Dark Doings at Low Level

On Saturday 11th January we welcomed the return of retired railway executive Jim Summers with his presentation relating the history of the Caledonian lines through Glasgow Central Low Level.

Opening his talk, Jim highlighted the large number of tunnels under Glasgow.  The route from Rutherglen to Dumbarton East via Clydebank Riverside, running below Argyle Street (The Lanarkshire & Dunbartonshire Railway), opened in 1896.  As well as passenger services, numerous heavy mineral and coal trains used this underground line.  Leaving Rutherglen the main route led to Dalmarnock and Bridgeton Cross, where the line from Parkhead and Newton came in.  Prior to reopening what is now the Argyle Line from Rutherglen, consideration was given to making the connection with the West Coast Main Line at Newton which, if implemented, would have produced a four track main line out of Glasgow instead of the current double track bottleneck through Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

What is now known as the ‘Victorian Platform’ within Glasgow Central Low Level was illustrated, together with Caledonian Mansions at Kelvinbridge, the disused Balgray tunnel (now maintained by National Highways) and Clydebank Riverside.  The station, originally called Stobcross, became Finnieston when the Argyle Line opened, but has been known as Exhibition Centre since the SECC was created alongside it.

Constructing the modern Argyle Street station created design problems in that the tunnel roof is only 18 inches under the road surface.  It was impossible to provide direct access from the street, which would disgorge numerous potential customers into Marks & Spencer’s basement; M&S indicated they wanted to charge the railway authorities for the privilege of providing access, something railway authorities did not accept.  Additionally, Glasgow Council would not grant a road closure, resulting in the unusual arrangement where passengers access the platforms by a deeper level subway linked to escalators leading to street level.

The Caledonian Railway invested serious money in renewing and building miles of sewers under Glasgow instead of the Corporation.  Jim showed us images of the original nine-platform Central High Level station as well as the original extensive Low Level entrance building, built in 1898 but demolished three years later, which was sited on the corner of Argyle Street and Hope Street.

Tyers Lock and Block signalling was installed, the sophisticated system installed allowing for the more complicated conditions, in addition to tunnel signals.  Rule 39a was relaxed in this local area. Condenser fitted locomotives were not used systematically due to issues with the system; however, chimneys fitted with fans in some locations provided ventilation, drawing out the smoke of steam locomotives.  The constrained location of original signal box, set in a wall at Stobcross, and its replacement located between the running tracks were illustrated, the latter being a pioneer hydraulically-powered operated box.

A number of accidents involving the signalling were described, that were in some instances due to relaxation of Rule 39a, in other incidents lack of maintenance of safety equipment such as treadles, signalmen scratching out entries in the train register at Anderston Cross box’, and in some instances, omitting entries when updating the ‘box’ train register, contributed to the resulting accident(s).  Additionally, the conditions underground, exacerbated by steam and smoke from the locomotives was acknowledged as the cause of certain accidents.

Oil lamps, an important item of a railwayman’s equipment, were neglected; an example related of a youthful lampman who had not been instructed on the operational parts of the lamps he was to be looking after.  As a consequence of the lampman’s lack of knowledge, an S & T Inspector surveyed all the lamps between Rutherglen and Balloch, finding the majority exhibited faults to some extent.

Inspecting Officers reviewing the various incidents commented that the signals are rarely at danger due to the relaxation of Rule 39a, and that steam locomotives should be eliminated underground.  Installation of colour light signalling was achieved in 1956 along with installation of automatic detonator-placers.  Unfortunately, the entire network through Glasgow Central Low Level closed as part of the Beeching cuts in 1964.  However, the route from Rutherglen under Argyle Street to Finnieston (Stobcross), continuing via a new link to Partick, opened in 1979 as the Argyle Line.

During the Argyle Line rebuilding, consideration was given to enable trains to access the NB network at Queen Street Low Level, and through a junction enter Glasgow Central Low Level; cost constraints ruled out this ambitious plan.  In addition, the line from Patrick towards Stobcross enters the Caledonian tunnel traversing a new underground dive-under, thus avoiding conflict with the ex-NB lines through Queen Street Low Level.

This was a most informative, comprehensive and historical presentation, interspersed with maps, drawings and many black and white and colour illustrations taken during the original construction and 1970s reconstruction and upgrade phases.  The presentation was much appreciated by the large attendance which included a number of retired railwaymen who had come to support their former colleague.