Glasgow District Subway
Introduction
This line is open and is known as the 'Glasgow Underground' or 'Clockwork Orange'. It is an electrified double track underground line serving the city centre, Govan and West End. The circle is entirely underground although the depth varies between 7 feet below the surface between Kinning Park [Subway] and Cessnock [Subway], and 155 feet below Glasgow Street near Hillhead [Subway]. It passes under the River Clyde twice and the tunnels are lined in cast iron or mass concrete. The line's gauge is 4ft carrying trains 7ft 8in wide in tunnels 11ft in diameter. The cast iron tunnel lining segments were made by the British Hydraulic Foundry, Whiteinch.
Architecture
James Miller designed the station and company offices building in St Enoch Square St Enoch [Subway].
Dates
| / /1890 | Glasgow District Subway Line authorised. |
| / /1894 | Glasgow District Subway Agreement between the Glasgow District Subway and the Caledonian Railway and Glasgow and South Western Railway companies (owners of the Govan Branch (Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway)) over purchase of land for Broomloan Depot [Subway] by Govan station. |
| 14/12/1896 | Glasgow District Subway Cable hauled double track circular line opened. (An accident on opening day leads to immediate closure, with re-opening the following month.) |
| 21/01/1897 | Glasgow District Subway Line re-opened. |
| 02/07/1922 | Glasgow District Subway Jointly run by Glasgow Corporation Tramways and Glasgow Subway Railway Company. |
| / /1923 | Glasgow Corporation Acquires the Glasgow District Subway and Paisley District Tramways. |
| 01/08/1923 | Glasgow District Subway Taken over by Glasgow Corporation Tramways. |
| 30/11/1935 | Glasgow District Subway Cable haulage ceases. |
| 05/12/1935 | Glasgow District Subway Glasgow District Subway electrified with a third rail and re-opened with a new name. |
| 03/03/1954 | Glasgow District Subway Livery changes from red and cream to red. |
| 21/05/1977 | Glasgow District Subway Closed for renovation. |
| 16/04/1980 | Glasgow District Subway The Glasgow District Subway re-opens as the Glasgow Underground following extensive renovation and modernisation. |
| 01/06/1997 | Glasgow District Subway Open day at Broomloan Depot to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the line. |
| /10/2005 | Glasgow District Subway Construction begins of multi-storey car park at Shields Road [Subway] station. |
| / /2006 | Glasgow District Subway During an overhaul programme the trains are repainted into a Strathclyde Passenger Transport livery of carmine and cream. |
| /08/2011 | Glasgow District Subway Hillhead [Subway] station upgraded. |
| /09/2012 | Glasgow District Subway Hillhead station upgrade officially opened by the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon. |
| /04/2013 | Glasgow District Subway Patrick [Subway] station upgraded. |
| /01/2014 | Glasgow District Subway Ibrox station upgrade officially opened by the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon. |
| /05/2019 | Glasgow District Subway Driverless trains built by Stadler arrive at Broomloan Depot for testing. |
Route described
This is a circular line. It is entirely underground except the maintenance depot. The circle passes under the Glasgow city centre serving both the north and south sides of the river and continuing west to Govan, Partick and Glasgow's West End.
The engineers were Simpson and Wilson.
There were several contractors:
George Talbot 1,343 yds
David Shanks 495 yds
Charles Brand and Son 2,119 yds (including Govan [Subway] to Merkland Street [Subway])
John Patterson and Sons 1,227 yds
Hugh Kennedy and Sons 2,559 yds
Watt & Wilson 1,322 yds
James Smith & Co 817 yds
Robert McAlpine and Sons 1,645 yds (much of which was through rock)
This was the first pairing of Simpson and Wilson and Robert McAlpine and Sons who would go on to build the Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway).
Locations along the line
These locations are along the line.
This is a station on the former Glasgow District Subway, now the Glasgow Subway operated by Strathclyde Passenger Transport.
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David Bosher 17/09/2022
John Yellowlees 18/03/2022
David Bosher 18/05/2016
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David Panton 14/07/2021
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Bill Roberton 27/12/2021
David Panton 11/01/2020
Ewan Crawford //1988
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David Panton 11/01/2020
David Panton 17/09/2008
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Bill Roberton 05/01/2023
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John Furnevel 13/05/2007
David Panton 04/01/2011
John Furnevel 13/05/2007
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David Panton 11/01/2020
David Panton 11/01/2020
David Panton 16/10/2010
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David Panton 11/01/2020
John Furnevel 13/05/2007
David Panton 16/10/2010
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Bill Roberton //1975
Bill Roberton //1975
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Bill Roberton //1975
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Bill Roberton 17/11/2022
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Bill Roberton 17/11/2022
David Panton 11/01/2020
David Panton 19/10/2019
This was an underground station. The east end is directly below the embankment of Partick station which is above at street level.
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This is an underground station. It is below, and a little to the east of, Partick station which is above at street level.
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David Panton 11/01/2020
David Panton 04/01/2011
David Panton 04/01/2011
Ewan Crawford //1988
This is an underground station with access on the north side of Dumbarton Road, just west of the intersection with the south end of Byres Road at Partick Cross. The Kelvin Hall is about a quarter of a mile to the east along Dumbarton Road and the Kelvingrove Art Galleries and Kelvingrove Park are just beyond. The University of Glasgow is to the north east, probably better served by ...
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Colin Miller /04/2014
This is an underground station with an entrance and ticket office on the east side of Byres Road, about a third of the way from Great Western Road south to Dumbarton Road. The station is close to the well known Ashton Lane. The station is just west of the University of Glasgow.
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Bill Roberton 25/02/2023
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Bill Roberton 02/09/2022
David Panton 11/01/2020
This underground station has access by long escalator from Great Western Road, from the east end of the bridge over the River Kelvin. At ground level there is a ticket office by the station car park, built on the site of the goods yard of the former Kelvin Bridge station.
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John Furnevel 10/07/2005
This is an underground station on a portion of the Glasgow Subway which runs under Great Western Road. The original surface buildings in the immediate area here were destroyed in preparation for the routing of the M8, and its approaches.
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David Panton 11/01/2020
John Furnevel 08/04/2007
This underground station has access from the north side of Cowcaddens Road. The ticket office is at ground level. The station
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David Panton 11/01/2020
David Panton 11/01/2020
This underground station adjoins Glasgow Queen Street High Level and Glasgow Queen Street Low Level, both to the east and connected by a travelator to the underground station. The station is located below the north end of the pedestrianised Buchanan Street. The ticket office is below street level with a glass covered stairwell to the south and glass covered escalator to the north for ...
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David Panton 19/10/2019
David Panton 11/01/2017
Colin Harkins 11/06/2010
David Panton 11/09/2010
Books
 Circles Under the Clyde - A History of the Glasgow Underground | Glasgow Underground |  Glasgow Underground: The Glasgow District Subway |
