No ‘Clockwork Orange’ train for Bo’ness museum collection
MUSEUM of Scottish Railways director Becky Peacock said that the Bo’ness venue will not be accepting one of the 1978-built Metro-Cammell Glasgow Subway trains after it comes out of service following replacement by new rolling stock on Glasgow’s unique 4ft gauge underground line, as reported in issue 315.
Affectionately dubbed ‘the Clockwork Orange’ by Glasgow’s public and media following modernisation in 1978, because of its then-new bright-orange-livered trains and its restricted 6½-mile circular route, reminiscent of a train set, the older units are being progressively replaced by new driverless rolling stock.
“We have given the idea great consideration, but we’ve had to reject the idea with great reluctance as we simply don’t have enough space,” said Becky.
“Strathclyde Partnership for Transport donated one of the original motor cars of 1898 to the museum in 2015 and it’s a popular exhibit.
“We’d have loved to exhibit one of the trains that replaced it, but we won’t ignore the subsequent history of the subway, and the trains that are being replaced could best be represented by a model. SPT did produce some for public relations purposes, and one of these might be ideal.”
Glasgow’s Riverside Museum is likely to accept one of the 1978 trains, or at least a motor car, to add to its existing collection of Glasgow Subway trains and artefacts. However, whether the train would be exhibited at the Riverside Museum or at the Nitshill Museum store remains unknown.
SPT is still inviting interest from heritage railways museums and groups interested in acquiring the old rolling stock as it comes out of service over the next two to three years.