Exclusive:Glasgow Subway’s brand new trains: First ride as they enter service unannounced

Transport Correspondent Alastair Dalton travelled on one of the underground railway’s first new services for 43 years on Monday.

It’s not a case of mind the gap, but mind your head.

Glasgow Subway’s brand new trains are so bright inside you might think they’re bigger than the old ones, but if you’re tall, you’ll still need to duck to board.

But that’s about the only thing that I found hasn’t changed as I stepped inside. Look down the carriage and you get an immediate sense of extra space from being able to see the full length of the train as there are no doors between the four coaches. Someone has already tweeted that the new lighting is hurting their eyes.

The first new Glasgow Subway train since 1980 making its passenger debut on Monday. (Photo by Alastair Dalton/The Scotsman)

I realised it would be a very different experience from the moment I saw the new train’s dazzling vertical headlights lighting up the tunnel as it approached the station.

There’s now a sound as the doors open and flashing lights as they close, and then unexpectedly rapid acceleration, and with it virtually none of the infamous “Subway shoogle” – sudden jolts and screeching rails that made it almost impossible to converse.

First look inside Glasgow Subway’s revolutionary new driverless trains

The decor is simple but stylish, with the grey and orange pattern bench seating firm but comfortable, and a definite improvement on its worn and springy predecessor.

The new carriages are open plan the length of the train. (Photo by Alastair Dalton/The Scotsman)

However, there’s also a range of other seating for the first time – several pop-up seats near the doors, and space for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

The only thing which I noticed was absent were some of the overhead grab rails around the doors – so watch out.

The new trains have been a long time coming, with the first two which entered service on Monday three years late.

But there is more to come because once the fleet is fully bedded in it is due to switch to driverless operation, with, in a UK-first for underground railways, no other staff routinely on board either.

Two of the new trains will initially be in passenger service

To enable that to run safely, half-height screen doors are to be installed on station platforms which will open in synch with train doors.

Once that has happened, you should be able to see along the tunnels from each end of the train, but for now, the driver’s cabs are encased in dark glass to prevent distracting glare.