In 1896 the Glasgow underground opened. It was a two-line circle, 6.5 miles long, powered by a clutch and cable system, with one cable for each direction. The cables were 4cm thick, weighed about 57 tons, and kept in perpetual motion at constant speed when the line was open.
The entire system was driven by a steam-powered plant, with the trains craned upward for repair or overhaul, to reach the Govan workshops at ground level.
The circles of tunnels, at an average depth of 9 metres, extended north and south of the River Clyde, and were unique in being completely underground. The 4 foot (1.22 metres) inner and outer tracks were entirely separate, with no points.
The Glasgow District Subway had fifteen stations, built with a centre platform between the tracks, so trains had doors on one side only. Passengers entered at the middle of the train and left by the front or rear doors.
The twin tunnels were only 11 feet (3.35 metres) in diameter, and provided a circular service, with trains at peak times running every four minutes. The trains remained cable-hauled until 1935, when the service was electrified.
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