THE (OLD) GLASGOW SUBWAY Underground Railway NEW
The Glasgow Subway, the only true underground railway in Britain outside
of London, was originally opened in 1896 but the Victorian carriages
were still running 80 years later.
Now, Video 125 has found a fascinating
film of the line shot in 1974 by the Universities of Glasgow and
Strathclyde. Filmed in colour with sound, this remarkable record of the
line is the nearest one can get to experiencing what it was like to
travel on an original Victorian tube train.
The film starts with the history of the line in 1897 with old
photographs, posters and diagrams. Forward to 1974 and we see the
original cars, including 'gate' stock, the gates being opened on the
two-car trains by the guard, still in operation.
We witness the method
of rescuing a broken down train in the tunnel - by being pushed out by
the following train. In another example, we see passengers being
evacuated from a broken down train through the tunnel.
We get a comprehensive look inside the depot as the old wooden bodied
cars are kept running long after their natural expiry date. We see the
cars being lifted out of the tunnel by crane - there were no points
anywhere on the 6 ½ mile circular system.
Uniquely, for an underground
railway, the trains were originally hauled by seven mile long continuous
cables, the working of which is fully explained.
In 1935, the trains
were adapted to run on electricity collected from a third rail, though
electric lighting was still collected by pick-ups running along the
tunnel walls - still in use in 1974.
We go inside the tunnels to see the track gang at work replacing a
section of worn out track. The battery locomotive being lowered onto the
line at night. We hear from those either working or travelling on the
railway, the Car Sheds Superintendent as well as a driver, electrical
engineer and even some of the passengers.
Hear the actual sounds of the
trains, stations and depot as they were back in 1974.