Scotland's busiest train station.

news.stv.tv

Fantastic news.

 

[380101]

Are there any toilets for public use at Glasgow Central station just now? Or are they still closed / inaccessible for the time being?

Currently only the disabled access toilets next to Costa are available. Normal toilets will be available again on Wednesday.

 

[ld0595]

Brilliant news, will make it much easier to get into work for me, although a silver lining out of this is that I've discovered how good the Voi bike share scheme is!

 

[Scotrail344Lad]

Well, something good always comes from something bad...

 

[Spsf3232]

Just watched another video posted by Ross Moran, he's been a credit to Network Rail throughout this incident

 

[cats_five]

Just watched another video posted by Ross Moran, he's been a credit to Network Rail throughout this incident

Can we have a link please?

 

[Aaron_TTL]

Even more good news: https://www.networkrailmediacentre....d-at-glasgow-central-during-emergency-closure

"Network Rail engineers seized the rare opportunity of the closure of Scotland’s busiest station to deliver an extensive package of maintenance and renewals that would ordinarily have taken around ten months to complete."

 

[Ian Hardy]

Can we have a link please?

The video is linked from this Network Rail news item: https://www.networkrailmediacentre....open-at-glasgow-central-on-wednesday-25-march

All platforms to reopen at Glasgow Central on Wednesday 25 March

Network Rail will reopen platforms 1-6 at Glasgow Central on Wednesday 25 March, restoring all train routes through the high-level station following the Union Street fire.

An exclusion zone had been in place across much of the high-level concourse while Glasgow City Council carried out the demolition of the fire-damaged neighbouring building, restricting access to platforms and station entrances........

There is a video with Ross Moran, route director at Network Rail Scotland explaining the changes at the station.

 

[deerokus]

Good to see they used to opportunity to clear plenty of vegetation. Parts were looking very overgrown.

 

[Pete_uk]

Having worked in a building (coffee shop) adjacent to some demolition going on, one thing they may be concerned about is any vibration knocking anything out of place, such as glass panels etc

I think we lost about 5 cups, BTW

 

[cats_five]

The video is linked from this Network Rail news item: https://www.networkrailmediacentre....open-at-glasgow-central-on-wednesday-25-march

Thanks and yes, a great talk to camera. It's also good to see use made of the stoppage to do maintenance.

 

[Pacef8]

Radio Scotland said a compensation scheme has started for businesses that have been affected (coffee shops as well )

 

[chiltern trev]

Glasgow Central closure provided 'rare' opportunity for engineers

As Glasgow Central was forced to close after a devastating fire on Union Street, engineers are said to have seized a “rare opportunity”.

www.glasgowtimes.co.uk

10 months worth of work if trains were running.

More than 108 tonnes of used rail were removed from the tracks on the approaches to the station, along with 73 old timber sleepers.

Meanwhile, more than 6200 square metres of vegetation was also cleared.

Extensive maintenance was undertaken on overhead line equipment around the station, inspecting 299 sections and carrying out a range of repairs to the wires, insulators, and other kit.

 

[Dave W]

Feels like the railway has come out of this with a good deal of credit here. Inventive and creative solutions to problems (the EMU waiting rooms, if indeed the case, are a very smart idea!) plus all the extra work happening. Good effort all round.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Also on Network Rail Website

Major engineering work delivered at Glasgow Central during emergency closure

Network Rail engineers seized the rare opportunity of the closure of Scotland’s busiest station to deliver an extensive package of maintenance and renewals that would ordinarily have taken around ten months to complete.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Network Rail engineers seized the rare opportunity of the closure of Scotland’s busiest station to deliver an extensive package of maintenance and renewals that would ordinarily have taken around ten months to complete.
With Glasgow Central closed from March 8 due to the Union Street fire, teams moved quickly to plan and carry out a broad range of essential works before the station partially reopened on March 18.
The work would’ve normally required multiple weekend and weekday nightshifts to complete around passenger services at Central, where over 1,200 trains move in and out each day.
On the tracks more than 108 tonnes of used rail were removed from the station approaches along with 73 old timber sleepers. More than 6,200 sqm of vegetation was also cleared.
Engineers carried out extensive maintenance on Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) around the station, inspecting 299 sections and carrying out a range of repairs to the wires, insulators and other kit.
Work was carried out on switches and crossings (pieces of track that move trains from one line to another) and inspections made on 439 insulated block joints (part of the signalling system that pinpoints where trains are on the tracks).
Keiren Sharkey, infrastructure maintenance delivery manager at Network Rail, said: “It was a situation none of us expected, but our teams reacted immediately and were determined to make the most of this rare opportunity.

"It allowed teams based in Motherwell and Glasgow to complete an enormous amount of work that would have required a much longer period of time to complete under normal conditions.”

 

[nlogax]

I'm keen to see the results of all the clear-up! The approaches to Central have looked really tatty in recent years so it makes sense that NR have taken this opportunity.