Glasgow Railway Scenes

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This is Glasgow Queen Street Station as it was in September 1962. The road bridge above is Cunningham Street and was used as a makeshift bus departure point. The signal box controlling the station is just behind the signal gantry. The signal box is now long gone but the supporting bridge is still present. Summer 1962.
This is the intersection between Argyle Street and Hope Street to the north and Oswald Street to the south. Below the tram is Glasgow Central low level and is still in service at this time. Summer 1962.
This is Glasgow St. Enoch Station and we are about to depart for a day at the seaside, probably Largs. St. Enoch Station, Corkerhill allocated BR Class 5 73100 and the ex LMS non corridor passenger carriages will not be around for much longer. June 1966.
The death sentence of St. Enoch Station has been proclaimed and will soon be executed. As of the 27th of June 1966 no more service trains will use the station. Services were subsequently transferred to Glasgow Central. June 1966.
Arkleston Cutting is just east of Paisley Gilmour Street and Class 5. 73064 passes just before the demise of steam operations on the south Clyde Coast lines. Electrification work from Glasgow Central to Gourock and Wemyss Bay is in progress. The centre two lines have been removed and masts have been installed though not always in that sequence. Forty years or so later a single extra running line was reinstated requiring the relocation of the all the masts to the outside. June 1966.
Now the death sentence for Glasgow Buchanan Street Station has been proclaimed. As of the 7th of November 1966 no more service trains will use the station. Services were subsequently transferred to Glasgow Queen Street. November 1966.
Lonely at the end of the platform the final service train awaits departure for Inverness. November 1966.
This is Glasgow Buchanan Street Station on the final evening in service, the 6th of November 1966. The closure notice is displayed above the ticket office. November 1966.
The final departures are displayed. The penultimate departure is for Aberdeen via Forfar and the very last train from Buchanan Street Station is for Inverness. After that we all went home. November 1966.
This is not Glasgow but is Paisley Gilmour Street Station. The train originated in Glasgow Central and illustrates the short period between the end of steam working and full electric services on the Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines. Note the adequate provision of passenger vehicles, a sight not often encountered today. July 1967.
Taken from the eastbound platform at Newton, a Class 40 heads west with a load of black diamonds. July 1967.
The original Freightliner terminal in Glasgow was at Gushetfaulds adjacent to the main line into Glasgow Central.  This is June 1968.
The two Class 25 locomotives are at the approach to Polmadie engine shed. Note the somewhat utilitarian signal box controlling the entrance. June 1968.
This is looking southbound on the West Coast Main Line as it passes Polmadie engine shed. This view is taken from the road bridge on Polmadie Road.  June 1968.
Looking northbound from the road bridge on Polmadie Road, an almost brand new Class 50 D410 heads for Polmadie engine shed. June 1968.
Again looking northbound from the road bridge on Polmadie Road a southbound freight passes. June 1968.
In the past, persons interested in trains were usually made welcome to visit engine sheds and Polmadie depot was no exception. In those days we all had common sense to look out for and avoid any hazards, did we not? In the present day regime of elf 'n softie litigation, blame culture and no win no fee shyster lawyers, this pleasure has been denied to all. June 1968.
This Freightliner train has just left Gushetfaulds terminal and is southbound for England. June 1968.
This is Dalmuir Station and a Class 20 returns with some oil tankers off the West Highland Line. June 1968.
Steam did not quite disappear from Eastfield Depot with the end of steam traction. One Class 4MT, 80002 remained as a static steam generator for heating coaching stock. April 1969.
This locomotive received a reprieved and was restored and now resides on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. It is seen adjacent to Cowlairs signal box. April 1969.
This scene was taken from the abandoned ex Caledonian Possil line where it crossed over the Glasgow-Edinburgh line and was an excellent viewing point for observing the locomotives at Eastfield Depot. The abandoned bridge was later removed and subsequently Eastfield depot was closed and demolished. History repeated itself and a new depot has now appeared on the site. April 1969.
With the introduction of the May 1974 timetable, the "Electric Scots" service became operational on the West Coast Main Line. To promote this major service improvement a duplicate 87001 was built. However this full size replica was made of wood. After being exhibited in the McLellan Galleries in Glasgow the replica was displayed for some time on a barge on the river Clyde. The exhibit was safeguarded by a man in a rowing boat as the barge was considered a hazard to navigation if it detached its moorings. May 1974.
May 1974 saw the introduction of full electric service to Glasgow on the West Coast Main Line. Unlike today, virtually all trains, passenger and freight, made use of this electrification. The wooden replica 87001 remained in full view for some time. May 1974.
Glasgow St. Enoch Station remained unused for a number of years after closure before suffering the penultimate insult, being used as a car park. Don't be fooled by the sign, the roof was not repaired, just demolished. The final insult was the destruction of this fine station and hotel to be replaced with yet another shopping centre. Just what Glasgow really needed! If you've seen one shopping centre, you've seen a mall. September 1975.
The view from the station concourse. The platforms and roadbed have been levelled as the covered area was used as a car park. At this time when the roof was being "repaired?" this area was fenced off. September 1975.
St. Enoch Station also had quite a large engine shed. This was located near the City of Glasgow Union line. This of course disappeared on the demolition of the whole St. Enoch site. September 1975.
This is Queen's Dock and is now out of use. The large crane in the distance is the Finnieston Crane, once used to load locomotives onto ships for export. The whole dock area was subsequently filled in and the Scottish Events Campus or SEC (formerly named the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre) now resides here. October 1975.
This is McWilliam scrap yard (no doubt today it would be called a materials reclamation and recycling facility) and the only two inmates are a pair of Class 17 Clayton locomotives. The Claytons did not have much of a long life but at least they did outlive the NB2 Class 21 & 29 locomotives. October 1975.
McWilliam scrap yard was located adjacent to the Glasgow to Airdrie line about mid way between Shettleston and Garrowhill Stations. Access was without restriction as there was no fence. After all, who would want to pilfer a locomotive? How things have changed. October 1975.
This is Glasgow Central Station Low Level just before the rebuilding of the Argyle Line. The original station had four through platforms but was rebuilt with only two lines and a single island platform. This view is from Wellington Street looking east. No doubt the original configuration of four platform faces would be much appreciated today both at Central and at Queen Street. July 1976.
Now round to Hope Street and we are looking west. It now becomes clear that Glasgow Central Low Level is not directly beneath the upper station but is actually to the west between Hope Street and Wellington Street. July 1976.
This is St. Enoch Station Hotel as seen from the south side of St. Enoch Square. It will not be here for much longer as the overall train shed has now been demolished. July 1976.
Many people at this time would not realise that there was a railway tunnel underneath Argyle Street running from Glasgow Cross to Anderson Cross. The line closed in 1964 but was reopened in 1979 as part of the Argyle Line. A new station named Argyle Street was provided just opposite Marks & Spencer. A peculiarity of this station is that when you alight from a train you have to descend before ascending to reach street level. This is Argyle street before pedestrianisation and the construction of the station entrance. July 1976.
There were once two stations near to Glasgow Cross, Gallowgate on the high level City of Glasgow Union Line and Glasgow Cross on the underground Argyle Line. Both stations are long closed but their respective lines remain open. This is the entrance to Glasgow Cross Station which was closed in 1964. No doubt the closeness of road traffic to the station entrance would be frowned upon today. July 1976.
Glasgow Cross Station was noted for having a rather unique wall around the open area. It was made of metal and each panel had an embossed CR for Caledonian Railway logo. On the reopening of the Argyle Line in 1979 the open area was covered over and the panels removed. The CR panels were last seen adorning a public toilet at St. Vincent Place. Glasgow Cross station did not open as a new station was opened at Argyle Street instead. July 1976.
At one time there were many coal fired power station in Glasgow, usually next to the River Clyde. This is Clydesmill at Carmyle. Of course the coal was delivered by rail. September 1976.
During the rebuilding of the Argyle Line, much modification was done to the infrastructure resulting in a reduction of the original capacity. Here at Stobcross Station the original route to Kelvinside was used as the eastbound platform and a new burrowing junction was provided. On reopening, the station was named Finnieston and later became Exhibition due to the nearby Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre which is reached by an overhead opaque plastic tunnel. March 1977.
Another view of Queen's Dock taken from above Stobcross (Exhibition) Station. In the distance there is a Class 303 Blue Train passing Kelvinhaugh Junction. Note the sparse level of road traffic on the Clydeside Expressway, a scenario never experienced today. The dock area is now occupied by the Scottish Events Campus or SEC (formerly named the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre). March 1977.
In the late 1970's the Glasgow Underground or as referred to in Glasgow, the Subway, was rebuilt. This is Govan Station where the original island platform was replaced with two much wider platforms making loading and unloading much easier. July 1977.
Here a couple of the original Subway cars are show discarded and at the mercy of the local vultures. They have already began to feast. July 1977.
Unusual sights in George Square. Before being dispatched to a permanent life underground, one of the new Subway cars was exhibited to the public at the western edge of George Square. July 1977.
The public were invited to peruse the interior of the first of the new Subway cars. July 1977.
This is Dalmarnock Station during the refurbishment of the Argyle Line. Closed in 1964, it reopened in 1979. Paved track has been installed but not much more. There was no restriction on access in those days. If you injured yourself, it was your own stupid fault, no one else's. Dalmarnock Station has recently been refurbished once again for a sporting event. The much more conveniently located Parkhead Stadium Station remains buried and forgotten. July 1977.
This is Bridgeton Cross station and work is in progress restoring the Argyll line to Rutherglen. In the far right may be seen the supports holding up London Road A74 above what was once an island platform on the diverting route to Carmyle via Parkhead Stadium and Tollcross. It was a lost opportunity that this line was not included in the reopening as it passed through well populated areas unlike the Rutherglen to Carmyle line. July 1979.
Another station included in the reopening of the Argyll Line was the much modified Stobcross Street station. Originally there was no platform on the link to Kelvinhaugh Junction. The station was eventually renamed Finnieston and later Exhibition due to the proximity of the Scottish Events Campus. July 1979.
This is Bellgrove and we are most fortunate to see a short freight train heading for High Street Goods Depot. February 1982.
This train passing Bellgrove coveys international ferry vans operated by Transfesa. These vans would have arrived in the UK via a roll on roll off train ferry, probably via the Dunkerque to Dover Western Docks train ferry "Pas de Calais". February 1982.
At Bellgrove a single Class 37 heads west. The area on the left was the site of the cattle unloading platform where live animals left on their final journey to the adjacent abattoir. On the siding for the cattle platform, the rails were set in concrete to allow for easy cleaning of any animal waste from the cattle wagons. This area was subsequently landscaped but the embedded track remains buried for some future industrial archaeologist to make an exciting discovery. February 1982.
This scene was taken from the abandoned ex Caledonian Possil line where it crossed over the Glasgow-Edinburgh line and was an excellent viewing point for observing the locomotives at Eastfield Depot. Before any bean counter surmises that Scottish Region have a surfeit of locomotives, this scene was captured during the national railwayman's strike in July 1982. The abandoned bridge was later removed and subsequently Eastfield depot was closed and demolished. History repeated itself and a new depot has now appeared on the site. July 1982.
This is Glasgow Central Station in July 1982. The astute viewer will notice that no trains are scheduled to depart, platform displays 1 to 13 are empty. This was due to a national railwayman's strike that month. The station shop and bars were still open for business though. July 1982.
A view of Platform 3 and 4. Note that the overnight sleeping car train has not been returned to Polmadie Depot for servicing. Further up the train is the unique Pullman Bar Car "Hadrian's Bar. However this bar is not open for business. July 1982.
Over now to Queen Street Station and a Glasgow Aberdeen train remains after arrival. After the Glasgow Edinburgh trains were replaced with Class 47-7, five MK.3 and a Mk2f DBSO (Driving Brake Second Open) extra DBSO cars were available for use with Class 47-7 and various air braked Mk.2 carriages for Aberdeen and Inverness services. July 1982.
Without dispute, the best trains ever to operate on the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk route. For most of the 1980's the Class 47-7, four Mk.3 Tourist Second Opens, a Mk.3 Open First (later replaced with a Mk.3 Open Composite) and a Mk.2f Driving Brake Second Open formation all with Inter-City quality seating shuttled back between Glasgow and Edinburgh on a tight schedule. Around 1990 they were replaced with Class 156, then Class 158 and now Class 170 DMU's, all unfortunately fitted with high density commuter seating. May 1985.
Just how low can you get in Glasgow and remain in the open air? Probably in Govan. This scene is taken from the bottom of Govan dry dock some twenty or so feet below river level. The Sealink ship Antrim Princess, still railway owned and in British Rail blue is receiving some attention. January 1983.
At one time the public could get even lower in Glasgow but this time time it was underground, well actually under water. The first tunnels under the Clyde were at Finnieston where two vehicular and a pedestrian tunnel existed. Road traffic ceased quite early on but the foot tunnel remained open until 1980. Access was gained via the north and south rotundas.
Photo: David Black.
This is not a railway station, it's a bus station. This is an evening view of Buchanan Bus Station. August 1994.
It would be another thirty years before another railway exhibit appeared in George Square. This is South African Railways North British Locomotive Company built Class 15F 4-8-2 3007. It resided in George Square for a short time before reaching its final resting place in the Glasgow Riverside museum. August 2007.
Photo: David Black.
This locomotive was saved from the scrap line at Bloemfontein in South Africa. It travelled by rail to Durban, by sea to Germany and then to Immingham. The journey to Glasgow was by road due to the large size of the locomotive and of course its track gauge of 3' 6". It is now one of the largest exhibits in the Glasgow Riverside museum. August 2007.
Photo: David Black.

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