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107 - Caledonian Railway - Glasgow Central Station

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107 - Caledonian Railway - Glasgow Central Station

To understand the arrival of Glasgow Central Station it is necessary to look further back in time. In 1840 Glasgow’s main terminal was south of the river Clyde at Bridge Street. It was jointly operated by two companies, the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock & Ayrshire Railway Company (GPK&A) and the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway Company (GP&G). In 1847 the GP&G joined the Caledonian Railway Company and in 1850 the GPK&A merged with another company to create the Glasgow & South Western Railway Company. As Glasgow expanded in the 1860s both companies desired a station closer to the city, but it required crossing the river Clyde. Opposition from the Clyde Navigation Trust was strong whenever a proposal was made to bridge the river because it would restrict trade on the river. Not only this but rival companies would block attempts to get closer to the city, creating a stalemate for some 25 years. With the population of Glasgow rapidly increasing it became evident that Bridge Street was not adequate for the rising passenger numbers. This led to the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company building St. Enoch’s Station, leaving Bridge Street under the Caledonian Railway’s management. The Caledonian Railway finally received an Act to bridge the river Clyde and build Glasgow Central Station (then known as Gordon Street Station) in 1873. The original plan was to create and upper railway deck on the already existing Jamaica Bridge, like the High Level Bridge in Newcastle, but in 1875 their plans had been amended to create a separate bridge and to realign the track. The bridge was built by Sir William Arrol, who would go on to build the Forth Bridge. Glasgow Central opened with eight platforms in 1879. The cost to build the original station was around £2,000,000. To exploit the freight traffic coming from the expanding docks and shipyards in the city it was proposed to build an elevated railway above the streets, much like those of New York. The main advantage of this was that it was cheaper than tunnelling but had the disadvantage of spoiling the aesthetic of the city and the noise. The elevated railway would pass over Argyle Street and through Central. Under pressure from the city’s authorities and businesses these plans were abandoned in favour of the Glasgow Central Railway Company, which would instead run under the city and form Glasgow Central Low-Level Station, opened in 1896. The passenger demand on the station quickly overwhelmed the facilities and a few years later Central was expanded, adding a ninth platform. This was only a temporary solution and between 1899 and 1905 the station was substantially expanded by the architect James Miller. This involved increasing the number of platforms from nine to thirteen, extending over Argyle Street with a new frontage at Hope Street. The expansion retained the original roof, but the new section had arched ironwork rather than the traditional horizontal ironwork of the original roof. Low-Level was also connected to the main high-level station. A new bridge was also built alongside the existing bridge to carry eight more tracks. The extension carried ornamentation, large canopies, stained glass panels, wood panelling, ornate ironwork and decorative stonework. Because of this work the Caledonian Railway decided to close Bridge Street Station in 1905. Only small changes were made to the station between 1905 and 1980. The Low-Level station was closed in 1964 and then re-opened for the suburban Argyle Line in 1979 with redesigned and simplified passageways. In 1966 Central station was modernised, removing most of the ornamentation including the station clock, replacing the wrought iron with plastic panelling and building a new main ticket office. By 1980 the manual train departure boards had been replaced by dot-matrix screens. In the 1990s, as part of the Railtrack Station Regeneration Programme in Scotland, Railtrack spent £80m refurbishing the station with conservation in mind. This included refurbishing the roof structure, restoration of glazed screens and new station buildings were built to mimic the original James Millar structures of the original station and the restoration of the Hielanman's Umbrella. In 2005 the 1980s dot-matrix screens were replaced with LED screens and the upper restaurant area was improved. In 2009 as part of the Paisley Corridor Improvement Project two new tracks and bridge deck were added, two new platforms were also built replacing the short stay car park. New Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) and signalling accompanied these new features. In 2014, to coincide with the Commonwealth Games, a further refurbishment was undertaken by Atkins. This work included transforming the Union Street entrance, Low Level station, main concourse washrooms and installing ornate ironwork to compliment the original station design. Glasgow Central was recognised as the National Transport Award’s and Europe’s Station of the Year in 2014 and won the Scottish Design Award for re-use of a listed building. In 2019 it was announced that Network Rail would spend £13m refurbishing Clyde Bridge over two years.

Network Rail Corporate Archive

Level of Description: Series

Reference Code: NRCA110067 - NRCA180165

Title: Caledonian Railway - Glasgow Central Station

Extent and Medium: 59 drawings

Creator: Caledonian Railway

Date: 1890-1901

Scope and Content: 59 drawings showing details from Glasgow Central Station and environs

Contract Number: Glasgow Central Station

Drawing Number: n/a

Drawing Office Number: n/a

Keywords (Country): Scotland

Keywords (Structure Name): Glasgow Central Station

Keywords (Structure Type): Station

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Title

Description

Date

Glasgow Central Station Extension – Hotel to Argyll Street Contract – Details of Cast Iron Main Sewer

Drawings of details of cast iron main sewer

Undated, circa 1850 - 1857

CR – Glasgow Central Station Extension – Hotel to Argyle Street Contract – Plan at Platform Level

Plan at platform level, tracing number 1094

Undated, circa 1899 - 1905

Caledonian Railway – Glasgow Central Station Extension – Bridge over the River Clyde – General Elevation

General Elevation of the West side of the Extension Bridge over the River Clyde, just outside of Glasgow Central Station

25th March 1901, 3rd December 1902

Glasgow Central Station Extension – Bridge over River Clyde – Outside Girder – Centre River Span

Drawings of girder no.36, including inside elevation, half enlarged inside elevation, sections, details of connection of brackets on outside, details of diaphragm, and table of weights of angles and channels. Stamped and signed by representatives of the Caledonian Railway and Sir William Arrol and Co Ltd

25th March 1901, 3rd December 1902

Glasgow Central Railway – Central Low Level Station – Lattice Bearers Under High Level Station Bridge Across Argyle Street

Drawings of lattice bearers, plan, sectional plan and elevation

15th December 1887

CR – Glasgow Central Station Extension Hotel to Argyle Street Contract General Plan of Girders No 1 – 6 Tracing no 1022

General plan of girders numbers 1 to 6

Undated, circa 1899 - 1905

Caledonian Railway – Glasgow Central Station Extension – Broomielaw to Argyle Street Section – Longitudinal and Cross Sections

Six drawings on one sheet showing external cross sections through station

undated, circa 1899 - 1905

Caledonian Railway – Argyle Street Bridge and Adjacent Works Contract – Covering Space at South West Corner of Bridge

Plans, sections and details of the girders, transoms, columns and general drawings for the south west corner of Argyle Street Bridge. Signed by George Graham

15th December 1887

Glasgow Central Railway – Central Low Level Station – Diagram of Girders – Sheet No1

Diagrams of girders

Undated, circa 1890 - 29th October 1984

Caledonian Railway Glasgow Central Station Extension Drawing Showing Iron Railing and Tiling on Sides of Empty Cab Access

Drawings of iron railing and tiling on the sides of empty cab access, including plan and sections

undated, circa 1899 - 1905

Glasgow Central Station Extension – Bridge over River Clyde – Inside Girder – Central River Span

Drawings of the cylinders for pier foundations, including part outside elevation, part inside elevation, plan over girders carring roof of working chamber, chamber plan showing arrangement of bracing, details of girders carrying roof of working chamber, sectional elevation, sectional plan - detail of undercutting, plan over girders carrying roof of working chamber, and part inside elevation of cylinder for land piers. Stamped and signed by representatives of the Caledonian Railway and Sir William Arrol and Co Ltd

25th March 1901, 3rd December 1902

Caledonian Railway – Glasgow Central Station Extension – Hotel to Argyle Street Contract – Girders 49, 50, 46, 57 and 109

Drawings of girders numbers 49, 50, 56, 57 and 109. Tracing number 1105

Undated, circa 1899 - 1905

Glasgow Central Railway – Central Low Level Station -Additional Steelwork

Drawings of additional steelwork for the Glasgow Central Low Level Station, including sectional plan of column, and sections and details of girders

Undated, circa 1890 - 1896

Glasgow Central Station Extension – Bridge over River Clyde – Inside Girder South River Span

Drawings of girder no.32, including sections, part plan of the top flange, part plan of horizontal bracing, part cross-section, sections at end of girder, and details of bracing

Undated, circa 25th March 1902

Low Level Station Lattice Bearers Under Level Bridge Across Argyle Street

Drawing of Lattice bearers under the high level bridge across Argyle Street, and elevations of struts showing bracing

Undated, circa 1890 - 1898

Glasgow Central Station Extension – Hotel to Argyll Street Contract – Girders

Glasgow Central Station Extension - Hotel to Argyll Street Contract - Girders

Undated, circa 1899 - 1905

Glasgow Central Railway – Central Low Level Station – Drawing of Girders – Sheet No3

Drawings of girders

Undated, circa 1890 - 6th December 1894

Glasgow Central Station Extension – Bridge over River Clyde – Outside Girder – South River Span

Drawings of girder no.21 including elevation, half enlarged elevation, part cross section, part plan of bracing, details, sections, detail of bitumous concrete with asphalt, and table of weights of angles, tees and channels. Stamped and signed by representatives of the Caledonian Railway and Sir William Arrol and Co Ltd

25th March 1901, 3rd December 1902

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