GSE1 - Glasgow Suburban Electrification

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The Glasgow North electric train services (The Blue Trains) came into service
in November 1960, but after a disastrous series of  transformer explosions,
had to be temporarily withdrawn until the problems could be rectified.
Services resumed again in November  1961. Since then, electrification has
expanded to include most of the suburban lines in and around Glasgow. This is
the largest rail  network in the UK outside London, offering an excellent
rapid transit service to a catchment area of 2.5 million people.


GLASGOW SUBURBAN ELECTRIFICATION STAGE I (NORTH)

A BAHN381 Simulation

British Railways (Scottish Region) 1960-1967.
52 Route miles (114 Track miles) 84 Route km. (183 Track km.)

This system is based upon the first stage of the 25kV electrification of the
Glasgow North suburban lines which was completed in  November 1960. Most of
the system comprised former LNER ex North British Railway (NBR) lines,
although the section between  the former Dumbarton East Junction and Balloch
belonged to the Dumbarton and Balloch Joint Railway (Cal/NBR). The section 
between Dumbarton East Junction and Dunglass Junction was a deviation over
the former Caledonian Railway (Cal) lines.

The way in which a frequent interval rapid transit service was superimposed
on an all-purpose steam railway, and then given an  effective market
identity, was in my view a textbook example of 'how to do it properly'. I
don't think this achievement has ever been  equalled again in Britain. What a
pity it was somewhat tarnished by the early rectifier failures which
bedevilled the system, and  caused its suspension for eleven months.

The timetable is based on that which applied between 1960 and about 1969, the
Scottish Region timetable for Summer 1961 being  used for the purpose. The
layout could be dated at around 1960-67.

The track layout (170k) is based on the diagram in the AC Electrified Lines,
Working Instructions, 1960 issued to British Railways  (Scottish Region)
staff, although this has been modified where necessary to assist operation
and regulation. I have tried several ways  to deal with the terminal
stations.

The three car trainsets were constructed in 1959-60 by Pressed Steel Co. Ltd,
Paisley and are widely regarded to have been the best  designed multiple
units ever built in Great Britain, both from an aesthetic and operational
standpoint. At the time of the simulation,  formations were generally of six
cars with the exception of the Milngavie (pronounced 'Milguy') - Springburn
service, which ran as  three cars. Some examples are still in use, and one
set (048) is being preserved in its 'original' livery - the blue is far too
dark and  needs a greenish tint. They were equipped with 4x207bhp AEI
traction motors, giving a rated maximum speed of 75 mph. (110kph)  At 276bhp
per car they were fast off the mark!

The real life signalling system was a mixture of British Railways Absolute
Block and Track Circuit block. For readers in other  countries, these are
'Route' rather than 'Speed' systems. New cabins were built at Dumbarton and
Hyndland, each with 'NX'  (Entrance/Exit) route relay installations equipped
by Westinghouse and AEI/GRS. Apart from a few semaphore starting signals at
the  termini, all signals were 2, 3 and 4 aspect colour lights with
five-light route indicators where necessary, and 'Stencil' or 'Theatre' type 
indicators at termini. Subsidiary signals were a mixture of three-position
light and disc types.

Traffic control was located in the Glasgow Divisional Manager's Office at 45
Hope Street, beside Central Station.

Electrification was BR Mark 1 6.25kV/25kV using single masts and portal
structures where span wires would generally be the norm  today. Special
cantilever structures were employed on the eastern section to compensate for
mining subsidence. Electrification  control was from a central installation
at Cathcart, in South Glasgow. The lower voltage allowed reduced clearances
in the central  area, with consequential savings in costs. Advances in
technology have now rendered this obsolete, and the whole network is now 
under 25kV. Late night MBS (Power Coach) passengers are no longer rudely
awakened at Westerton, Parkhead or Dalmuir!

If you want to see the trains in action, there is a short sequence in the
film "Glasgow Belongs to Me", available on the compilation  video "Doon the
Watter", from BEULAH.

The train service also includes the Glasgow Central (Low Level) trains, which
ended in 1964. The last Glasgow Corporation tramway  service can also be seen
- this ended in late 1962. A skeleton West Highland service is also in
operation, including the  Craigendoran-Arrochar push-pull train. Strictly
speaking this should be diesel hauled or a railbus. Trains also leave and
arrive at  Glasgow Queen Street (High Level). Freight trains shuttle about
the network, most of them being fed out of Cadder Yard which I  created for
the purpose.

The extra lines add about 17 Route miles (36 Track miles), giving a total
layout of about 69 Route miles (150 Track miles), or 111  Route km. (242
Track km.)

The layout is arranged for left-hand running and signalling is as full as I
can make it, given the limitations of BAHN in this respect. Having said that
I wouldn't wish to diminish the  excellence of this program in any way - it
really is superb. It may also be useful as a training aid for professional
railwaymen, as it  demonstrates traffic regulation and the effects of out of
course working - just stop a train somewhere in the central section and
you'll  see the system gradually grind to a halt. Then watch what happens
when you start it again.

Mileages are shown with the electrification route references. (eg BB4) The
letters shown in brackets beside signal cabin names are  the prefix letters
which appear on their colour light signal posts.

Additional services run in peak hours. If you alter the clock time you may
find a number of 'loose cannons' rolling around because  they haven't been
recalled to depot.

If I was starting again from scratch I would have used more vertical space,
but I originally intended to include only the electric lines,  and found the
construction so much fun and the layout so evocative of its time that I had
to add more and more to give the right  flavour to the simulation. There's
about 250 hours work in it, so I'm not doing it again!

Everything in the layout is interdependent except for the trams and the
dockside shunters, so be very careful if you add or alter any  trains. I've
put in a number of trailing crossovers to help with sorting out any problems,
but remember to reset the signalling if you  use them.

Thanks also to David Young, formerly of Railtrack Scotland for his help and
advice.

Bibliography:

      * BR Scottish Region Timetable, Summer 1961
      * BR Sectional Appendix Section 2 West October 1960
      * BR Sectional Appendix Scottish Region 1969
      * Glasgow Electric - George Blake (BR ScR) Nov. 1960
      * Trains Illustrated, Nov-Jan 1959/60, Nov/Dec 1960
      * 7th Series One Inch OS Map Sheet 60, 1965
      * Glasgow Street Atlas, Geographia, c.1980
      * Railway Junction Diagrams 1914, reprinted Ian Allan, c.1992

 Iain Logan
 2 Frances St.
 Langholm,
 Dumfriesshire,
 Scotland DG13 0BQ

 +44 13873 81046
 iainlogan@enterprise.net

4th January 1995
Revised May 2006

Glossary (for North Americans)

Shunter - Switcher
Signal cabin/box - Switch tower
Subsidiary signals are used for shunting/switching operations.
Traffic Control Office - Dispatcher's Office
Trailing - Against the direction of traffic
