Glasgow Metro : Good, Maybe - Part 1

Forty Years Of Development**

** Actually 41 years! The pace of development from 1979 to 2010  has continued since with more electrification and new trains.

1979

It was in !979 that electric trains began to run between Partick and Rutherglem via a reopened Glasgow Central Low Level. 

This marks the start of a plan to improve, electrify and open more lines to serve the city.

It was called 'The Argyle Line' after the central Glasgow tunnel which followed Argyle Street. 

This linked trains from the south east through to the north Clyde lines to the west, DARK BLUE on the above network map,

1983

This year marked the only closure in fbb's time of visits with Mrs fbb.

The line to Kilmacolm via Paisley Canal closed completely. (above map,  upper left, colour PUCE).

1990

Just seven years later the Kilmacolm line reopened but only as far as Paisley Canal, so named because the line was built on a filled-in waterway.

1993

Two openings this year. The somewhat roundabout route from Glasgow Queen Street to Maryhill (later extended to Anniesland) opened.

A train via Maryhill sits in the bay platform at Anniesland.

Also in that year you could, once again, ride from Central to Whifflet.

Below, a Whifflet train in PTE Carmine and Cream days.

1996

A new service began from Cumbernauld via Whifflet to Motherwell.

1999

The service from Glasgow to Cumbernauld was extended to Falkirk Grahamston. (same map as that for 1996, above).

2005

The existing electric service to Motherwell and Hamilton ...

... was extended to Larkhall.

2010

The existing service from Glasgow to Drumgellich (Airdrie) was linked to the local service from Edinburgh to Bathgate.

Through trains run every 15 minutes.

So today's network is very much improved, with a momentum that far exceeds anything that England and Wales has been able to manage.

And the above is just about services from Glasgow!

But here are some stations that have not regained their service.

Kilmacolm

Botanic Gardens

Kirkintilloch

Kelvinbridge

Renfrew

Above is one of FIVE stations that bore the name Renfrew!

But if the recently announced proposals do, eventually, happen, the Clyde Metro scheme will bring trains back to these long-closed stations,

 More tomorrow. 

Delivering Diverse Doors

fbb has been continuing the 'work' on his Peterville Castle project. With the main construction finished, there is much detailing to tackle. 

But there is a problem with that main door. If you exit that way you will walk straight on to the train tracks; potentially rather dangerous for castle visitors. 

But there is a back story! When the railway for Peterville Quarry came along, Lord Hardulph, owner of the quarry, owner of the castle and grandfather of the present Lord ...

... built a new entrance in the round (octagonal) tower and walled up the original.

From a modelling point of view, the new door was a picture downloaded from on-line and bodged to fit.

The internet picture was "shaded" so looks not too bad from the usual viewing distance.

Seemples!

 Next Glasgow Metro blog : Weds 11 Feb 

Monday Variety

 Daft Detection Disturbance

On Tuesday night the above device started bleeping; just a tearful bleep every minute. A bleep of that sort from a smoke detector can be one of three things.

The flattery can be bat; the sensor can be impeded by dust, dead flies etc, OR, the dainty device can simply be suffering, like fbb, from old age for which there is no cure.

So on Wednesday your agile old blogger (?) changed the battery on the first floor landing.

But on Friday it began bleeping again with no pause for breath.

So on Saturday the mystified old man nipped up to the second floor, home of the model railway, for a screwdriver with which to gain access to the still bleeping unit. As he arrived at the door on high he heard a more strident bleeping than before.

fbb mansions is well protected from smoke but fbb had forgotten that there was a detector on the second (top) landing. It was there that the bleeps were bleeping. So, replacing the battery on the first floor was unlikely to have much effect.

Surprisingly, replacing the battery on the top floor stopped the bleeping.

Back To Thamesmead

There has been comment on line that Mr Khan's Superloop routes are just as susceptible to traffic ensnarlement as their all stops counterparts. The only way to test this would be to travel regularly on the withdrawn 472 then make the same journey on the SL11, also regularly.

Fortunately a YouTube video exists of the full journey from Abbey Wood to North Greenwich in (yawn) real (yawn) time (yawn).

fbb managed to sustain his excitement from station terminus to Belmarsh Prison.

The first thing of note was that not all buses were correctly branded for Superloop, as with the bus in the rear at the Abbey Wood wind tunnel.

The videoer (videoist?) has set the scene well with a stunning shot of the bus stop flag ...

... of the panel timetable ...

... there being no real time electronic display at the station stop. [Caveat : unless screens had been installed more recently?].

But here is a thing. The bus stop departure list showed 15 stops, as did the on-line information c/o TfL. 

But the advance warning poster at the terminus ...

... offered 17 stops. 

Which is right?

Dunno. fbb's enthusiasm dissipated quickly as it always does when faced with the very poor quality of TfL information.

But off we go to the first stop after the viaduct.

... where SL3 and SL11 were both shown on the flag in white on red. The shelter was adorned with the multi-coloured Superloop roundel.

As were the stops on the loop. Good house point!

But, as the bus approached Thamesmead centre, a cyclists overtook the bus (!), held up by a non Loopy bus at a Loop stop, and then monopolised the bus lane. 

He is entitled to do that, but it makes a nonsense of the vision of Limited Stop buses speeding their passengers swiftly to their limited stop.

The video was obviously shot soon after the service started, possibly on Saturday 24th, but, from the lack of traffic, more likely on Sunday 25th.

There were quite long delays at stops, presumably as the driver explained what an SL11 was and declining some whose destination stop is now no longer served.

If only potential passengers had a timetablemleaflet with a good map, delays like this could be reduced!

Thus it was that as our steed approached the Belmarsh stop ...

... and what should be loading in front ...

... but the previous SL11; (again it was another ordinary bus!). At the most frequent service pattern, which this probably wasn't, they should have been SIX minutes apart.

At an obviously quiet time, this does not bode well for service "regulation". 

There have been comments elsewhere that the Suoerloop routes may be nominally "Express" bit they are often far from speedy. The adjective "unreliable" is occasionally used.

Instead of developing a PR Mayoral Boosting vanity brand, you have to wonder whether these expensive new services are worth the cost.

Why not just pour the resources into more frequent and sustainably reliable all-stops services with more hands-on regulation?

Bring back Blakey!

Class 897

Some articles suggest that these are the first new trains for Great British Railways.

Not exactly.

All artist's impressions show the new trains in LNER livery. fbb does not know whether the 897s were ordered by the still-private LNER or since entering pre-nationalisation DaFT take-over.

But their distinctive (?) design is very much LNER.

Here is part of the "Ian Visits" blog.

They look so different from all the other 800  trains.

They will be tri-mode (diesel, electric and battery) and will supplement the current fleet on the East Coast main line.

Delivery is proposed for 2028 but will, as usual, run late.

They are to be called "Serenza" which, as is entirely obvious, is an italianised version of the word "serene".

Of course it is!

Also obvious is that thousands of passengers will now be keen to travel just because if the trains' silly name.

Windows 2026?

But not a new computer technology. fbb is working on his new castle for Peterville.

Readers will remember that fbb us making up a pre-cut ore-printed card model by adapting a Metcalf castle gateway kit. The catalogue illustration shows just arched holes for the windows.

The actual kit has an extra layer to be glued behind the printed stone walls.

But there us a third layer to add behind. This is a representation of a more intricate detailed stonework "tracery".

Added to this a plastic glass with a printed frame.

Time consuming but delightful.

The disadvantage is that a great wodge of window ...

... precludes any possibility of even a mildly realistic interior. But with small windows, who cares?

Doors tomorrow, plus ...

... tomorrow we go to Glasgow.

  Next Metro blog : Tuesday 10th Feb 

Sunday Variety

Caught Napping with Crude Mapping?

There us an excellent TfL map of the recently introduced Superloop route from Abbey Wood to North Greenwich. It appears here ...

... in an article about plans for the 472/SL11 change. It is a splendid map which shows the atrocious limitations of TfL's usual computer generated on line rubbish.

Contrast and compare!

It clearly shows which stops are served, a nicety hard to unravel with the usual TfL offering which does NOT tell you.

The stop names are clearly labelled ...

... with a useful plan of Belmarsh if you were thinking of "springing" some incarcerated relative. 

The rail interchange information at Woolwich is more helpful as you now know which way to so seek your selected station.

.. and there is a useful selection of additional information.

We now know where to alight for Charlton Station, Makro, Sainsbury's, Asda and Ikea. Life in all its richness is laid out before us.

We can navigate to the cable car before or after a rave at the O2.

So why is this map not associated with the on-line non-timetable. 

Herewith a poor departure list from Abbey Wood station.

A real timetable would be helpful.

More observations tomorrow.

It's  All On-line Episode 538

fbb has collected a few more on-line "headline" pictures which cross the line between possibly plausible and just plain daft.

The  Giant Snake

fbb wonders why the picture is prockiamed as unbelievable.

A Trio Of Tunnels

The crew sits inside "a pressure tight control room" whilst the construction workers take deep breaths!

Thus one defies the laws of physics!

Whilst in Switzerland you see two tunnels for road vehicles and a third road following a tunnel-less railway.

Unlikely?

Why Bother With Tunnels?

Just float the train across!

What a splendid idea!

You've Heard of Double Deck Wagons ...

... but one on-line video extolling the benefit of double deck locomotives.

fbb would like to understand the technology that allows such a power house to pass through the overhead electric structure with no damage to loco or overhead!

A Winter Road Train ...

... sliding a tad between trailers 3 and 4!

In all these cases, there is no attempt to reveal anything tangible about these "headline" pictures. In the case of the road train with the green tarps, the video does include a picture sans snow ...

... which might have been real but the motor bikes are now travelling in the opposite direction. The shape and camber of the corner is all wrong.

Can we really trust the Internet!

NO!

Ferry : Further Frustration 

It was way back in September 2023 that the ailing Red Funnel bought the ailed Hythe Ferry that runs across the water from Southampton to, guess where.

Those who were well qualified to understand the ferry business, asked the question ...

... why? 

Not long after the ink was dry on the sale contract, the service was withdrawn, yet again. This time the problem was with the pontoon at the end of Hythe Pier.

It is busted.

And nobody wants to pay to mend it.

BREAKING NEWS

In a shock horror (NOT) press release the new owners of Red Funnel have announced ...

So there's an offer for our ferry fanatic followers. You can buy the "iconic" Hythe Ferry which has struggled financially for years. You will be able to operate the boat from Town Quay in Southampton all the way, non stop, to Town Quay Southampton. Because you cannot park at Hythe.

It might not be the most lucrative investment!

==========================

Tomorrow : As well as a bit more about the SL11, fbb will look at windows ...

... and doors ...

... and these!

 Next Variety blog : Monday 9th Feb