27th September 2010 - Glasgow Subway and Paris Metro

Dave Carson - report by David Sparkes

“Going Underground” was the theme for the first meeting of the new season. Dave Carson’s work for London Transport and other companies as a consultant has allowed him to have access to other underground rail systems. His slide show featured behind the scenes views of the Glasgow Subway and the Paris Metro.

Glasgow Subway opened in 1896 as a cable worked system, similar to San Francisco (the only similarity between Glasgow and San Francisco?). Operation was in the form of separate inner and outer circles with island platforms and doors on only one side of the trains. The four foot gauge was unique to Glasgow. It was not electrified until the 1930s when the operators became fed up with cables breaking etc. The rebuilt 1896 stock lasted until the late 1970s. It was replaced by new Metro Cammell 3-car “clockwork orange” trains.

Dave’s slides showed the changeover from old to new stock, the rebuilding of stations and operation of the workshops, where coaches are lifted to ground level by crane for maintenance. Some of the old stock and an electric loco are preserved by the Glasgow Transport Museum, scheduled to reopen at the new riverside location in spring 2011.

After the break, a bonus item was a quick look at the Post Office underground railway in London - now closed, but part of it maintained for possible future use. Next, the delights of Paris. The Metro slides ranged from ancient wooden bodied stock to the more recent rubber-tyre trains - which also have sets of metal flanged wheels for use at points and in the event of a puncture! The legacy of narrow - bodied stock is apparently because of the original intention to have a metre gauge system in order to keep out competition from the standard gauge railway companies.

Dave’s inside knowledge and opportunities to reach parts that most of us wouldn't see made for an interesting evening and covered some topics that have probably not featured in ITS meetings before.