# Subway Depot, Glasgow - Jan. 2009



## BenCooper (May 28, 2009)

Glasgow's Subway is the third-oldest subway system in the world, after London and Budapest, opened in 1896; two tracks run in a 6.5 mile loop with 15 stations north and south of the Clyde, and with a surface maintenance depot which the trains reach via a gradient.

The initial system was cable-driven - cables ran in a continuous loop driven by a surface steam engine, and the trains could clamp onto or release this cable. Later, the cars were converted to electric power - one of the old cars remains at the depot:





In 1977, the system was closed for a complete renovation - many stations were widened or even rebuilt entirely, the track was replaced, and entirely new rolling stock was ordered. Amusingly, because the old stations only had a centre platform, passengers only ever saw one side of the trains, so only one side was nicely painted!

Next to the old car is a cute little shunter:





The rest of this shed holds the modern rolling stock:









In a smaller shed, maintenance wagons are stored - these wagons are made from the chassis' of the old pre-modernisation cars:









The largest shed holds the workshops:





A series of pits allow access under the trains:













There's also a special tug which can drive on both rail and road:





There's more pics in my Flickr set...


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## Westieuk (May 28, 2009)

Great pics mate, reeeeally liked the pit shots!Very dramatic!


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## Gorecki (May 28, 2009)

This is good.
I would like to go here


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## Lightbuoy (May 28, 2009)

Niiiiice one Ben -great photos. Loving the story about only painting the trains on one side!


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## james.s (May 28, 2009)

This is nice! I am guessing that it is still live though judging by the state of everything.


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## BenCooper (May 28, 2009)

Oh yes, it's seriously live - and the British Transport Police take a strong interest in anyone caught trespassing - they catch about one graffiti artist a week 

This was a visit with the Clyde Heritage Trust - the Subway are donating the old carriage, a couple of the shunters, and some more spare things, so this was a very rare chance to take some pictures.


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## Richard Davies (May 28, 2009)

Some of the old rolling stock is at the Glasgow Transport Museum, displayed on a mock up of how a platform would have looked in the 1930s.

I also got to go on the moden ones, I was surprised at how small they were, even though the gauge is only 8.5 inches less than standard.


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## Mr Sam (May 28, 2009)

i like the sound of that crude continious loop cable where they clamp onto

nice pics fella


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## TK421 (May 28, 2009)

The clockwork orange, nice set of photos. Isn't there some nonesense about people 'bouncing' up and down in the small carriages and the ability to stay on the track?!?


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## Richard Davies (May 28, 2009)

The colour scheme has changed since I was last there, it used to be just darkish ornage.

At one of the stations another platform had been added by digging into the tunnel wall, & a fence put up on the island platform so it could only be used for trains on one side of it.


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## crickleymal (May 28, 2009)

Very interesting report, I'm jealous


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## Neosea (May 28, 2009)

Nice one, great explore. Wish all the subways / metros were as clean as that!


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