by Buzby » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:31 pm
I've read this thread with interest, but cannot find any mention of this genuinely 'Secret' tunnel. From information that I have been able to piece together, it was built as a private wayleave by the Glasgow Telephone Company (later GPO > PO Telephones > BT). It runs from the junction of Hanover & Cathedral Streets, under the Glasgow-Edinburgh rail line and along the alignment of Bath Street to the Junction with Pitt Street, there the tunnel takes a 90 degree turn southward and terminates in the sub-basement of the original Pitt Street telephone exchange.
The purpose of the tunnel was to provide a route to telephone cables and possibly other services. The tunnel IS large, and can allow a landrover to traverse the full distance - a vehiclular lift complete with winch was contained within the tenament block that used to lie on the west side of Hannover Street. Once demolished, a bedraggled red-standstone 'shopfront' appeared to remain - behind the roller shutter was the lift. After the construction of the Buchanan Galleries project, this building was replaced with a more modern, corrougated grey metal structure with sloping roof. It still features a large roller door to allow vehicular access, and a pedestrian door which is always locked.
There are no other obvious signs as to who the bulding belongs to, although in 2005 I did see a BT van drive out and the door close automatically behind it.
Whilst I can fully appreciate the reason for its distant end (at Pitt Street) being a telephone exchange - the Glasgow Telephone Company's first exchange was DOUglas, located in the former Hope Street Post Office at Renfrew Street, a long way from Bath Street (unless there is a spur).
Can anyone throw light on this?
- Raymond