Glasgow Subway 1975

[Ashley Hill]

The BBC have recently uploaded this vintage Blue Peter clip onto YouTube. It shows presenter Peter Purvis taking a trip around the system on the original stock including a cab ride. Also shown is hoisting a car up into the workshop. A fascinating piece of film.

 

[WesternLancer]

The BBC have recently uploaded this vintage Blue Peter clip onto YouTube. It shows presenter Peter Purvis taking a trip around the system on the original stock including a cab ride. Also shown is hoisting a car up into the workshop. A fascinating piece of film.

That's great - thanks for posting.

I'm impressed by the staff uniforms of the period.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I'm impressed by the staff uniforms of the period.

Yes,time just seemed to have stopped before rebuilding.

 

[midland1]

The trains were first cable hauled, the driver was called the grip man as the trains gripped the cable.

 

[matchmaker]

That's great - thanks for posting.

I'm impressed by the staff uniforms of the period.

If I remember correctly, the cap badges said "Corporation Tramways"!

 

[hexagon789]

If I remember correctly, the cap badges said "Corporation Tramways"!

It was administered as part of the Tramways; presumably the Glasgow Corporation didn't think changing the labelling was necessary even after the Trams were no more.

 

[Strathclyder]

It was administered as part of the Tramways;

OT, but were the trolleybuses the same or were they administered as part of the motor bus side of the Corporation? I'd assume the latter, but since the 'trollies' reused old tram infrastructure, I wouldn't be so sure to assert that. I do know that their overhead power supply were came from the same power station (Pinkston) that the trams used.

 

[hexagon789]

OT, but were the trolleybuses the same or were they administered as part of the motor bus side of the Corporation? I'd assume the latter, but since the 'trollies' reused old tram infrastructure, I wouldn't be so sure to assert that. I do know that their overhead power supply were came from the same power station (Pinkston) that the trams used.

I believe by that point the Tramways (and therefore also the Subway) had been merged with the buses to form Glasgow Corporation Transport. But the history explains the cap badges on Subway staff uniforms.

Given they didn't get rid of the black mourning braids (for Queen Victoria's death), it's not exactly surprising that they didn't change the badges' inscriptions either!

 

[Strathclyder]

I believe by that point the Tramways (and therefore also the Subway) had been merged with the buses to form Glasgow Corporation Transport. But the history explains the cap badges on Subway staff uniforms.

Gotcha. I really should know most of this, but this back pain is clouding my memory recall ability at the moment lol

Given they didn't get rid of the black mourning braids (for Queen Victoria's death), it's not exactly surprising that they didn't change the badges' inscriptions either!

Yeah, not at all surprising they didn't lol Just added to the time-warp feel of the original Subway by the mid-70s.

 

[hexagon789]

Gotcha. I really should know most of this, but this back pain is clouding my memory recall ability at the moment lol

I have two books which help -

The Glasgow Tram Car by Ian Stewart. A "Bible" of Glasgow Tramcar types you might call it, published by the Scottish Tramway Museum Society

And the Glagow Subway "Bible" - Circles Under the Clyde by John Wright and Ian Maclean.

Both provide some context and background on the way the two systems were linked administratively.

Yeah, not at all surprising they didn't lol Just added to the time-warp feel of the original Subway by the mid-70s.

Personally, I would have loved to have experienced it in person. The Subway in my youth had a slight timewarp feel, but more to the era of modernisation - it felt late-70s/early-1980s in style & taste but the most recent 'tarting-up' has definitely refreshed it.

 

[Strathclyder]

I have two books which help -

The Glasgow Tram Car by Ian Stewart. A "Bible" of Glasgow Tramcar types you might call it, published by the Scottish Tramway Museum Society

And the Glagow Subway "Bible" - Circles Under the Clyde by John Wright and Ian Maclean.

Both provide some context and background on the way the two systems were linked administratively.

I'll certainly keep an eye out for them. Cheers for the recommendations.

Personally, I would have loved to have experienced it in person. The Subway in my youth had a slight timewarp feel, but more to the era of modernisation - it felt late-70s/early-1980s in style & taste but the most recent 'tarting-up' has definitely refreshed it.

The original Subway, the trams, the trolleybuses and the newly built 'Blue Trains' (well, after the transformers were modified at least!) are all things I wish I could've experienced 'in the wild' and not just through old videos and pictures.

 

[hexagon789]

I'll certainly keep an eye out for them. Cheers for the recommendations.

The former is more technical than historical, but its excellent if you want an in-depth tome detailing changes to the fleet, changes to individual vehicles etc, and plenty of photos of Glasgow "caurs".

The Circles Under the Clyde, is more balanced between history and technical info. It details how the Subway developed, various trials of equipment and events. But equally such things such as full electrical diagrams of the controller resistances in the old motored gripper cars and also how the then new (MetCamm) stock operates.

 

[Taunton]

Personally, I would have loved to have experienced it in person. The Subway in my youth had a slight timewarp feel, but more to the era of modernisation - it felt late-70s/early-1980s in style & taste but the most recent 'tarting-up' has definitely refreshed it.

I did experience it when in Glasgow in the mid-1970s and, while definitely anachronistic, it didn't really feel oddball. I've written about it in various posts here before. By the end the trains were notably dilapidated, and the wooden bodies flexed to the extent that I did wonder if the window glass ever fell out as they rolled along. Regarding the staff, apparently those who were there to the end of the old trains in 1977 were mostly old tramways staff, and probably retired while the system was closed for a couple of years for the modernisation. In contrast the city buses at the time seemed to have fallen into the hands of a distinctly younger generation, who drove them with considerable gusto which must have been a continuing concern to their insurance agent!

I think the power station at Pinkston was handed over to the National Grid shortly before the trams closed, and as the trolleybuses replaced the trams they would have used the national supply, like the Underground did. Pinkston also supplied the street lighting, mounted on the same poles as used by trams of course where these ran, and connected between the poles by outside high level wires which you can still find in odd Glasgow streets, which are a feature of the city.

The system was variously known as the Subway or the Underground, even the signage alternated between these expressions, and there was no real corporate identity as a whole range of different fonts and logos seemed to be used.

 

[341o2]

My experience was polished wood interiors, and the car bodies flexed while in motion

 

[Southsider]

OT, but were the trolleybuses the same or were they administered as part of the motor bus side of the Corporation? I'd assume the latter, but since the 'trollies' reused old tram infrastructure, I wouldn't be so sure to assert that. I do know that their overhead power supply were came from the same power station (Pinkston) that the trams used.

When did the power station at Eglinton Toll cease supply? Did that go with the trams?

 

[Strathclyder]

The former is more technical than historical, but its excellent if you want an in-depth tome detailing changes to the fleet, changes to individual vehicles etc, and plenty of photos of Glasgow "caurs".

The Circles Under the Clyde, is more balanced between history and technical info. It details how the Subway developed, various trials of equipment and events. But equally such things such as full electrical diagrams of the controller resistances in the old motored gripper cars and also how the then new (MetCamm) stock operates.

Both sound like my cup of tea. Though Circles Under the Clyde sounds like the easier one for most to pick up and digest though as you say.

When did the power station at Eglinton Toll cease supply? Did that go with the trams?

The one on Pollokshaws Road? It was partially converted into a printing works in 1937, and I suspect it ceased supplying power to the trams with the network's final closure in 1962 (I can't find details on if it even lasted that long in this role). Today, part of the site is used to house a Scottish Power substation, as per this link: https://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/978621

 

[nlogax]

Yep I saw this one too, great piece of archive footage. Aiming to spend a bit more time on the existing stock before it disappears so at least I'll have something to feel properly nostalgic about!

 

[WesternLancer]

I assume / know some of the original cars were preserved - anyone know of a list somewhere and where they are now? - I'm not finding it easy to find one tho I am sure I am probably 'looking straight through it'...

 

[matchmaker]

I'll certainly keep an eye out for them. Cheers for the recommendations.


The original Subway, the trams, the trolleybuses and the newly built 'Blue Trains' (well, after the transformers were modified at least!) are all things I wish I could've experienced 'in the wild' and not just through old videos and pictures.

I'm old enough to remember all four

 

[hexagon789]

I assume / know some of the original cars were preserved - anyone know of a list somewhere and where they are now? - I'm not finding it easy to find one tho I am sure I am probably 'looking straight through it'...

IIRC the Riverside Museum has three vehicles, Bo'ness has one. Not sure if there are any others in existence beyond those four.

 

[Mag_seven]

I'm old enough to remember all four

Old enough to remember as a kid travelling on the old subway. I may have been on a trollbus as a baby but sadly not a tram.

 

[Strathclyder]

I assume / know some of the original cars were preserved - anyone know of a list somewhere and where they are now? - I'm not finding it easy to find one tho I am sure I am probably 'looking straight through it'...

Aside from the 3 vehicles at the Riverside Museum, one original car (Motor Coach No. 55) was retained by GGPTE and it's successors and was kept at Broomloan Depot, until it was moved to Bo'ness in 2015 and is now part of the museum collection there.

 

[WesternLancer]

IIRC the Riverside Museum has three vehicles, Bo'ness has one. Not sure if there are any others in existence beyond those four.

Thanks

Aside from the 3 vehicles at the Riverside Museum, one original car (Motor Coach No. 55) was retained by GGPTE and it's successors and was kept at Broomloan Depot, until it was moved to Bo'ness in 2015 and is now part of the museum collection there.

Thanks for the video link

Then I found this from 2018

For sale – Glasgow tube car | Heritage Railway Magazine

A RARE opportunity has arisen to acquire a restored carriage from the Glasgow underground system after the owner’s plans for it fell through. Built in 1896 ...

www.heritagerailway.co.uk

A RARE opportunity has arisen to acquire a restored carriage from the Glasgow underground system after the owner’s plans for it fell through.

Advert price was £18k

I am not sure what the outcome was for that one.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Just found an old advert for a DVD on the line. It was filmed in 1974.

And this.

 

[driver9000]

This may be of interest....

 

[McRhu]

You’ve never lived until you’ve been on the Glesca Underground. I remember it well in the shoogly 1970s. Can’t remember if I’ve told this before, but circa 1973 a pal and I were returning from a gricing visit to Shields Depot and alighting at St Enoch’s. As it happened the fans of two certain opposing Glasgow’s football teams had converged on the platform and indulged in a spot of banter using the language of fisticuffs and bottles. As the carriage door slid back (like the old lattice lift doors) my friend’s chin was introduced to an almighty knuckle sandwich. It was hilarious for me. I escaped relatively lightly. The good old days.