• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Glasgow Subway new stock

Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

YorkRailFan

YorkRailFan

On Moderation
Joined
6 Sep 2023
Messages
1,269
Location
York
Lucky passengers got an exciting first look - and ride - on the new Glasgow Subway trains.


After a period of trial testing, SPT decided to enter the first of its new trains into the system on Monday morning.
Those travelling on the Subway got a glimpse into the new and improved modern trains, all of which have been custom-made due to the Glasgow Subway's unique size.
The new trains are the same length and size as the existing ones but are now a four-car set, as opposed to the current three-car set, with open gangways to make the most of the space available.
SPT project director Mark Toner said: “A decision was made that the first of the new trains should enter into passenger service this afternoon.

"It was an opportunity to see how they performed in service with passengers. We’re delighted that the trains have performed as well as they have and that, more importantly, our passengers were happy to see them.


“Our old fleet has performed beyond its expected lifespan and it has become more and more challenging to maintain them and find parts for them as the years have gone on.

"This new fleet will take time to grow towards its full capability and reliability levels but now that the first two trains have been introduced, passengers will have the opportunity to see them intermittently and experience for themselves as they run alongside our existing fleet over the coming months.
The new trains are just one stage in the Subway's major modernisation programme, as work is ongoing behind the scenes to replace the signalling and communications systems.

A new operational control centre is also underway, and SPT will be introducing platform screen doors (PSDs) to station platforms.

After these milestones have been achieved, the firm will then look into the introduction of Unattended Train Operation (UTO) or 'driverless' trains to the system.


Mr Toner added: “There are still a couple of challenging key milestones to be reached before we can say Subway modernisation is complete.

"I understand for passengers the new trains are the most important part of the programme as it is something tangible they can see.

"However, this a brand new, complex state-of-the-art system going into a very old network and that does frustratingly for us all, take time to deliver.

“We are still some way off seeing platform screen doors added to all stations which will be the next big thing for passengers before we have the option of moving to driverless trains.”
Click to expand...

That was unexpected and sudden, but great to have them finally in service. Does anyone know the role out schedule for the new trains and retirement of the old units?
 
Buzby

Buzby

Member
Joined
14 Apr 2023
Messages
627
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
The ride was quite comfy, but the air on hadn’t settled in as condensation was on the inside of the windows. Display screens only showed the usual circle with no live marker as to location. The ride was superb and the walk through design useful as the crowds boarded!

hexagon789 said:
Is it just one or are there two units in passenger traffic? And which 'circle'?
Click to expand...
Two units running one after the other, Outer Circle only.
 
C

clc

Established Member
Joined
31 Oct 2011
Messages
1,302
Buzby said:
The ride was quite comfy, but the air on hadn’t settled in as condensation was on the inside of the windows. Display screens only showed the usual circle with no live marker as to location. The ride was superb and the walk through design useful as the crowds boarded!


Two units running one after the other, Outer Circle only.
Click to expand...
How was the noise level inside?
 
Buzby

Buzby

Member
Joined
14 Apr 2023
Messages
627
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
clc said:
How was the noise level inside?
Click to expand...
It was rammed after Partick - 30 got on at Govan but it was easy to filter through the carriages. I used to get 3 noise alerts from my watch complaining of dangerous noise levels between Partick and Buchanan, but whilst the chatter was noisy I got no noise alerts whatsoever from the Watch, so it’s a thumbs up from me. I’ll use it more often!
 
C

clc

Established Member
Joined
31 Oct 2011
Messages
1,302
Buzby said:
It was rammed after Partick - 30 got on at Govan but it was easy to filter through the carriages. I used to get 3 noise alerts from my watch complaining of dangerous noise levels between Partick and Buchanan, but whilst the chatter was noisy I got no noise alerts whatsoever from the Watch, so it’s a from me. I’ll use it more often!
Click to expand...
I look forward to trying them out on my next visit to Glasgow.
 
VioletEclipse

VioletEclipse

Member
Joined
10 Nov 2018
Messages
716
Location
Dùn Èideann
To be honest one of my main complaints is that the white and orange sections of the livery should be swapped, otherwise they seem really good.
Looking forward to actually travelling on them, but I'll really miss the 2nd gen stock for many reasons including nostalgia and the comfy seats.
 
S

Scotrail88

Member
Joined
21 Jul 2014
Messages
318
Looks like door opening and closing is slower with a delay before departure.

Any feeling for those travelled on then today?
 
Kite159

Kite159

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Jan 2014
Messages
19,287
Location
West of Andover
Good news they have entered service, allowing the older stock to get retired. Might have to get myself up to Glasgow in the New Year to sample one.
 
J

jagardner1984

Member
Joined
11 May 2008
Messages
677
Whilst I think most in Glasgow had rather forgotten they were coming thanks to the glacial pace of the modernisation programme - and the entire network resembling a rather impressive episode of Cowboy Builders - it’s nonetheless welcome to see some form of progress towards passenger service.

It will be interesting to see whether the much trailed UTO is achieved with this new stock, but doubtless there will be a fuller inquiry into the delivery of the project when (if !) it is ever fully completed.

No sign of the new stock amongst the 6 trains in service tonight.
 
Buzby

Buzby

Member
Joined
14 Apr 2023
Messages
627
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
Scotrail88 said:
Any feeling for those travelled on then today?
Click to expand...
Yes, the sequence IS slower - by about 4 seconds each stop. This is split to 1 second on arrival before the doors opened, and 3 on departure - following the colour strip lights changing from green to red, the beeping warning, closure <pause> then take-off. I’m assuming this is all an automated sequence leaving the driver nothing to do but press an initiation button (but I couldn’t see through the tinted screen at the front if this was the case).

That said, the acceleration on start-up was something I enjoyed (I’m easily pleased) as it felt you were making headway- I never got that from the Gen 2 train. I understand all this can be fine tuned and more than makes up for the doors sequence, the perimeter lights - white front, red rear give a modern look and it looks cool coming out the tunnel - I’d assume the driver benefits too compared with the dated headlights of the Gen2 stock. I only experienced the cab in Gen1 and the twin headlights there were no better than a bright candle!
 
Buzby

Buzby

Member
Joined
14 Apr 2023
Messages
627
Location
Glasgow, Scotland
I understood they were only doing a few circuits as they were slotted in to the standard running pattern (so when they took them back to Broomloan, service returned to normal). They’d really need to reconfigure the AirCon as both trains suffered from condensation - possibly might have been set to recirculating in error. Whilst not unpleasant, when the first train arrived (empty) and the doors opened, it was like stepping into a refrigerator, and it didn’t warm up much on the way round.

As for UTO, that won’t happen until platform (half) doors are installed some years down the line - see the Press Release. But until then The experience was good and I heard folk comment how ‘big’ it seemed (when compared to Gen2) - but I bet that’s due to the walk-thru carriages.
 
cakefiend

cakefiend

Member
Joined
23 Jun 2020
Messages
146
Location
Earth
from looking at videos on Twitter, it looks like there’s no opening cab window and that the station staff have to dispatch them?
 
T

tornado

Member
Joined
6 Apr 2010
Messages
407
doors open more slowly than old stock so 30 minute round circle trip rather than 24 minutes. might be improved if they get platform barriers to align with the doors?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top