Glasgow Underground (subway)

Glasgow's Underground, or Subway as it's referred to locally, is little more than a glorified train set. Actually the 3rd oldest underground system in the world, beaten by London and Budapest.

Originally built to transport workers from the city centre to the shipyards, on the north and south banks of the Clyde, it has just two circular lines the Inner Circle and the Outer Circle that run out west . You're not going to get lost on this one, that's for sure.

Trains are not standard gauge,and are really small as are the tunnels. Never been expanded since it was built, despite many proposals,and there are many disused railway lines and former mining tunnels under the city that would make it possible. Strangely enough these proposals usually come around at the times of local elections.

It has 15 stations, with Buchanan Street serving the northern part of the city centre and St Enoch the southern part. Very congested during rush hours, and don't even think about trying to get on it when there is a football game on at Ibrox.

Quite handy for getting to the West End,Hillhead and Partick. It runs with a flat fare system, whither you want to go one stop or eight it will cost you £1-20( at time of writing)

Was modernised in 1977, and on reopening was nicknamed the Clockwork Orange,because of the colour of the new trains. Lost a lot of it's character though,with new unimaginative and sterile stations. There was a smell,not a nasty one, that permeated the old underground,one that everyone knew and associated with the Subway, but that was lost when it was done up ( though you still get it a little as trains approach a platform pushing the air through the tunnels).

Best part of the Subway is in the Transport Museum at Kelvin Hall,where they have an old station and an old train :-) .

Smallest and the first subway ever.Very small and dirty, beware of NEDS. Got to love it.