SPT Subway

History - The first 100 years - Chronology

1896 to 1935 – The Cable Era

1890

  • 4 August Royal Assent to the Glasgow District Subway Act, 1890

1891

  • March Construction work starts at St Enoch Square

1896

  • November Board of Trade inspection by Lt.-Col. H.A. Yorke, R.E
  • 14 December Opens to the public (one day only)

1897

  • 21 January Re-opens to the public

1914

  • 8 July Name changes to Glasgow Subway Railway Company

1921

  • 17 March Shareholders authorise Directors to close undertaking due to financial situation

1922

  • February Negotiations for purchase by Corporation begin. Corporation pays Company to keep system going pending completion of negotiations
  • c.13 March Negotiations break down
  • 25 March Company closes system down
  • May/June Negotiations recommence
  • 7 June Purchase price agreed. Arrangements made for Company and Corporation to run system jointly pending legislation to vest in Corporation
  • 2 July System re-opens

1923

  • 1 August Ownership legally passes to Corporation Tramways Department

1932

  • 5 September Electrification experiment authorised (Car 60 and Inner Circle tunnel, Merkland Street to Copland Road)

1933

  • 26 March Councillors given demonstration on Car 60
  • 13 April Electrification of whole system authorised

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1935 to 1977 – The First Electric Era

1935

  • 31 March Inner Circle opens to public with electric traction
  • 30 November Last cable train runs
  • 5 December Outer Circle opens to public with electric traction

1936

  • 5 February System is re-named “Underground”

1938

  • 12 November Kelvinbridge lift is closed

1940

  • 18 September Tunnels damaged by bomb. System is closed pending repair

1941

  • 27 January System is re-opened following repair of bomb damage

1944

  • August “Cinema-type” tickets introduced

1965

  • 27 November Kelvinbridge Park-and-Ride is opened

1967

  • 20 November Refurbished lift at Kelvinbridge is re-opened

1972

  • 1 October Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Authority formed

1973

  • 1 June Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive formed

1974

  • 21 January Comprehensive modernisation scheme approved by Secretary of State

1975

  • 16 May Glasgow Corporation abolished, Strathclyde Regional Council (SRC) formed and becomes the Passenger Transport Authority

1977

  • 22 May System closes for modernisation

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1980 to 1996 – The Modernised Era

1979

  • 1 November Modernised Underground and Argyle Line inaugurated by Her Majesty the Queen

1980

  • 16 April System re-opens to public. Services operate Mondays to Saturdays, 0630 to 1900
  • 28 July Permanent entrance at Hillhead brought into use
  • 29 September Service extended to evenings. Kelvinbridge upper escalators brought into use
  • December Greater Glasgow PTE becomes Strathclyde PTE

1985

  • July First extension to Shields Road Car Park opened

1986

  • 30 November Start of experimental service on four Sundays before Christmas

1988

  • 29 February West Street Car Park opened
  • 1 May Sunday service starts for Garden Festival, later made permanent

1991

  • 17 July Second extension of Shields Road Car Park is opened

1992

  • Oct–Dec Eight new trailer cars enter service

1996

  • January Completion of power car refurbishment
  • 1 April Strathclyde Regional Council abolished. Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority formed with representatives from 12 councils from west central Scotland.
  • 6 October Centenary resignalling project completed
  • 13 December Underground Centenary celebrated.

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