Train Pilchard
Member
I use this thing anything between 12-20 times a week and I have a few questions that I've mulled over when bored riding.
1. How fast can the trains go and how fast do they go, I'm guessing the longest stretch is between Govan and Partick?
2. Why is it so small, I don't mean length, I mean size. I'm 6'4 and have to duck down to get on and off it, even standing in the middle my head touches the roof and if I'm jammed in by the door I'm bent double. Fair enough it's old but I've been on the older undergrounds in London and Budapest and neither are this small, were those ones expanded (ie wider and taller tunnels) after initial construction or were they just built larger?
3. I've read and heard in the past a couple of proposals for expanding the route. The main one seems to be building another circle that covers the east and south east of the city with adjoining stations at Buchanan Street and St Enoch. The other being an extension along the Glasgow Harbour and another out to the East End. Was this all just talk or were there ever any finalised plans or anything more conrete than just rumours floating around, can any of this be seen online? I'd be interested to see where it was supposed to go, how they were linked (if a branch line was built to the harbour) and whether or not the new parts would be built on the same scale.
4. How much does the driver actually have to do to drive these things, I'm assuming the old myth about 'the trains can drive themselves and the driver is just there so as not to freak people out' is just that, a myth. But it seems straight forward enough, involving just the pushing of one button? I've also seen the drivers sitting on the opposite side from the platform get up off their seat and over to open the window well before the train actually stops.
5. Why does is it only open 10-6 on a Sunday, you'd think they could extend the hours a little even if it was with a real off peak 12 minute service or something?
6. At peak times on the 4 minute schedule how many trains are on each circle?
7. Is the 4 minute schedule the maximum capacity?
8. Is it definetely the third oldest undergroung in the world behind London and Budapest, some things I've read use phrases like "said to be the thirds oldest in the world", why is there any doubt?
A lot of questions I know but like I said I ride it heaps and always wondered about it, I mean lets be honest as far as transport goes it's a strange little thing. Thanks.
1. How fast can the trains go and how fast do they go, I'm guessing the longest stretch is between Govan and Partick?
2. Why is it so small, I don't mean length, I mean size. I'm 6'4 and have to duck down to get on and off it, even standing in the middle my head touches the roof and if I'm jammed in by the door I'm bent double. Fair enough it's old but I've been on the older undergrounds in London and Budapest and neither are this small, were those ones expanded (ie wider and taller tunnels) after initial construction or were they just built larger?
3. I've read and heard in the past a couple of proposals for expanding the route. The main one seems to be building another circle that covers the east and south east of the city with adjoining stations at Buchanan Street and St Enoch. The other being an extension along the Glasgow Harbour and another out to the East End. Was this all just talk or were there ever any finalised plans or anything more conrete than just rumours floating around, can any of this be seen online? I'd be interested to see where it was supposed to go, how they were linked (if a branch line was built to the harbour) and whether or not the new parts would be built on the same scale.
4. How much does the driver actually have to do to drive these things, I'm assuming the old myth about 'the trains can drive themselves and the driver is just there so as not to freak people out' is just that, a myth. But it seems straight forward enough, involving just the pushing of one button? I've also seen the drivers sitting on the opposite side from the platform get up off their seat and over to open the window well before the train actually stops.
5. Why does is it only open 10-6 on a Sunday, you'd think they could extend the hours a little even if it was with a real off peak 12 minute service or something?
6. At peak times on the 4 minute schedule how many trains are on each circle?
7. Is the 4 minute schedule the maximum capacity?
8. Is it definetely the third oldest undergroung in the world behind London and Budapest, some things I've read use phrases like "said to be the thirds oldest in the world", why is there any doubt?
A lot of questions I know but like I said I ride it heaps and always wondered about it, I mean lets be honest as far as transport goes it's a strange little thing. Thanks.
