ELL Late Preview
 

[x-post to uk.transport removed]

On Apr 28, 11:13*pm, E27002 wrote:

On Apr 28, 2:55*pm, Chris Lonsbrough wrote:

Finally got to ride the new ELL today ... *niiiice !

Liked the "endless" 378s .. took a bit of getting used to
but makes the interior very light and airy.

154 still proudly wearing its "First Train" board !

Impressive ironwork bracing the retaining walls at Shadwell ...

What is the reason for the curious low-level lighting at the
North end ot the Whitechapel platforms ?

Overall a very good experience !

This week I have read so many positive reports about the re-opened ELL
that I wish I was in London in order to take some photos, and ride the
trains.

The route is creating a very positive response from its users.

I rather doubt that the bulk of those who've ridden it in the past
couple of days and posted reports online will end up being its regular
users - though I've seen a few comments from those who fall into this
category, whom seem to be well aware that the current situation of
sparsely populated trains at rush hour won't stay that way for long!

Also, I know you like crossposting stuff - but x-posting to
uk.transport is inadvisable, as it really isn't likely to bring in
anything constructive to the debate - these days it basically seems to
be a forum full of argumentative petrol heads, rather than being
something more holistic as the name might suggest.

ELL Late Preview
 

On Apr 28, 3:57*pm, Mizter T wrote:
[x-post to uk.transport removed]

On Apr 28, 11:13*pm, E27002 wrote:





On Apr 28, 2:55*pm, Chris Lonsbrough wrote:

Finally got to ride the new ELL today ... *niiiice !

Liked the "endless" 378s .. took a bit of getting used to
but makes the interior very light and airy.

154 still proudly wearing its "First Train" board !

Impressive ironwork bracing the retaining walls at Shadwell ...

What is the reason for the curious low-level lighting at the
North end ot the Whitechapel platforms ?

Overall a very good experience !

This week I have read so many positive reports about the re-opened ELL
that I wish I was in London in order to take some photos, and ride the
trains.

The route is creating a very positive response from its users.

I rather doubt that the bulk of those who've ridden it in the past
couple of days and posted reports online will end up being its regular
users - though I've seen a few comments from those who fall into this
category, whom seem to be well aware that the current situation of
sparsely populated trains at rush hour won't stay that way for long!

My feeling was that the ELL might remain the poor relation. The first
time that I explored the route was 1969. In those days it was in a
truly atrocious state. IMHO it was a borderline public health risk.
It is a joy to see the turnaround in its fortunes.

Also, I know you like crossposting stuff - but x-posting to
uk.transport is inadvisable, as it really isn't likely to bring in
anything constructive to the debate - these days it basically seems to
be a forum full of argumentative petrol heads, rather than being
something more holistic as the name might suggest.

You advice is appreciated, and will be taken.

ELL Late Preview
 

On Apr 29, 8:47*am, Ian Jelf wrote:
In message
,
E27002 writes

The first time that I explored the route was 1969. *In those days it
was in a truly atrocious state. *IMHO it was a borderline public health
risk. It is a joy to see the turnaround in its fortunes.

Did you ever ride on the pre-rebuilt Glasgow Subway?! * :-)


No I was spared that. I did travel on it after the rebuild. IIRC it
retained some of the surface buildings, which were very evocative.

ELL Late Preview
 

In message , Ian Jelf
writes

Did you ever ride on the pre-rebuilt Glasgow Subway?! :-)

Oh, what memories! Mainly the smell (a combination of sewage and
concentrated tobacco smoke - even though the carriages were tiny,
smoking was allowed) and the fact that some of the 1896 carriages were
still in use in the 1970s.

And the ride usually left me feeling seasick. There was something odd
about the suspension - the seat squabs and seat backs moved
independently in different directions, like some sort of manic
fairground ride.
--
Paul Terry

ELL Late Preview
 

On 29 Apr, 19:21, Paul Terry wrote:
In message , Ian Jelf
writes

Did you ever ride on the pre-rebuilt Glasgow Subway?! * :-)

Oh, what memories! Mainly the smell (a combination of sewage and
concentrated tobacco smoke - even though the carriages were tiny,
smoking was allowed) and the fact that some of the 1896 carriages were
still in use in the 1970s.

And the ride usually left me feeling seasick. There was something odd
about the suspension - the seat squabs and seat backs moved
independently in different directions, like some sort of manic
fairground ride.
--
Paul Terry

Bah. The time I made a special trip to Glasgow, there was a crack in
a tunnel or something and the whole service was suspended, so I never
got the chance to ride on it.

ELL Late Preview
 

In article ,
Ian Jelf wrote:
In message , Paul Terry
writes
In message , Ian Jelf
writes

Did you ever ride on the pre-rebuilt Glasgow Subway?! :-)

Oh, what memories! Mainly the smell (a combination of sewage and
concentrated tobacco smoke - even though the carriages were tiny,
smoking was allowed) and the fact that some of the 1896 carriages were
still in use in the 1970s.

Apparently, children with chest problems were taken down there as it was
believed it would cure them!

Not the first underground railway of which that was said: either the
Metropolitan or the District (I forget which, and CBA to go hunt the
reference right now..) cultivated that reputation for the Circle line
in pre-electrification days.

District, I suspect. There's the genuine sulphurous whiff of Forbes to
that one: Ahrons, IIRC, suggested to him that he build sealed
anatoria over the ventilation shafts and charge for the vapours
emerging. THe joke was taken, which sounds more like Forbes than
Watkins.

When
I took my wife for her only Subway ride a few years ago [1] she
came out with a corker while we were waiting on the platform for our
first ride. Pointing at the tunnel portal she asked, quite seriously,
"What's that hole for?" She couldn't believe how diminutive the trains
were.

A Glasgow friend, years back, always referred to the (new) subway
trains as "worms". She did have a point.

--
Andy Breen ~ Not speaking on behalf of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Feng Shui: an ancient oriental art for extracting
money from the gullible (Martin Sinclair)

ELL Late Preview
 

On 29 Apr, 21:23, (Andrew Robert Breen) wrote:
In article ,
Ian Jelf wrote:

In message , Paul Terry
writes
In message , Ian Jelf
writes

Did you ever ride on the pre-rebuilt Glasgow Subway?! * :-)

Oh, what memories! Mainly the smell (a combination of sewage and
concentrated tobacco smoke - even though the carriages were tiny,
smoking was allowed) and the fact that some of the 1896 carriages were
still in use in the 1970s.

Apparently, children with chest problems were taken down there as it was
believed it would cure them!

Not the first underground railway of which that was said: either the
Metropolitan or the District (I forget which, and CBA to go hunt the
reference right now..) cultivated that reputation for the Circle line
in pre-electrification days.

District, I suspect. There's the genuine sulphurous whiff of Forbes to
that one: Ahrons, IIRC, suggested to him *that he build sealed
anatoria over the ventilation shafts and charge for the vapours
emerging. THe joke was taken, which sounds more like Forbes than
Watkins.

When

I took my wife for her only Subway ride a few years ago [1] she

came out with a corker while we were waiting on the platform for our
first ride. Pointing at the tunnel portal she asked, quite seriously,
"What's that hole for?" She couldn't believe how diminutive the trains
were.

A Glasgow friend, years back, always referred to the (new) subway
trains as "worms". She did have a point.

--
Andy Breen ~ * *Not speaking on behalf of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
* * * * * * * * Feng Shui: an ancient oriental art for extracting
* * * * * * * * *money from the gullible (Martin Sinclair)

Metro-Cammell was building the new trains for the Hong Kong Mass
Transit Railway at the same time as the 'clockwork oranges'. It was
reckoned that a Glasgow car would fit inside a Hong Kong vehicle.

While Margaret Thatcher is supposed not to have ridden in trains, the
HKMTR is once exception to the myth. Not a lot of people know that
(or care).

Roger

Roger

ELL Late Preview
 

On 29 Apr, 16:47, Ian Jelf wrote:

Did you ever ride on the pre-rebuilt Glasgow Subway?! * :-)

I did, loads of times. My favourites were the car with sliding grilles
at the ends, as opposed to solid doors, and trying to spot where the
cable grippers had been removed. Ripple effect glass partitions. Cast
brass instructions to use the - long gone - spittoons.

Like everyone else I used it to see the Queen for her silver jubilee,
which was the last day of the old system. The new has never really
been the same.

Ian

ELL Late Preview
 

On Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:16:04 +0100, Ian Jelf
wrote:

Glasgow is not a city I know well but it is one of the most interesting
I've ever had the pleasure to visit, for all sorts of reasons. I would
recommend a visit there to anyone, especially those for whom the term
"Scotland" conjures up images of heather, tartan, aquatic monsters and
dancing over swords.

But aren't those things at the end of your para the items you have to
bring or perform before granted entry to Scotland these days? I'm sure
the SNP have legislated in that respect with the extra cost of
verification being borne solely by Tony Polson's wallet.
--
Paul C

ELL Late Preview
 

On Apr 30, 4:16*pm, Ian Jelf wrote:
I never saw the "old" system in operation but you do get a real sense of
what it was like (confirmed by your description) from the really rather
good reconstruction of a Subway Station (is it Merkland Street?) In the
Museum of Transport at Kelvin Hall.

Alas, Glasgow's Museum of Transport closed a fortnight ago. Its
exhibits are being relocated to the new Riverside Museum, which is due
to open next year. The 1930s street (Kelvin Street) is coming along
too - presumably with the recreated subway station.
There's some details at http://www.riversideappeal.org/about.../the-building/

I'm sure every inch was photographed over the last few months, so
you'll find plenty of it on flickr - a quick search finds
http://www.flickr.com/photos/romari/...110374/detail/