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Although not the capital of Scotland (which is Edinburgh), Glasgow is by far the biggest and most important city of Scotland, with about 2 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area.

The Subway Line (10.4 km), nicknamed Clockwork Orange, was already built in 1896, and it is therefore one of the oldest metros in the world. Originally operated by steam engines via cable traction, the line was electrified in 1935. From 1977 to 1979 the whole line was thoroughly reformed and reopened in 1980. Some stations were then renamed (Govan Cross > Govan, Partick Cross > Kelvinhall, Copland Road > Ibrox) and Merkland Street was replaced by a new transfer station at Partick.

Trains take approximately 24 minutes for an entire circle. Most stations have quite narrow central platforms long enough for a 3-car-train. Some stations have a narrow island platform between the tracks but now used for one direction of travel only, since a new side platform has been added on one side. For safety reasons a barrier is being erected along the platform edge next to the track whose trains do not use the island platform.

Between Govan and Ibrox, on the south bank of the river Clyde, a tunnel exit leads to the Subway's depot. Directions are indicated as "Outer Circle" (clockwise) and "Inner Circle" (anti-clockwise).

In 2003, the Underground was renamed Subway, which was actually its original name. A new livery is being tried out - basically the "Blood and Custard" that has been used on the heavy rail emus. The carmine is on the roof and lower part of the body with yellowy cream between.

Suburban Rail service is also provided by Strathclyde's Passenger Transport, and operates on the south side of the city from Glasgow Central Station, and through two east-west tunnels, one via Central Station and another one via Queen Street Station for routes to the west, north and east. Queen Street Station, which is connected directly to Buchanan Street underground station, is Scotrail's main terminus for services all over northern and eastern Scotland (to Edinburgh every 15 minutes).

14-12-1896 - inauguration
31-03-1935 - electrification
21-05-1977 - closure
16-04-1980 - reopened

 Projects

Currently there are no plans to expand the underground network.

SPT- Strathclyde Passenger Transport (Official Site)

Glasgow Subway at Wikipedia

Glasgow UndergrounD/Subway by Dewi Williams

Glasgow Underground Photos

Mike's Railway History - Glasgow Underground

Glasgow City & District Railway by Ewan Crawford

Jimmy's Glasgow Subway Stories

Robert Schwandl: METROS IN BRITAIN. Underground & Light Rail Networks in the U.K. - March 2006, ISBN 3936573123 More info

John Wright and Ian Maclean: CIRCLES UNDER THE CLYDE - A History of the Glasgow Underground - Capital Transport, 1997 - 240 pages, A3, many colour and b/w photographs

Watson, Georges: GLASGOW SUBWAY ALBUM.- Adam Gordon, Buckingham, 64 pages, 116 colour photographs taken before the closure in 1977. ISBN 187442311