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Glasgow Subway New Driverless Trains

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EcsWhyZee

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The latest update from the SPT website is that the trains were delivered getting on for 18 months ago now.


I haven't found any other information elsewhere.

What's happening with these units?
 
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DC21

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Can see the new trains ever so often on the test track visible next to the between the back of the police station and the bar on Edminston Road, Glasgow
 

duncanp

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Will the operating hours be extended when the new trains are put into service?

The rather limited opening hours on Sundays, for example, seem to me to be an anomaly in this day and age.
 

GaryMcEwan

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Will the operating hours be extended when the new trains are put into service?

The rather limited opening hours on Sundays, for example, seem to me to be an anomaly in this day and age.

It's always closed early on Sunday's for as long as I can remember.

SPT have said once the modernisation of the tracks and the trains are introduced, then operating hours on Sunday's will be extended.
 

duncanp

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When I lived in Scotland in the 1980s, there was no service on Sundays until the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988.

During the rest of the week, services closed down at around 10pm, which was quite early by the standards of the time.
 

hacman

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The latest update from the SPT website is that the trains were delivered getting on for 18 months ago now.


I haven't found any other information elsewhere.

What's happening with these units?

I suppose the key thing here is that the units are being tested onsite, as the unique track guage and other things are somewhat awkward.

Since the new units will also all be part of the move towards full unattended operation, and the pandemic having delayed just about everything everywhere, the timelines may now be changed.

It's also entirely possible that there may be a desire between Stadler and SPT to have the entire fleet delivered and comissioned ready for a complete switch-over from the old to the new stock to minimize potential interaction issues and such, which in normal fleet replacement projects take up substantial amounts of testing time.

All in all, 18 months for the full testing of a new design of vehicle isn't out of line with what is seen elsewhere, just the testing tends to be done in multiple locations.
 

hexagon789

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Will the operating hours be extended when the new trains are put into service?

The rather limited opening hours on Sundays, for example, seem to me to be an anomaly in this day and age.

The Sunday operating hours are such that it can be covered by one shift, hence why it closes so early.

I imagine demand must also factor, surely if they felt there was a case for opening longer on Sundays they would do so if they felt passenger revenue would pay for extra staff shifts?

Not that it matters anymore as operating hours will be extended with the full train automation.
 

Am Broc

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Hopefully the automated trains will mean a full Sunday service.

You can get a good view of them and of the test track from the road. I've seen the trains moving once and I managed to get a few snaps a few weeks ago: https://www.flickr.com/photos/amaccaluim/50251410403/in/dateposted-public/

I got a video too:
(apologies - the thumbnail is sideways but the video is the right way round!)

Does anybody know when they normally test the trains? I've only been lucky enough to catch them in action once!

Alasdair
 

snookertam

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On the Sunday opening hours point - not only does it allow for the service to be covered in a single shift, but also allows close to 12 hours for track maintenance work every Sunday night into Monday morning. Rarely does the Glasgow subway have to curtail its Monday to Saturday service for engineering work as it can be slotted in around the current Sunday hours, meaning less planned disruption.
 

hexagon789

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On the Sunday opening hours point - not only does it allow for the service to be covered in a single shift, but also allows close to 12 hours for track maintenance work every Sunday night into Monday morning. Rarely does the Glasgow subway have to curtail its Monday to Saturday service for engineering work as it can be slotted in around the current Sunday hours, meaning less planned disruption.
I gather pre-1980 they did maintenance at night any day? One of the archive films of the pre-refurbishment system seemed to imply that as soon as trains finished the maintenance crews would go out and do track maintenance and so forth. Possibly the running hours were shorter then?
 

hacman

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I gather pre-1980 they did maintenance at night any day? One of the archive films of the pre-refurbishment system seemed to imply that as soon as trains finished the maintenance crews would go out and do track maintenance and so forth. Possibly the running hours were shorter then?

To be fair, the system does also have an advantage for maintenance in terms of size and relatively low complexity. If memory serves me correctly the actual running lines only have 6 sets of points in total! This has the advantage of also keeping the interlocking and signalling systems much simpler.

These things would help keep the periods needed for repairs and work much shorter than other railways.
 

Taunton

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I gather pre-1980 they did maintenance at night any day? One of the archive films of the pre-refurbishment system seemed to imply that as soon as trains finished the maintenance crews would go out and do track maintenance and so forth. Possibly the running hours were shorter then?
Yes, but it was a right palaver. All the trains on the relevant circle had to be parked one side or the other of the "pit" at the depot. Then the steeple-cab battery works loco (they had just one, it dated from cable haulage days) and the loaded wagons had to be craned down one at a time and assembled, before they set off for the worksite. Early next morning, the reverse.
 

hexagon789

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To be fair, the system does also have an advantage for maintenance in terms of size and relatively low complexity. If memory serves me correctly the actual running lines only have 6 sets of points in total! This has the advantage of also keeping the interlocking and signalling systems much simpler.

These things would help keep the periods needed for repairs and work much shorter than other railways.
That's very true, the simplicity of the nature of the system must be one advantage at least.

Yes, but it was a right palaver. All the trains on the relevant circle had to be parked one side or the other of the "pit" at the depot. Then the steeple-cab battery works loco (they had just one, it dated from cable haulage days) and the loaded wagons had to be craned down one at a time and assembled, before they set off for the worksite. Early next morning, the reverse.
Hmm, it did seem a bit of palaver in the film, but I suppose you can't have it both ways.
 

Egg Centric

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How do locals use the subway? Whenever I've visited Glasgow I've had to make a special effort to use the subway - it doesn't seem very useful for either a business traveller or tourist*. Who is the 'typical use case'?

*Clearly, this depends on where you want to go. What I mean is I've never wanted to go between two places with subway stops!
 

GaryMcEwan

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How do locals use the subway? Whenever I've visited Glasgow I've had to make a special effort to use the subway - it doesn't seem very useful for either a business traveller or tourist*. Who is the 'typical use case'?

*Clearly, this depends on where you want to go. What I mean is I've never wanted to go between two places with subway stops!

I use my SPT Smartcard for the Subway and top it up when I need to. You can also get single, return or all day tickets from the ticket offices.

Never heard of any one having to make a special effort to travel on the Subway.
 

hexagon789

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How do locals use the subway? Whenever I've visited Glasgow I've had to make a special effort to use the subway - it doesn't seem very useful for either a business traveller or tourist*. Who is the 'typical use case'?

*Clearly, this depends on where you want to go. What I mean is I've never wanted to go between two places with subway stops!
Very useful to get from the city centre to the West End
 

Journeyman

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A lot of students use the Subway, as Hillhead station is handy for a lot of University buildings.
 

Whisky Papa

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From a "cultural tourist" viewpoint, the station at Kelvingrove is a shortish walk to the art gallery and museum, while Shields Road is virtually next to Scotland Street School Museum, of Charles Rennie Mackintosh fame. We used it to visit both of these (and several pubs in the Good Beer Guide:D) on our weekend stay in 2006, although having a central hotel certainly made for a good starting point.
 

WestCoast

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How do locals use the subway? Whenever I've visited Glasgow I've had to make a special effort to use the subway - it doesn't seem very useful for either a business traveller or tourist*. Who is the 'typical use case'?

*Clearly, this depends on where you want to go. What I mean is I've never wanted to go between two places with subway stops

There are people that tell you it's useless but as someone who used it on a daily basis pre-pandemic it's very well used by locals. You could struggle getting on the first train boarding between 8.30am and 9am at any the of the West End stations like Hillhead and Kelvinbridge.

There aren't actually lot of people living directly in the centre of Glasgow compared to similar cities like Manchester, but a lot of people do live in and around the West End and of course you've got the largest Uni as well so there's a lot of traffic on the northern section between St Enoch and Partick. The typical peak flows are also in both directions as you've got people travelling to work in the City Centre as well as Uni Students coming from Scotrail services at Central / Queen Street to the Uni in the West End.

The Southern section between Partick and St Enoch is generally quieter but I've noticed it getting busier in recent years especially between Shields Road (where the park and ride is) and St Enoch. It also serves Ibrox so becomes a crowd mover on matchdays.
 

hexagon789

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There are people that tell you it's useless but as someone who used it on a daily basis pre-pandemic it's very well used by locals. You could struggle getting on the first train boarding between 8.30am and 9am at any the of the West End stations like Hillhead and Kelvinbridge.

There aren't actually lot of people living directly in the centre of Glasgow compared to similar cities like Manchester, but a lot of people do live in and around the West End and of course you've got the largest Uni as well so there's a lot of traffic on the northern section between St Enoch and Partick. The typical peak flows are also in both directions as you've got people travelling to work in the City Centre as well as Uni Students coming from Scotrail services at Central / Queen Street to the Uni in the West End.

The Southern section between Partick and St Enoch is generally quieter but I've noticed it getting busier in recent years especially between Shields Road (where the park and ride is) and St Enoch. It also serves Ibrox so becomes a crowd mover on matchdays.
A lot of the stations are in areas significantly de-populated post-WW2, the area around West Street is a good example. Nevertheless it has more than proved worthwhile being retained against the very real threat of closure in the 1970s before it was decided to retain and modernise the system.

It definitely has its uses but some are perhaps more specific than say the uses provided by the suburban rail system
 

Scotrail314209

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The Subway also does get extremely busy at peak times, with people heading out to the suburbs that aren't served locally by a train. As previous posters have said, you will see a lot of students getting on the train in the Northern half of the Circle. It's also a very quick link into the city rather than taking the bus.
 

chiltern trev

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When we visit Glasgow we park at Shields Road P and R next to the M74/A74(M) - huge 900+ car park with plenty of free spaces at the weekend - then use the subway to St Enoch - or connect with the north Clyde lines to Scotstounhill for Glasgow Rugby.
 

percy vere

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Can see the new trains ever so often on the test track visible next to the between the back of the police station and the bar on Edminston Road, Glasgow
Is there any chance anyone from the glasgow area has seen the one remaining OLD power car on the system that c
There are people that tell you it's useless but as someone who used it on a daily basis pre-pandemic it's very well used by locals. You could struggle getting on the first train boarding between 8.30am and 9am at any the of the West End stations like Hillhead and Kelvinbridge.

There aren't actually lot of people living directly in the centre of Glasgow compared to similar cities like Manchester, but a lot of people do live in and around the West End and of course you've got the largest Uni as well so there's a lot of traffic on the northern section between St Enoch and Partick. The typical peak flows are also in both directions as you've got people travelling to work in the City Centre as well as Uni Students coming from Scotrail services at Central / Queen Street to the Uni in the West End.

The Southern section between Partick and St Enoch is generally quieter but I've noticed it getting busier in recent years especially between Shields Road (where the park and ride is) and St Enoch. It also serves Ibrox so becomes a crowd mover on matchdays.
 

percy vere

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The latest update from the SPT website is that the trains were delivered getting on for 18 months ago now.


I haven't found any other information elsewhere.

What's happening with these units?

I am still trying to find my last remaining old Glasgow subway unit 122 which has eluded me every time I have been to Glasgow can anyone tell me if it is still running please/ thanks
 

hexagon789

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I am still trying to find my last remaining old Glasgow subway unit 122 which has eluded me every time I have been to Glasgow can anyone tell me if it is still running please/ thanks
122 was withdrawn from service and scrapped some years ago unfortunately
 

hexagon789

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I’m still chasing 125... every time it evades me!
It could be withdrawn, I understand other than 122 that I mentioned above a further 4 vehicles have been withdrawn. Getting an up to date fleet list is nigh-on impossible though.
 
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