Written by Ewan Tait - 15 Jan 2004
Location notes
Glasgow Central station is at the north end of the WCML and the terminus for the Ayrshire coast and Glasgow Southside commuter services. It is the busiest station in Scotland with an almost constant stream of trains arriving and departing.
Railway type and traffic
DMUs - 156s, 220s, 221s and 170s soon.
EMUs - 314s, 318s, 322s (only a few per day), 334s and 390s (only one return per day plus driver training)
Loco-hauled - 91s, NXEC HSTs occasionally, Virgin 390s, DB Schenker 90s on the Caledonian Sleeper
Glasgow Central is visited weekly by the Network Rail NEMT (the Yellow HST), plus there are occasional workings such as driver training and the OHLE test train. Keep an eye on scot-rail to see if any thing interesting is happening.
Environment
A major station, fully staffed so usually very safe. There is a British Transport Police office on site.
Road directions
From M8 eastbound:
Come off M8 at Junction 21 (signposted East Kilbride). The motorway ends at a junction with the A8 Paisley Road. Turn right along Paisley Road and continue for 600m until you come to the junction with Commerce Street. Turn left and cross over the Clyde. Straight over the next two junctions along Oswald Street and then Hope Street. Once onto Hope Street, you'll find off-street parking on the right hand side (certainly short stay and probably long stay).

From M8 westbound:
Come off the M8 at junction 20 after crossing the Kingston Bridge. This should bring you onto West Street which you continue along north to Paisley Road. Turn right onto Paisley Road, along Paisley Road until you reach the junction with Commerce Street; turn left onto Commerce Street and cross the Clyde. Continue over the next junction onto Oswald Street, then over the next onto Hope Street. Glasgow Central's off street parking is on the right hand side.

Glasgow Central map co-ordinates
Parking
There is a short stay car park in the station and long stay car parks close by.
Public transport
A large number of trains from all over the Glasgow area and the UK.
Amenities
Glasgow, being a former European city of Culture has plenty of places to eat both in the station and close by outside.
Where on the map

Sun Compass
Open this Image in a new window and use as a sun compass with the links below.

Streetmap links
Glasgow Central general view map
Glasgow Central close up map

Multimap links
Glasgow Central on new multimap
Glasgow Central general view map
Glasgow Central close up map
Glasgow Central aerial view (where available)

Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Glasgow Central
Some areas not available at all zoom levels,.

Helpful location information
Weather forecast
Railway Gen Group
scot-rail.co.uk
Photographic notes
Glasgow Central has a huge number of vantage points but you need to watch the sun though as the station runs north-south with the trains arriving and departing from the south end of the station.
One of the best locations is platform 11a which is situated right out over the Clyde and allows you to watch all the comings and goings.
Platform 2 and 10 give some nice vantage points from about halfway up their length of trains approaching the shorter platforms in between - the station is fitted with TPWS so arriving trains will be moving slowly.

If you do find this information useful then please feel free to mention how you 'found' the location on your website or magazine submission.
Offical Guidelines for Railway Enthusiasts
British Transport Police Guidelines for rail enthusiaist
Network Rail Guidelines for rail enthusiasts
ATOC/National Rail Guidelines for rail enthusiasts

If you see anything suspicious the British Transport Police can be contacted on their crime telephone number:
0800 405040
Help all us railway enthusiasts get a better name by helping the British Transport Police catch the cable thief's and vandals.
Links to photographs at this location
Ewan's Photos - Glasgow Central
Rail Net - UK Tour 2003 - Glasgow
Alastair's Gallery - Glasgow Central
General views - All photographs © Ewan Tait unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking south


Fig 1 - Looking south

From platform 1 - 2.

Fig 2 - Looking north


Fig 2 - Looking north

Reverse angle of fig 1

Fig 3 - Looking north


Fig 3 - Looking north

From platfrom 11a

Fig 4 - Looking south


Fig 4 - Looking south

Same position as fig 3, reverse angle.

Fig 5 - Looking north



Fig 5 - Looking north

From platform 9

Fig 6 - Within the station



Fig 6 - Within the station


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