Subway today

[viceroy]

The system, which was completed in 1896, was originally constructed and operated by the Glasgow District Subway Company which is why it was referred to as the Subway. In 1923 Glasgow Corporation took it over. At that time it was still a cable operated system. The Corporation closed it temporarily in 1935 so that it could be converted to electric traction, at which point it officially became known as the Underground. Most Glaswegians however continued to call it the Subway and this was eventually recognised in recent years when the SPT decided to rename it as such.

Of course Francie and Josie's famous song calls it the Glasgow Underground, but I am sure this name was chosen simply because Glasgow Subway doesn't scan very well, nor rhymes with going round and round!

[Sharon]

A quality response Viceroy, thankyou!!

I doubt anyone would be confused if you refer to it either way.

[yoker brian]

In my 38 years I've always used the term subway.

Underground is acceptable, but I hate hearing it described as the tube or the clockwork orange

[KonstantinL]

Been noticing a surprising number of 'ladies' with adams apples on the underground lately.

Maybe its a friendlier mode of transport than the Drumchapel bus for members of certain minorities.

[glasgowken]

Good reply Viceroy. It was largely a rebranding exercise to try and distance the Corpy electric underground from the old unreliable cable subway, and maybe steal some of the London Underground's thunder

[BrigitDoon]

Been noticing a surprising number of 'ladies' with adams apples on the underground lately.

Maybe its a friendlier mode of transport than the Drumchapel bus for members of certain minorities.

That's ladies (without quotes), thank you. I use the Drumchapel bus and I have never had any trouble on it. Not once in four years. I don't have a prominent adam's apple either for what it's worth. I don't use the subway because such places make me claustrophobic.

I hope that rights any misconceptions.

[Mori]

Hmmm...new subway colors.

[ibtg]

That looks like something AG Barrs might sponsor

Thought they were going back to the old maroon and cream colours?

[the researcher]

A poet-in-residence has been hired to work on Glasgow's underground system.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) said John Rice would develop works for the subway system and wider community over the next nine months.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7559399.stm

The hungry wolf
is very wild
and is guaranteed
to devour a child.

So do take care
if a wolf’s about,
and if you fancy chips,
send your sister out!

John Rice

good night my dear and sweet repose
sleep on your back
so you dont squash your nose
BILLY CONNOLLY HAMMERSMITH ODEN 1994

[the researcher]

I really like those digital signs they have on the subway now, but wish they'd put how long it is until the next train at ground level as well as on the platform. Currently at ground level all it says is "frequency 8 minutes" ... but is the next train in 2 or 8? That's the difference between getting a coffee and a paper or not.

in the 70's there were no digital signs telling you when the next train was but you always knew one was due with the rush of wind up the stairs
usually when travelling from shields road to st enoch it was the inner circle as this was the route with only two stops before st enoch using the same circle to return to shields road
when i was older and used to visit the town by myself i used to use the inner circle going but instead of using the outer circle to return home used to use the inner circle which meant 11 stations before it got to shields road maybe it was because i lived in fife and using the subway was something of a novelty to me but an every day occurence to glaswegians
i also used to love breathing in the subway smell which whoosed up the stairs when a train arrived
irc the trains also used to wait at least a couple of minutes to allow passengers to either get off or on then the guard would blow his whistle and the train would move off
does anyone remember two trains arriving at the same time? dont think this happened very often and as am unsure how many trains ran on each circle pre modernisation its rather difficult to work out or did two trains arriving at the same time only happen on match days perhaps if they put extra trains on due to the increased numbers of passengers?
i think a full circle from shields road to shields road for example took about 25 minutes or so ive never come across any info as to how long a full trip on a circle actually took on the old system

[mooshimooshisan]

I'm pretty sure the digital signs at Partick, at the top of the escalators, do tell you when the next train is due. I saw it flashing the other day with 1 minute on the sign and sure enough, the train was approaching when I got down there. Maybe it was a mirage, though!

[tobester]

i think a full circle from shields road to shields road for example took about 25 minutes or so ive never come across any info as to how long a full trip on a circle actually took on the old system

May have that info in the book Circles Under the Clyde, i have it in my house somewhere ill try and find it see if i can get the info, if not glasgowken may be yer man for that info

[Mori]

Hillhead refurb nearly complete.

[Fossil]

looking good

[yoker brian]

looking good

An improvement on the 1970s jobby brown tiles