Glasgow Bridge Street railway station

Infobox UK disused station
name = Bridge Street
other_name=

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caption =
line = Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway
manager = Caledonian and Glasgow & South Western Railways
locale = Glasgow
borough = Lanarkshire
latitude = 55.8533
longitude = -4.2596
years = 31 August 1840
events = Opened as terminal station: south side Clyde coast services
years1 = 1879
events1 = Rebuilt to provide two through platforms to Glasgow Central Station and 4 bay platforms
years2 = 1883
events2 = G&SWR Clyde services diverted to St Enoch station
years3 = 1905
events3 = Closed, platforms removed. Site of bay platforms used as carriage sidings for Central station
platforms = Originally: 2 bay
Later: 2 through and 4 bay
: "For the Glasgow subway station of the same name see Bridge Street subway station.Glasgow Bridge Street railway station was a railway station and the original Glasgow terminus of the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway; jointly owned by the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway (GP&G), which later merged with the Caledonian Railway, and the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&A), which became part of the Glasgow and South Western Railway.Paton, John (2006). "Design Worthy of the City". Chapter 4, In: Cameron (2006).]

The station opened for traffic on the GPK&A in August 1840; and for traffic on the GP&G in March 1841. It was sited on the south side of the River Clyde, but was close to the centre of Glasgow.

Clyde services terminus station

The opening of the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock railway took away a lot of the river traffic from Glasgow; instead the steam boats terminated at Greenock and the railway was used between Greenock and Glasgow. The railway journey was 1 hour against 2.5 to 3.5 hours for river traffic. Similarly the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway provided a quicker journey to the coast than the river journey.Thomas, John (1971). Chapter VII - "The River Clyde and Loch Lomand".]

Some 21,890 people used the service during Glasgow Fair week in July 1841.

It remained the Clyde services terminus of both the Caledonian Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway for nearly thirty years. Both railway companies wanted to cross the Clyde but were precluded from doing so by Glasgow Corporation, the Clyde Navigation Trustees, the Bridge Trustees; and finally by the Admiralty, who insisted on bridges with at least one lifting section.

The Caledonian Railway's main line from London, via Carstairs, which opened to Edinburgh on 15 February 1848 and to Glasgow on 1 November 1849 remained on the north-side of the Clyde, at Buchanan Street, eventually moving to Glasgow Central Station (see below).

Diversion of G&SWR services

The Glasgow and South Western Railway (G&SWR) achieved the first river crossing, by means of the City of Glasgow Union Railway. The line left the Joint Railway near Shields Road (now Shields Junction) and continued through the Gorbals. It crossed the River Clyde at Hutchesontown to their new St Enoch railway station. The line and station opened on 1 May 1876; construction of the line having taken 11 years.MacIntosh, Jim. (2006). "Glasgow and the Caledonian Railway". Chapter 2, In: Cameron (2006).]

In 1883, St Enoch railway station became the headquarters of the Glasgow and South Western Railway, and all services were diverted to St Enoch.

Refurbishment by the Caledonian Railway

The Caledonian Railway eventually built their new terminal station, Glasgow Central station, which opened in 1879 on the north-side of the River Clyde. Access to Glasgow Central station was gained via a four-track railway bridge, built by Sir William Arrol parallel to Glasgow Bridge. Central station initially had eight platforms.

Bridge Street station was also refurbished in 1879. Two new through platforms provided access to Glasgow Central station. Bridge Street however remained the terminus, for the time being, for the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway; which had two dedicated bay platforms. Another two bay platforms were for G&SWR use.

Closure as a terminus

Between 1901 and 1905 Glasgow Central Station was refurbished and extended over the top of Argyle Street; and thirteen platforms were built. An additional eight-track bridge was built over the River Clyde; and the original four-track bridge was raised by 30 inch (0.76 m). Bridge Street station then closed as a terminal station and the platforms were removed. The area previously occupied by the four bay platforms was used as carriage sidings for Glasgow Central Station; and the area previously occupied by the through platforms was used as running lines to Central Station. The remaining Caledonian Railway Clyde Coast services were extended to Glasgow Central Station and the remaining G&SWR services diverted to St Enoch station. A new signalling scheme for Glasgow Central in the 1900s led to the construction of a new power operated signal box. It was cantilevered off the eight-track bridge; sitting suspended between the two river bridges.Nelson, Robin (2006). "Signal box with a view". Chapter 17 In: Cameron (2006).] Signal installation commenced in October 1907; the west side was commissioned on 5 April 1908 and the remainder on 3 May 1908.

References

Notes

ources

* Cameron, Dugald (Compiler) (2006). "Glasgow Central: Central to Glasgow". Boat of Garten: Strathwood Ltd. ISBN 1-905276-05-2.
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* Nock O.S., (1963). "The Caledonian Railway". London: Ian Allan Ltd.
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