History Glasgow City and District Railway

1 history

1.1 earlier railways
1.2 west , east of glasgow
1.3 line through centre of city
1.4 opening
1.5 bridgeton extension
1.6 electrification

history
earlier railways

the first railways in west of scotland coal railways, intended bring coal city consumption, , canals , ports onward water-borne transport. garnkirk , glasgow railway opened in 1831 , had terminus @ townhead, on north-eastern margin of city.

in 1840 more general-purpose railways seen: glasgow, paisley, kilmarnock , ayr railway opened in 1840, followed glasgow, paisley , greenock railway in 1841, , edinburgh , glasgow railway, providing intercity service, in 1842. had passenger , goods station @ queen street in glasgow. not until 1848 first long-distance line reached city: caledonian railway opened glasgow.

there 4 passenger terminals in glasgow, @ bridge street, @ south side, @ buchanan street , @ queen street. short lines small towns industrial base opened, , these encouraged residential development: beginning of daily travel work train; there no suburban network.

west , east of glasgow

system map of glasgow city , district railway

for many years passenger , goods trade between glasgow , communities , industries west of glasgow carried on boat. north bank of clyde relatively unpopulated far bowling, basin of forth , clyde canal entered river; beyond dumbarton centre of industry; , beyond dumbarton lay towns of firth of clyde.

in 1858 glasgow, dumbarton , helensburgh railway (gd&hr) opened, connecting city purely local railway connected bowling , balloch, on loch lomond. @ last north bank of clyde had through railway connection. built-up area of glasgow prevented gd&hr building directly west city, , line made large circuit round north of glasgow. there still no attempt @ suburban service: first station glasgow maryhill, isolated village, , dalmuir.

the gd&hr joined edinburgh , glasgow railway @ cowlairs, , absorbed company in 1862; e&gr absorbed north british railway in 1865.

on east side, monklands area around airdrie , coatbridge had become centre of iron industries; had extensive seams of quality coal , of blackband ironstone. wealthy industrial district in area served caledonian railway , north british railway sought build direct line coatbridge glasgow, participate in available business. opened coatbridge branch in 1871. glasgow terminus called college, @ site vacated purpose university of glasgow; not convenient city centre. nbr had collaborated glasgow , south western railway (g&swr) in construction of city of glasgow union railway, opened college in 1871, crossing river clyde , linking g&swr network nbr line.

at last separate radiating railways around glasgow becoming linked, , suburban passenger railway, , exchange of goods traffic, thought of.

the nbr network developed west of city, driven chiefly expansion westwards of heavy industry , of docking facilities steamers. stobcross railway opened in 1874 serve new queen s dock @ stobcross, line made large circuit of city reach dock. glasgow, yoker , clydebank railway opened in 1882 serve shipyard , other industrial sites relocating. passenger service on yoker line not connected rest of railway network.

a line through centre of city

this fractured set of lines frustrated development of areas served nbr. moreover, queen street station, considered cramped outset, impossibly congested terminating trains , goods station, , there no possibility of increasing line capacity on cowlairs incline. nbr set task of connecting lines east , west of city.

the glasgow city , district railway, independent company sponsored nbr, authorised on 10 august 1882 make line college station stobcross, distance of 3 miles (5 km). capital £550,000. connection @ knightswood enabling through running stobcross towards dalmuir included in authorisation.

the main section of gc&dr sub-surface, constructed cut , cover. @ peak construction had 22 tunnelling faces active. four-platform station provided @ queen street, partly under existing main line station. new through station provided @ college, replacing existing terminus. stobcross line @ west end goods-only dead end , transformed through line, station nearby @ finnieston.

the construction challenging in engineering terms: fourth underground line in country.

opening

the gc&dr line opened on 15 march 1886, , company amalgamated north british railway. passenger services had run queen street high level terminus diverted run through new line, providing immediate relief @ queen street. on same day nbr opened short hyndland branch partick junction, providing western terminus trains. on 1 august 1886 knightswood spur opened, , queen street goods depot closed , goods traffic transferred temporarily g&swr goods station @ college. goods trains not allowed use underground section, minimise problems smoky atmosphere.

soon 90 trains daily being handled in underground section. @ first carriages unlit, following protests incandescent lighting system provided, powered conductor fixed tunnel walls. system patented h s p carswell; removed in november 1901.

the smoky atmosphere in tunnel sections cause serious complaint. proposed solutions vent tunnels proved unacceptable local residents, , years issue remained contentious. roof of charing cross station removed.

the 4 platforms @ queen street low level station lettered, a, b, c , d.

bridgeton extension

in association gc&dr line, nbr opened short branch college bridgeton cross on 1 july 1892 intermediate station @ gallowgate, , g&swr provided spur line city of glasgow union line, opening on 1 april 1893. service unsuccessful, , withdrawn on 1 february 1913; spur connection closed.

bridgeton station area used stabling , carriage cleaning, station closed on 4 november 1979 when argyle line opened; branch continued used carriage servicing years.

electrification

under modernisation scheme of 1955, gc&dr route electrified part of proposed enhancement of whole of former nbr north clyde lines. 4 platforms @ queen street low level closed 10 13 august 1959 remodelling simple two-platform station prelude electrification. full electrification inaugurated on 7 november 1960 series of explosions in new electric units resulted in restoration of steam service, continued 19 december until 1 october 1960, when full electric service reinstated after modifications electrical system of units.

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