The Hidden Glasgow Forums

The decorative cast iron railings round the Glasgow Cross station entrance, on the island site, are now happily redeployed around the entrance to the gentleman's lavvy in St Vincent Place.
Sic transit, as Our Hughie used to say, gloria mundi.
Best, Ronnie

glasgow cross station was an island platform
the entrance was facing the old crazy house
you went down a wide straight staircase to the platform part of which
was under the open triangle which is now covered by the steel grates
the ornamental pillar was probably a roof support on the platform
i think central low level has them too
i may have a photo of gc station will try to find it
also i seem to remember an air shaft next to the station
coming up in the courtyard of the tron theatre anyone confirm this?

forgot to add the underground runs under the argyll line
thats why there is such a gradient up to buchanan st station
you can see this if you watch a train going down the tunnel
to st enoch the argyll line is one storey down uderground two

stranger wrote:also i seem to remember an air shaft next to the station
coming up in the courtyard of the tron theatre anyone confirm this?

I can confirm this.

just a thought about the height of the low level station in central.. is it below the level of the river? im sure u all remember a couple of years ago when the low level was shut about winter time due to flooding.. this could have been from water being forced in but its surely more likely that it was something to do with the level of the river reaching a certain point and finding a route through the bedrock? im sure i saw some pictures of it during the flood somewher but cant find them at the moment. anyway this would mean that any other buildings at least at that level would be at high risk of flooding? so they would have to have pretty solid foundations under argyle street? does anybody have any connections with the people who built the dixons tescos or the other new buildings on argyle street? surely they would have an idea whats under there? i know a guy that can get downstairs in that buidling and have meant to quiz him about it for a while but havent seen him yet. although he did mention a big hole that fills up with smelly water from time to time.. fraid the idea of a whole street under there seems out. although its still possible there are a couple of cellars for dodgy merchandise or something and definetely a chance of drains! not all that exciting i know but hey! drains! the victorians built some pretty cool sewers as far as sewers go.. maybe not the best place to spend ur saturday afternoon though. i think the rest of the week is plenty time to be knee deep in glasgows shite:)

leper_2000 wrote:just a thought about the height of the low level station in central.. is it below the level of the river? im sure u all remember a couple of years ago when the low level was shut about winter time due to flooding..

The low level station is above the level of the river....just!

Is this the flood you mention?

http://www.hiddenglasgow.com/rail/flood1994/index.htm

stinkpad wrote:

stranger wrote:also i seem to remember an air shaft next to the station
coming up in the courtyard of the tron theatre anyone confirm this?

I can confirm this.

Me too, though it may be covered over now?

There's another airshaft further eastwards, just before the Barras.



James H

ah thats the flood.. just an idle mind wandering in a few spare moments really.. definetely going to have to check out all these shafts that are going around tho!anybody got a fibre optic camera? like the ones they use for sewer exploration? they're pretty bloody expensive but u never know what people have kicking about...

Unrelated to the topic I suppose, but why is it that I go down three flights of stairs from ground level to the low level line at Central Station, yet when I arrive at Argyle St. I go down again before going up. The reason I ask is that I'm sure that I can see a straight line (more or less) to and from both Stations when standing on their respective platforms.

HollowHorn wrote:Unrelated to the topic I suppose, but why is it that I go down three flights of stairs from ground level to the low level line at Central Station, yet when I arrive at Argyle St. I go down again before going up. The reason I ask is that I'm sure that I can see a straight line (more or less) to and from both Stations when standing on their respective platforms.

Cos the exits at Argyle St are down and under the platform rather than straight
up from the platform, as at Central and Anderston.



James H

james73 wrote:

HollowHorn wrote:Unrelated to the topic I suppose, but why is it that I go down three flights of stairs from ground level to the low level line at Central Station, yet when I arrive at Argyle St. I go down again before going up. The reason I ask is that I'm sure that I can see a straight line (more or less) to and from both Stations when standing on their respective platforms.

Cos the exits at Argyle St are down and under the platform rather than straight
up from the platform, as at Central and Anderston.



James H

Why are the Argyle Street exits down and under the platform in the first place?

scotia47 wrote:Why are the Argyle Street exits down and under the platform in the first place?

Good question. I hereby give you permission to go and find out, and I also revoke your permission to recklessly ask people about this, willy nilly.

Go scotia! We await your researches!

I think it's because the line & station is directly under the open street and close to the surface.
As it's an island platform the exit has to go down and under the track before going to one side & heading up.




I hope that doesn't spoil scotia's research

Further to the discussions about an abandoned street under Argyle Street, I have heard rumours that some of the old Alston Street (which ran from Argyle Street to Gordon [then called Melville] Street between Hope Street and Union Street) is still present under parts of Central Station. Could this possibly be the street that is being discussed.
For detail of its position etc, go to http://www.scran.ac.uk and do a search for "glasgow map". There is an 1857 OS map of Glasgow clearly showing this street (when the terminus of the line was south of the river at Bridge Street). There is also an 1895 OS map showing the new Central station.

bigross wrote:Further to the discussions about an abandoned street under Argyle Street, I have heard rumours that some of the old Alston Street (which ran from Argyle Street to Gordon [then called Melville] Street between Hope Street and Union Street) is still present under parts of Central Station. Could this possibly be the street that is being discussed.
For detail of its position etc, go to http://www.scran.ac.uk and do a search for "glasgow map". There is an 1857 OS map of Glasgow clearly showing this street (when the terminus of the line was south of the river at Bridge Street). There is also an 1895 OS map showing the new Central station.

It's a myth. There's nothing under the Central but dunnies, arches and passageways snaking from Union Street to Hope Street.