Category Archives: Glasgow

The end of the BR built era beckons. The Scotrail Class 320s.

02 Tuesday Aug 2022

Posted by in British Railways (BR), Class 320, Glasgow, Photography, Railways, Scotland, The end of the line, Uncategorized

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*Warning – blog under construction. This warning will be removed when I’ve added all the details and pictures*

Whilst the sun is rapidly setting on the careers of the old BR built Mk3 coach derivatives South of the Border it still shines in Scotland – for now…

The Class 321 Electric train series is finally being retired in England but the Scottish version of the ‘Dusty Bins’ (The ‘McBins’ maybe?) are not only at full strength, they’ve been complemented by reformed Class 321/4 transfers from the South.

History

Built at York Holgate works in 1990 the Class 320 is a 3-car version of the Class 321s built for London and South-East services. 22 of the trains were ordered and numbered 320301-322. Unlike their sisters, the 320s were originally built without toilets and with a maximum speed of 75mph rather than 90mph due to the closeness of station on the lines they were designed to operate on. They were ordered to help replace the older 75mph Class 303s from Pressed Steel Co which were built between 1959-61. Originally they operated North Clyde services from Glasgow to Balloch, Helensburgh and Milngavie. Their speed was raised to 90mph in 2010 by fitting the yaw dampers that were standard on the rest of the 321 fleet. This allowed them to operate in multiple with the Class 318s and also extended their sphere of operation to include the Argyle line underneath Glasgow Central and later the Cathcart lines from the mainline station above. Nowadays they can be found on many different routes North and South of the Clyde, including services to Wemyss Bay.

The units have been refurbished twice. Firstly between 2002-04 when they received an internal refresh including new seats covers and a revised version of the revised SPT carmine and cream livery which they’d first gained from 1997 onwards.

(To be continued)…

On the 8th December 2016 class leader 320301 sporting Saltire livery arrives at Dalmuir with a service heading for Glasgow.
The previous day, 320302 calls at Glasgow Central low level with a service to Milgavie.
3 years previously, on the 14th June 2013. 320303 pulls into Charing Cross on the low level line via Glasgow Queen St.
Here’s 320304 arriving at Newton to the East of Glasgow on the 29th March 2012 with a service to Motherwell.
320305 sits at platform 6 at Glasgow Central on the 4th October 2018.
It’s the 29th March 2012 and 320306 is arriving at Partick station on the North bank of the Clyde, an interchange with the famous ‘clockwork orange’ as the Glasgow circular subway is known to many. The station had only recently been rebuilt and extended.
320307 threads its way through the complex switches and crossing that form the approaches to Glasgow Central station on the 10th November 2021.
Platform 6 at Glasgow Central once more, this time on the 4th October 2018, when 320308 rests between duties.
320309 sporting the revised SPT carmine and cream livery with all cream doors seen at Dumbarton Central on the 13th June 2013.
Glasgow Central again but this time platform 10 where 320310 and a sister unit sit in the sunshine on the17th July 2018.
It’s the end of the line at Milngavie on the 8th April 2009 where 320311 keeps company with a fellow Mk3 based unit in the shape of Class 318254. These units had been refurbished and had their corridor connections removed. Ironically, Scotland is also the last bastion of the Class 317 type fleets as the last ones in English service were withdrawn earlier this year.
It’s the 9th of November 2021 an the distinctive and ornate lattice roof supports give away the location of this picture of 320312 working to Wemyss Bay. It’s Paisley Gilmour St on the South side of the Clyde.
320313 arrives at Dumbarton Central with a service from Glasgow on the 13th June 2013.

320314 with the swoosh on the front of its carmine and cream livery calls at Dalmuir on the 21st March 2001.

320315 with a sister unit in tow calls at Motherwell on the 29th March 2012.
The traincrew change ends on 320316 which has terminated at Dumbarton Central, ready to work back into Glasgow and beyond on the 8th December 2016.
Passengers board 320318 at Partick on the 29th March 2012.
320319 waits at Glasgow Low Level station on the 7th December 2016 with a service to Larkhall.
320320 pulls into Exhibition Centre station on the North Bank of the Clyde on the 8th December 2016.
Carmine and cream liveried 320321 wearing the First Group logo on its front end sits inside Glasgow’s Shield Road depot where the class was based on the 8th April 2009.
Last of the class 320322 sporting Carmine and Cream livery and First group logos sits in the bay platforms at Springburn on the 16th August 2012.

To be continued…

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12th November picture of the day…

12 Friday Nov 2021

Posted by in Glasgow, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways, Scotland, Transport

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Today’s been a ‘come-down’ day after all the running around and excitement of the past couple of weeks working up in Scotland during COP26. Most of my day’s been spent sitting in the office at home wading through and editing hundreds of pictures taken at various events. I’ve managed to get the last batch out to a client who needed them for press releases and publicity, now I can take my foot off the gas as the last ones are less time-sensitive. Now I’ve got to move on to the words, not pictures as I’ve a whole series of articles to write for various magazines.

I must admit, as much as I enjoyed the fun and games in Scotland it’s nice to be home for a while – even if the weather’s been crap! I’ve really not minded being chained to the computer today when then rain’s lashing down and the winds doing its best to whip the remaining leaves off the trees. Being so busy I didn’t get chance to venture out for my normal exercise and had to make do with a late in the day walk to the supermarket to pick up some bits for the weekend. Even that earned me a soaking, leaving the bathroom looking like a Chinese laundry as all my waterproofs were spread out to dry as they’ll be needed again tomorrow.

The pair of us have decided to have a day off tomorrow. Next week is going to be full on and we’ve not had much quality time together recently, so the idea is to have Saturday off and get out for a long walk somewhere with lunch as part of it. The forecasts looking favourable for a foray into Derbyshire, so (for now) that’s the plan – unless the weather changes overnight. There’ll be no rolling blog, but there might be a few pictures…

Talking of pictures, here’s today’s. This shot was taken in Glasgow earlier this week and shows a pair of old BR ordered Class 156 diesel multiple units approaching Glasgow Central station, threading their way out of the station through the complex trackwork on their way to East Kilbride. Built between 1987 and 1989 by Metro-Cammell’s Washwood Heath works in Birmingham, 114 of these 2-car, 75mph units were built. All remain in service

Two of the lines these trains operate an extensive service on (East Kilbride and Barrhead) are being electrified at the moment with the work expected to be completed in 2022, so these trains are living on borrowed time. Scotland has an ambitious transport decarbonisation plan that’s legally binding so these trains are likely to find themselves being cascaded to services in England – probably in the North-West, where many of the rest of the class already operate. I wonder what will replace them in Scotland?

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

Back to Scotland and COP26. Day 4 (and home)…

11 Thursday Nov 2021

Posted by in COP26, Glasgow, Photography, Politics, Railways, Scotland

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Apologies for the lack of a blog yesterday but Wednesday turned out to be extremely hectic. As usual, plans kept changing due to ‘events’. I had to miss the last day of the railfreight conference as there was just too may things going on at once. I really could’ve done to clone myself. I kept getting phone-calls from agencies who’d spotted that I was in town and wanted to book me for other COP26 events. Us photographers were much in demand, which made a pleasant change after 2020!

Whilst I was at Glasgow Central I got t a tip-off that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson was arriving by train and would be visiting (albeit very briefly) the Battery and Hydrogen trains on his way through the station. Needless to say, this turned into the usual security hoo-ha involving police sniffer dogs and heightened security, but I managed to be in the right place at the right time and get the shots I needed. Including this one…

Apart from the fun and games I also travelled on the Hydroflex and the D-Train, pictures of all these events will appear on my Zenfolio website by the weekend.

Today *should* be less frantic. I’m working on the Hydroflex again covering events taking place on the train, after which I get to go home, although I’ll be just as busy there editing and writing up my experiences. I’ll add more to this blog later in the day, hopefully from the Hydroflex, but if not, certainly from my train back South…

17:00.

17:00.

Phew! Yet another busy day. I’m writing this from my Southbound Pendolino as I head home. Part of me is glad it’s all over as it’s been a frantic time and there’s oh, so many pictures to edit and words to write, another part is going to miss the buzz as (from a railway perspective) it’s been brilliant and very positive couple of weeks. On a personal level, I’ve had a great time catching up with old friends (and making some new ones) as well as getting to know Glasgow far better thanks to Peter who took me to places I’ve never explored before. I’ve also enjoyed the camaraderie, which is something that Covid had put the mockers on for the past year. My only hope now is that COP26 actually delivers on the changes we need…

My Pendolino’s busy but not overly so. I’ve managed to bag a table on which to set up the mobile office in order to edit pictures and get then out to a client in time for a press release. Opposite me is a chap who’s been at COP26 who’s on his way back to London. He’s as knackered as I am and is snoring gently as he catches up on some much needed sleep! Sadly, the great weather we enjoyed in Glasgow didn’t last more than a few dozen miles outside the city. We’re forging our way South through the dark and rain.

18:25.

I’m back to kicking my heels in Preston, waiting from my connection home. The Glasgow train arrived 14 minutes late due to being trapoed behind late running trains but that’s actually worked to my advantage as I’d nearly an hour to wait here anyway.

Having been away in the in the land of Saltire liveried trains for so long it seems odd to see Northern trains bland blue and white again.

19:00.

On the last leg home care of a 3-car Northern Class 195, which is busy but not unbearably so – and not as packed as my Southbound Pendolino! As COP26 is drawing to a close thousands of people are departing the city. Many of them by rail. Well, unless you’re an idiot Green Party Council Leader from Brighton who decided to take an internal flight from Gatwick as the trains were “too unreliable”. The other irony? He opposes us building HS2! Oh, he was at COP26 to lecture others on cutting carbon emissions too. I hope Greta kicked his sorry arse…

22:40.

Right, I’m home, fed and watered and about to spend the rest of the evening away from screens to catch up with my other half as it’s our 4th wedding anniversary today! Goodnight!

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

Back to Scotland and COP26. Day 2…

09 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in COP26, Glasgow, Railways, Scotland

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09:00.

I’m currently on my way from Central Glasgow to the freight conference at Mossend for the morning session. Hopefully it will be just as interesting and informative as yesterday although sadly, I’ll have to leave early.

23:30.

OK, apologies for a really crap blog today. I was full of good intentions but the day just ran away with me as I had so many things to do and places to be in.

Day 2 of the freight conference was just as interesting as day 1. The focus changed slightly which helped to keep it fresh and the range of speakers and their experiences added to that. I managed to stay longer than I expected but still missed one of the speakers I was really looking forward to listening to (Freightliner’s Heather Waugh) due to technical issues and a rejigging of the timetable. Despite that, I’ll give full credit to all the organisers for putting on a great event.

I made it back into Glasgow in time to meet up with friends from Vivarail, Porterbrook and the Rail Industry Association (RIA) – and enjoy the sight of battery and Hydrogen train together.

RIA had arranged an event on the Vivarail D-train which involved young and old rail professionals to meet and chat on an out and back trip to Barrhead and back. Meanwhile Porterbrook were just as busy showing people around their Hydrogen train between its regular runs out and back on the Cathcart circle.

I’ve many more pictures and anecdotes to add, but they’re going to have to wait for tomorrow when…

Rolling blog. Back to Scotland and COP26. Day 1…

08 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in COP26, Glasgow, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Scotland, Travel

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06:15.

After a decent (but short) nights sleep I’m about to wander across the road to Carlisle station to head on up to Scotland for more COP26 rail events. I’ll update this blog throughout the day, so feel free to keep popping back and see what I get up to. My first port of call will be Glasgow before heading across to Mossend for the opening of the three day ‘low carbon logistics’ event…

07:10.

Carlisle station’s a bit ‘brown bread’ (cockney rhyming slang for dead) at 06:30 on a Monday morning. A couple of folk were keeping warm on the early train to Morpeth but it wasn’t until the London and Glasgow trains arrived almost simultaneously at 06:48 that the station started to wake up. I’m now sat on Trans-Pennine Express’ 07:48 to Glasgow which has made its way North from Manchester airport. Bizarrely, those who oppose High Speed 2 (HS2) argue that services like this help airport expansion. Despite their mental gymnastics they can’t cope with the fact that if people are going to fly it’s far better than people take less carbon-intensive forms of transport to airports. It’s why more advanced countries than our are phasing out internal flights and putting people on services like this instead. It’s yet another example of why the UK ‘green’ movement is often anything but.

07:30.

I’ve just had a wander through the train and reckon loading is at about 15%, which isn’t bad (but isn’t great either) for such an early morning service. There’s a real mix of ages. An old lady in a wheelchair is in my car, along with several dozing younger people. In the next coach are a a couple of guys working (one with his table strewn with paper printouts) whilst a besuited gent grabs some shut-eye.

I’ve got a table bay of four to myself and set up the mobile office to do some work en-route. The trolley’s been round meaning I have coffee (and a Kitkat) so all’s well with the world!

10:45.

Getting to Mossend was easy. There’s regular Scotrail trains to nearby Bellshill where the event had arranged for shuttle buses to carry people to the site where marquees had been set op to hold the event which was opened by Scottish Transport Minister Graeme Dey MSP who gave an in-depth speech on the way Scotland is determined to tackle transport Co2 emissions.

12:28.

We’ve had some really interesting presentations (details later) but now we’re off to see one of the freight locomotives being named. So (of course) the heavens have decided this is a good time to open! The organisers were prepared and we’ve been given natty DB red umbrellas.

13:55.

We’re about to kick off the afternoon session after lunch and the the loco naming. GBRf named one of their Class 92s after the founder of PD Stirling. The engine was named by Stirling family members.

From L-R: Andrew Stirling, Julie Stirling, David Stirling and Tim Hartley from GBRf.

23:00.

Time to bring the day to an end. The afternoon session at the conference was really interesting. Alex Hynes came back to speak once more, then we had an excellent panel session chaired by Bill Reeve of Transport Scotland. Called “Scottish Businesses & Industry Delivering Low Carbon Logistics” the panel consisted of Tim Hartley, Business Development Director, GB Railfreight. Kenneth Russell, Commercial and Strategy Director, John G Russell Transport. David Turner, Rail Director, Malcolm Logistics. Chris Swan, Head of Rail, Tarmac and Catherine Hall, Head of Strategic Planning, Network Rail.

The final session of the day came from Stephen Carr, Group Commercial Director of Peel Ports whose presentation on changing the face of how logistics networks work in the UK demonstrated how many road miles and tonnes of carbon could be saved by reappraising how the existing networks worked.

There was far too much ground covered to fit in this blog but I’ll be writing about it in detail at a later date.

As the afternoon unfolded emails I received changed my plans yet again. It seems that I’m much in demand here at COP 26 as two more short-notice jobs were arranged for me. This means I’m going to be doing a very good impression of a blue-arsed fly for the rest of my time here in Scotland.

Tonight I’m back in Glasgow staying with a good friend. Tomorrow is another day. Watch out for a disjointed rolling blog as I bounce around from event to event…

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

So, farewell Glasgow – until next week…

02 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in COP26, Glasgow, Photography, Rail electrification, Railways, Scotland, Vivarail

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I’m currently kicking my heels in Preston having travelled down from Scotland on an Avanti Pendolino this afternoon. I’ve had another busy but fun day in Glasgow, firstly checking out progress in electrifying the lines out to Barrhead and East Kilbride in order to get a few libray shots, then hot-footing it back to Glasgow Central in time to join the Vivarail battery train which was due to carry another selection of invited guests on a run out to Barrhead and back. This time the guests were more international and included representatives from Japan, Mexico and several Latin-American countries.The train performed faultlessy and gave a spirited run on battery power out and back.

Once the fun was over and with the winter light being ideal for shots at some of the locations I’d checked out earlier I sallied forth to Crossmyloof and Pollokshaws West where the OLE masts were illuminated by the setting sun and managed to capture the transition between two forms of traction as the lines are still worked by diesel multiple units which will be displaced one the masta that are appearing in their midst carry overhead wires. Here’s a couple of illustrations…

Hi-res versions of all the pictures taken over the past few days will be available on my Zenfolio website by tomorrow. I’ve been using my time on the Pendolino from Glasgow to get them all edited. The 11 car was packed when it arrived in Glasgow, but I managed to bag a table in the unreserved coach on the return and set up my mobile office – although the sunset and scenery did provide frequent distractions! I’ve a busy programme over the next few days so any time I can find to be productive is useful.

I must admit, I’ve really enjoyed spending all this time in Glasgow. It’s a great city that I’m very fond of. It has something for everyone. When I have some spare time I’ll flesh-out some of the blogs I’ve written with links, reviews and suggestions for places to visit. Places I’d never have found without the knowledge of a friend (Peter) who’s Glaswegian born and bred…

Rolling blog. Scottish sojourn day 4…

01 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in Glasgow, Photography, Railways, Rolling blogs, Scotland, Travel

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10:30.

I’m about to head out to Central station for another assignment that involves battery trains. The railways have been having a torrid time of it over the past few days, the line to Glasgow from London’s been disrupted by fallen trees, delaying many people getting to COP26. There’s an irony here. The charity The Woodland Trust have been campaigning against Network Rail clearing back lineside vegetation along rail routes. No-one wants to see tree cover diminish, but it’s about having trees in the right place, and where they’re a danger to life and limb (too nay trains have hit fallen trees) or cause such massive disruption as they have done, then (no matter what the WT claim) they need to be removed. Go plant them somewhere else.

Another incident at Salisbury has left two trains badly damaged – fortunately without any serious injuries to passengers or crews. We all take railway safety seriously and any lessons that can be learned will, so I refuse to speculate on any reasons for the accident.

The weather here in Glasgow’s brightening up, so I’m off out, I’ll update this blog as I go…

18:20.

Sorry, this hasn’t been much of a rolling blog as I’ve just been too busy with the events, taking pictures and meeting people. It has been a fascinating day tho’. Glasgow Central station’s been buzzing. A media centre’s been set up on the first floor of one of the vacant buildings (the old bar) and people have been coming and going all day as many VIPs have been arriving. At the same time I’ve been working on the Vivarail event and their shuttle train which took invited guests on a return trip to Barrhead. But, before we ran the trip, a nameplate was presented to the man behind the whole idea, Adrian Shooter by Bill Reeve, Director of Rail for Transport Scotland.

Bill Reeve (right) with Adrian Shooter and a copy of the nameplate attached to 230001.
230001 leaves Glasgow Central after the event to return to Polmadie.

Whilst all this was happening the VIPs kept arriving. I saw these people getting off the train from London…

Needless to say, the atmosphere in Glasgow is starting to ramp up now that COP26 has begun in earnest with the arrival of the politicians and heads of state. I’ll be spending another day here tomorrow on a similar event but also hope to have a look at a couple of other things before returning South for a few days to catch up with other work before returning for transport day on the 10th when a rather different type of train will be running.

Oh, I did pop back to the station later, at which point the ‘Extinction Rebellion’ circus had started arriving in town. Regular readers will know just how cynical I am about XR, its people, its methods and its ideology – but they do provided a good opportunity for a photographer. Here’s the ‘Red Rebels’ at Central station, because nothing is going to stop Climate Change like dressing up and pretending you’re a ‘green’ version of Marcel Marceau…

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!