The Hidden Glasgow Forums

This might be of interest to the railway guys on here.

My Dad took these pictures in 1960 - he was a signalman in the old (and new) signalling centre. Anyway although there's a bit of a difference in the tones, I thought I'd try stitching them to get the panorama of the approach to Glasgow Central before the original bridge (on the right) was removed leaving only the pillars in the Clyde.

If they had these lines today we'd easily get into Central without the obligatory stop at the gantry every morning.

Superb - This photograph would be very useful on my website - any chance of me using it? Full credit would be given naturally

JBH

Alycidon wrote:Superb - This photograph would be very useful on my website - any chance of me using it? Full credit would be given naturally

JBH

Sure - as long as you say taken by William Robertson in 1960 - I'll show the old man his name on the net the next time he's up here . He's 88 and is still trying to get his head round the internet!

In fact these two were taken in the new signalling centre in Cook St just after it opened - use them too if you want (that's my Dad in the light coloured jumper nearest the camera).

Do either Schiehallion or Alycidon (or anyone else) have any photographs of the railwaymen? I've been trying to track down information on my grandfather and his brothers who all worked on the railway. One of them (so I'm told, but not my grandfather) drove a royal train. I appreciate there will be loads of drivers who have done that but maybe less families with all the men working on the trains at the same time. The event was apparently photographed by a newspaper because it was so unusual. Any help would be most appreciated. Their name was Williamson. Regards, Dee

Do you know the approximate year or what depot they worked out of (possibly Polmadie if they drove the Royal train.)

I'm in the railway and know some old hands if it's not too far back!

I think it would be your father's generation I'm looking for. My grandfather died on New Year's eve 1938, aged 50 years. His brothers were William, George, Albert and Robert. At the time of his death my grandfather lived in the Gorbals. They were from Elgin but landed in Maryhill due to the railways. Thanks for your interest and thanks for a quick reply. Regards, Dee

Schiehallion,

What do you do on the railway, i'm on the railway too

Hi Schiehallion (or should I say 60086), you can tell your dad that he is now famous! http://www.jhowie.force9.co.uk/glasgowcentral.htm

JBH

A question Alycidon, has all the livery on Strathclyde trains now been changed to custard and maroon, because on the few times ive been back in Glasgow, a lot seem to still be orange/Strathclyde Red

Hi Vladimir

You must have just been lucky, according to the current record, only 4 units, 314201, 314202, 314207 and 314213 of are still in "Strathclyde Red", with all the ther EMUs and class 156 DMUs having been repainted

JBH

Hi all,

I can't see the pictures on the forum as i'm at work but i'm looking at the pictures on http://www.jhowie.force9.co.uk/glasgowcentral.htm

The early views of the signalling centre are of the first signalling centre,
the current signalling centre is in the same building but the panels are totally different as it was renewed again in the early seventies around the time of the WCML electrification

Excellent pictures btw!

That's right, the changeover to the new panels had to be very carefully planned. The control area was also extended to control the Cathcart Circle and the main line out to Cambuslang. Anyone able to get pics of the present panels as they will soon be history too. There is plans to renew all the signalling infrastructure soon as it is close to life expired

JBH

Schiehallion wrote:

If they had these lines today we'd easily get into Central without the obligatory stop at the gantry every morning.

Quite agree! Nothing is more annoying than that stop and you would have thought running the same network for more than a century they'd have sussed it by now. So does anyone know why the original Central Station bridge was removed? With the loss of St Enoch's due to Beeching, and the subsequent centralisation of trains destined for the south of the Clyde to Central Station you would have thought it a good idea to keep it! Now that Central's at capacity it does seem rather short sighted.

Any books I have do not go into specifics as to exactly what was wrong with the bridge, only that it was "in decay" and requiring a substantial amount of cash spent on it to ensure it would safely continue to carry trains.
This was at a time when the whole station was being re-signalled and it was thought that all services could be efficiently routed over the new bridge, given that there would be a reduction in empty stock and light engine working following the introduction of diesel and electric services. I think that the current delays ared be as a result of the desparate need to overhaul the existing track and signalling system which is life expired and needing complete renewal.
I believe that the plans have been drawn up for this but as usual there is a lack of cash to carry it out.

JBH

My Dad tells me that in its' last years, once traffic was no longer running across it, there was limits as to how many locos could be stabled on the bridge due to its' deteriorating state. However the signalmen used to turn a blind eye to these rulings. The signalbox in those days sat on that bridge.

On the subject of the bridge, anyone remember an artist who wanted to put massive hands and feet on the pillars which remain today giving the effect of a giant sticking his arms and legs up out the water?