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108-396: [REDACTED] The Busby Railway is a short railway line built to the south of Glasgow , connecting the (at the time) small villages of Thornliebank , Giffnock , Clarkston and Busby and later Thorntonhall and East Kilbride with the city. It opened in two stages, in 1866 and 1868, and served industry and encouraged residential development. The line is still open as part of
216-584: A passing loop at Lugton. However, in 2009 the section between Stewarton and Lugton was redoubled, forming a dynamic loop, as part of capacity improvements between Glasgow and Kilmarnock. The section from Strathbungo Junction to Cumberland Street Junction, by which trains reached the City Union Line from 1873, was closed beyond Langside Junction in 1973 and lifted (the remainder is still in use for freight). The line to Beith closed to passengers on 5 November 1962 and to freight two years later. In 1968
324-617: A few warm and no hot summers in Glasgow, in stark contrast to areas further south in Great Britain and eastwards in Europe. The warmest month on record in the data series is July 2006, with an average high of 22.7 °C (72.9 °F) and low of 13.7 °C (56.7 °F). Even this extreme event only matched a normal summer on similar parallels in continental Europe, underlining the maritime influences. The coldest month on record since
432-540: A further act of Parliament of 1 August 1849, by which time the CR had succeeded in reducing its financial commitment to the original GB&NDR shareholders; even so the outlay was £16,500 on a 999-year lease; "receipts were barely enough to cover the working costs". On 1 June 1849 the Clydesdale Junction Railway CJR was completed, terminating at South Side station. The CJR was effectively under
540-565: A holding reservoir at Milngavie, and then by pipes into the city. The project cost £980,000 and was opened by Queen Victoria in 1859. In the early 19th century an eighth of the people lived in single-room accommodation. The engineer for the project was John Frederick Bateman , while James Morris Gale became the resident engineer for the city section of the project, and subsequently became Engineer in Chief for Glasgow Water Commissioners. He oversaw several improvements during his tenure, including
648-615: A host city of the UEFA Euro 2028 . The UK's first official consumption room for illegal drugs including heroin and cocaine was set to open on 21 October 2024, however this has been delayed. Although Glasgow Corporation had been a pioneer in the municipal socialist movement from the late-nineteenth century, since the Representation of the People Act 1918 , Glasgow increasingly supported left-wing ideas and politics at
756-419: A major industry on the upper stretches of the river, pioneered by industrialists such as Robert Napier , John Elder , George Thomson , Sir William Pearce and Sir Alfred Yarrow . The River Clyde also became an important source of inspiration for artists, such as John Atkinson Grimshaw , John Knox , James Kay , Sir Muirhead Bone , Robert Eadie and L.S. Lowry , willing to depict the new industrial era and
864-589: A national level. The city council was controlled by the Labour Party for over thirty years, since the decline of the Progressives . Since 2007, when local government elections in Scotland began to use the single transferable vote rather than the first-past-the-post system , the dominance of the Labour Party within the city started to decline. As a result of the 2017 United Kingdom local elections ,
972-529: A pit to a waterway. By the 1840s it was evident that they had a more strategic role, and in 1846 a Royal Commission deliberated on the desirable location of passenger and goods terminals to serve the city of Glasgow and the quays on the Clyde. The Caledonian Railway had just been authorised (in 1845) and planned to get access to the city over the route of the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway (by now transformed into
1080-550: A second aqueduct and further raising of water levels in Loch Katrine. Additional supplies were provided by Loch Arklet in 1902, by impounding the water and creating a tunnel to allow water to flow into Loch Katrine. A similar scheme to create a reservoir in Glen Finglas was authorised in 1903, but was deferred, and was not completed until 1965. Following the 2002 Glasgow floods , the waterborne parasite cryptosporidium
1188-407: A sermon containing the words Lord, Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the word and the praising of thy name . This was abbreviated to "Let Glasgow Flourish" and adopted as the city's motto. In 1450, John Stewart, the first Lord Provost of Glasgow, left an endowment so that a "St Mungo's Bell" could be made and tolled throughout the city so that the citizens would pray for his soul. A new bell
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#17327914507241296-456: A temporary arrangement, until in June 1879 they transferred to the new Glasgow Central station. At the present day there is a half-hourly interval passenger service on the line, operated by Class 156 diesel multiple units. Busby Junction to Busby opened on 1 January 1866; Busby to East Kilbride opened on 1 September 1868; the line is open at the present day. The altitude of East Kilbride station
1404-485: Is 504 feet (154 m). The line is double track from Busby Junction to Busby, and then single to East Kilbride; there is a passing loop ("Hairmyres Loop") immediately on the East Kilbride side of Hairmyres station. Entries in italics were not passenger stations; entries in bold are open today. The configuration of the curves at Clarkston is complex. The Busby Railway line runs south-east to north-west and
1512-571: Is administered by Glasgow City Council . In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow's population grew rapidly, reaching a peak of 1,127,825 people in 1938 (with a higher density and within a smaller territory than in subsequent decades). The population was greatly reduced following comprehensive urban renewal projects in the 1960s which resulted in large-scale relocation of people to designated new towns , such as Cumbernauld , Livingston , East Kilbride and peripheral suburbs, followed by successive boundary changes. Over 1,000,000 people live in
1620-621: Is also shown, and is also disconnected at the Clarkston end; it is likely it was never connected as a through route. It ran parallel with the L&;AR line and joined it at Muirend station: in effect this was a long siding from Muirend, and was used for wagon storage. Glasgow Glasgow ( UK : / ˈ ɡ l ɑː z ɡ oʊ , ˈ ɡ l æ z -, ˈ ɡ l ɑː s -, ˈ ɡ l æ s -/ GLA(H)Z -goh, GLA(H)SS - ; Scottish Gaelic : Glaschu [ˈkl̪ˠas̪əxu] )
1728-567: Is no active proposal to extend, preparatory work began in 2021 for the electrification of the line and its reconstruction with double track throughout. The initial passenger train service on the line was three trains each way with an extra train on Saturday. The trains used the GB&;NDR terminus at South Side in Glasgow. When that closed in 1877, the trains used Gorbals on the Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway extension to St Enoch as
1836-553: Is represented by seven Members of Parliament (MPs), all elected at least once every five years to represent individual constituencies, using the first-past-the-post system of voting. In Holyrood, Glasgow is represented by sixteen Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), of whom nine are elected to represent individual constituencies once every four years using first-past-the-post, and seven are elected as additional regional members, by proportional representation. Since
1944-615: Is the most populous city in Scotland , located on the banks of the River Clyde in west central Scotland . The city is the third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom and the 27th-most-populous city in Europe . In 2022, it had an estimated population as a defined locality of 632,350 and anchored an urban settlement of 1,028,220. Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement close to Glasgow Cathedral and descending to
2052-548: The 2016 Scottish Parliament election , Glasgow is represented at Holyrood by 9 Scottish National Party MSPs, 4 Labour MSPs, 2 Conservative MSPs and 1 Scottish Green MSP. In the European Parliament, the city formed part of the Scotland constituency , which elected six Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) prior to Brexit . Since Glasgow is covered and operates under two separate central governments,
2160-507: The Acts of Union in 1707, Scotland gained further access to the vast markets of the new British Empire, and Glasgow became prominent as a hub of international trade to and from the Americas, especially in sugar, tobacco, cotton, and manufactured goods. Starting in 1668, the city's Tobacco Lords created a deep water port at Port Glasgow about 20 mi (32 km) down the River Clyde , as
2268-541: The Glasgow South Western Line on the city's suburban rail network. In the 1860s, developing residential areas outside the immediate conurbation of Glasgow began to emerge. Local people promoted a line to connect Busby to the growing Glasgow network, and on 11 May 1863 the Busby Railway obtained an authorising Act of Parliament with a capital of £36,000. It was to run from a junction with
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#17327914507242376-510: The Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway (GB&NDR) which at that time was leased to, and worked by, the Caledonian Railway . The line would be 3 miles 43 chains (6 km) in length. The speculative nature of the line was indicated in the prospectus, which described the area served as being ideal for villa residences: business people could live in rural surroundings and travel daily to their places of business in
2484-691: The Greater Glasgow contiguous urban area, while the wider Glasgow City Region is home to over 1,800,000 people (its defined functional urban area total was almost the same in 2020), equating to around 33% of Scotland's population; The city has one of the highest densities of any locality in Scotland at 4,023/km . Glasgow's major cultural institutions enjoy international reputations including The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland , Burrell Collection , Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum , Royal Scottish National Orchestra , BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra , Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera . The city
2592-715: The Hunterian Museum today. Glasgow itself was reputed to have been founded by the Christian missionary Saint Mungo in the 6th century. He established a church on the Molendinar Burn , where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre. Glasgow grew over the following centuries as part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde and the Kingdom of Scotland . The Glasgow Fair reportedly began in 1190. A bridge over
2700-656: The Milngavie water treatment works , Glasgow Subway , Glasgow Corporation Tramways , City Chambers , Mitchell Library and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum were being funded by its wealth. The city also held a series of International Exhibitions at Kelvingrove Park , in 1888 , 1901 and 1911 , with Britain's last major International Exhibition, the Empire Exhibition , being subsequently held in 1938 at Bellahouston Park , which drew 13 million visitors. The 20th century witnessed both decline and renewal in
2808-662: The River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Scotland, and tenth largest by tonnage in Britain. Expanding from the medieval bishopric and episcopal burgh (subsequently royal burgh ), and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in the 15th century, it became a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century. From the 18th century onwards, the city also grew as one of Britain's main hubs of oceanic trade with North America and
2916-537: The SI unit of temperature , Kelvin, is named. The burgh of Glasgow was historically in Lanarkshire , but close to the border with Renfrewshire . When elected county councils were established in 1890, Glasgow was deemed capable of running its own affairs and so was excluded from the administrative area of Lanarkshire County Council, whilst remaining part of Lanarkshire for lieutenancy and judicial purposes. The burgh
3024-756: The SNP was able to form a minority administration ending Labour's thirty-seven years of uninterrupted control. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the German Revolution of 1918–19 , the city's frequent strikes and militant organisations caused serious alarm at Westminster , with one uprising in January 1919, the Battle of George Square , prompting Liberal Prime Minister David Lloyd George to deploy 10,000 soldiers and tanks on
3132-645: The Scottish independence referendum , Glasgow voted "Yes" by a margin of 53.5% to 46.5% . In the Brexit referendum , results varied from constituency to constituency. Glasgow North recorded the biggest remain vote with 78% opting to stay in the EU whilst in Glasgow East this figure dropped to 56%. The city as a whole voted to remain in the EU, by 66.6% to 33.3%. Voter turnout has often been lower in Glasgow than in
3240-601: The West Indies ; soon followed by the Orient , India , and China . With the onset of the Industrial Revolution , the population and economy of Glasgow and the surrounding region expanded rapidly to become one of the world's pre-eminent centres of chemicals, textiles and engineering; most notably in the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry, which produced many innovative and famous vessels. Glasgow
3348-558: The triangular trade and the Atlantic slave trade that the former depended upon. Glasgow merchants dealt in slave-produced cash crops such as sugar, tobacco, cotton and linen. From 1717 to 1766, Scottish slave ships operating out of Glasgow transported approximately 3,000 enslaved Africans to the Americas (out of a total number of 5,000 slaves carried by ships from Scotland). The majority of these slaving voyages left from Glasgow's satellite ports, Greenock and Port Glasgow . After
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3456-599: The "Second City of the Empire" and was producing more than half Britain's tonnage of shipping and a quarter of all locomotives in the world. In addition to its pre-eminence in shipbuilding, engineering, industrial machinery, bridge building, chemicals, explosives, coal and oil industries it developed as a major centre in textiles, garment-making, carpet manufacturing, leather processing, furniture-making, pottery, food, drink and cigarette making; printing and publishing. Shipping, banking, insurance and professional services expanded at
3564-538: The 12th Earl of Eglinton had expended considerable sums improving the harbour; the Ardrossan Railway was largely sponsored by him. Its natural enemy was the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway (GPK&AR), which was building in that part of Ayrshire, and the Ardrossan company had purchased large quantities of GB&NDR shares, "to stop the Glasgow and Ayr swamping it". If the Ardrossan company
3672-451: The 1950s. By the 1960s, growth of industry in countries like Japan and West Germany , weakened the once pre-eminent position of many of the city's industries. As a result of this, Glasgow entered a lengthy period of relative economic decline and rapid de-industrialisation, leading to high unemployment, urban decay , population decline, welfare dependency and poor health for the city's inhabitants. There were active attempts at regeneration of
3780-433: The 56 additional members . Both kinds of member are known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) . The system of election is designed to produce a form of proportional representation . The first past the post seats were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of then existing Westminster ( House of Commons ) constituencies. In 2005, the number of Westminster Members of Parliament (MPs) representing Scotland
3888-521: The City of Glasgow was granted to the royal burgh by the Lord Lyon on 25 October 1866. It incorporates a number of symbols and emblems associated with the life of Glasgow's patron saint, Mungo, which had been used on official seals prior to that date. The emblems represent miracles supposed to have been performed by Mungo and are listed in the traditional rhyme: St Mungo is also said to have preached
3996-465: The City. There was also important quarrying activity in the area; their product was much in demand at the time; there were also textile mills in the area served. The line opened on 1 January 1866, and the point of junction with the main line was named Busby Junction. Train services operated from the South Side station in Glasgow. There was a half mile goods branch to a print works at Busby. During
4104-548: The Clyde near Glasgow Bridge. It got as far as an authorising act of Parliament, the Glasgow Southern Terminal Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cci), on 16 July 1846, but the details were left subject to approval by various authorities. In fact the Admiralty demanded a swing bridge for the Clyde crossing, and combined with other opposition, the scheme faced too much obstruction, and
4212-738: The Conservative Party continued to decline into the twenty-first century, winning only one of the 79 councillors on Glasgow City Council in 2012 , despite having been the controlling party (as the Progressives ) from 1969 to 1972 when Sir Donald Liddle was the last non-Labour Lord Provost . Glasgow is represented in both the House of Commons in London , and the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh . At Westminster, it
4320-549: The EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive ended the practice. The sewerage infrastructure was improved significantly in 2017, with the completion of a tunnel 3.1 mi (5.0 km) long, which provides 20 × 10 ^ imp gal (90 Ml) of storm water storage. It will reduce the risk of flooding and the likelihood that sewage will overflow into the Clyde during storms. Since 2002, clean water provision and sewerage have been
4428-597: The GB&NDR, and Kilwinning and Kilmarnock. The GB&NDR opened its line as far a Barrhead terminus on 27 September 1848; the station was in the Grahamston district below the town, and on the north-west side of the Water of Levern. The Glasgow station was South Side . The 1847 act of Parliament had merely authorised the lease by the Caledonian; the terms had to be negotiated, and these were being finalised by
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4536-548: The Glasgow, Garnkirk and Coatbridge Railway) which terminated at Townhead, in the north-east margin of the city. Taking a strategic view the CR hoped to get authorisation for a more central terminal, and it collaborate with the GB&NDR to promote a passenger terminal in the city centre. Together they proposed the Glasgow Southern Terminal Railway , which would be located near St Enoch's Square, crossing
4644-576: The Kilmarnock line to reach the planned St Enoch (passenger) and College (goods) terminals. The act of Parliament included a clause imposing a penalty of £60,000 if the through line were not ready by 28 June 1872. In fact the deadline was not met: the line was opened only as far as Stewarton on 27 March 1871. An act of Parliament of 25 July 1872, the Glasgow and Kilmarnock Joint Line (Extension of Time) Act 1872 ( 35 & 36 Vict. c. xii), removed
4752-573: The River Clyde was recorded from around 1285, where Victoria Bridge now stands. As the lowest bridging point on the Clyde it was an important crossing. The area around the bridge became known as Briggait. The founding of the University of Glasgow adjoining the cathedral in 1451 and elevation of the bishopric to become the Archdiocese of Glasgow in 1492 increased the town's religious and educational status and landed wealth. Its early trade
4860-584: The Scottish Air Quality Objective levels for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10)". The city hosted the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) at its main events venue, the SEC Centre . Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games , and will host the 2026 edition of the games . Glasgow also hosted the first European Championships in 2018, was one of the host cities for UEFA Euro 2020 , and will be
4968-560: The annual precipitation averages 1,245 mm (49.0 in). Glasgow has been named as the rainiest city of the UK, having an average of 170 days of rain a year. Winters are cool and overcast, with a January mean of 5.0 °C (41.0 °F), though lows sometimes fall below freezing. Since 2000 Glasgow has experienced few very cold, snowy and harsh winters where temperatures have fallen much below freezing. The most extreme instances have however seen temperatures around −12 °C (10 °F) in
5076-417: The area. Snowfall accumulation is infrequent and short-lived. The spring months (March to May) are usually mild and often quite pleasant. Many of Glasgow's trees and plants begin to flower at this time of the year and parks and gardens are filled with spring colours. During the summer months (June to August) the weather can vary considerably from day to day, ranging from relatively cool and wet to quite warm with
5184-525: The attack in Glasgow and an attack in London the previous day . One of the perpetrators of the attack, Kafeel Ahmed , was the only reported casualty, with a following five people sustaining injuries from the attack. In 2008 the city was ranked at 43 for Personal Safety in the Mercer index of top 50 safest cities in the world. The Mercer report was specifically looking at Quality of Living, yet by 2011 within Glasgow, certain areas were (still) "failing to meet
5292-517: The branch line. However the station, located to suit the core of the earlier village, was not well placed for the centre of the New Town, and there have been numerous initiatives to extend the railway accordingly. None of these has been implemented, and the dispersed nature of the community's housing, and changing travel habits, mean that the station serves better now as a railhead, than as a terminal to which people might walk, and at present, while there
5400-610: The central area. There are also accusations that the Scottish Office had deliberately attempted to undermine Glasgow's economic and political influence in post-war Scotland by diverting inward investment in new industries to other regions during the Silicon Glen boom and creating the new towns of Cumbernauld, Glenrothes, Irvine, Livingston and East Kilbride , dispersed across the Scottish Lowlands to halve
5508-400: The centre of Glasgow, fuelling allegations of gentrification . In 2008, the city was listed by Lonely Planet as one of the world's top 10 tourist cities. Glasgow still has a higher employment rate than Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. In 2007, the city's primary airport was the target of a terrorist attack when a Jeep Cherokee filled with propane gas cylinders and petrol cans
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#17327914507245616-529: The citizens of Kilmarnock had wanted from the GBK&;AR at the outset. The Caledonian responded with a bill to extend the Glasgow Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway, which they leased and worked, from Crofthead (i.e. Neilston) to Kilmarnock. Both these schemes obtained acts of Parliament. The lines would be closely parallel, and at this time the respective shareholders strenuously made it clear that
5724-487: The city in the early 18th century and famously opined in his book A tour thro' the whole island of Great Britain , that Glasgow was "the cleanest and beautifullest, and best built city in Britain, London excepted". At that time the city's population was about 12,000, and the city was yet to undergo the massive expansionary changes to its economy and urban fabric, brought about by the Scottish Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution. The city prospered from its involvement in
5832-536: The city's population base. By the late 1980s, there had been a significant resurgence in Glasgow's economic fortunes. The " Glasgow's miles better " campaign, launched in 1983, and opening of the Burrell Collection in 1983 and Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in 1985 facilitated Glasgow's new role as a European centre for business services and finance and promoted an increase in tourism and inward investment. The latter continues to be bolstered by
5940-532: The city's streets. A huge demonstration in the city's George Square on 31 January ended in violence, known as the Battle of George Square , after the Riot Act was read. Industrial action at the shipyards gave rise to the " Red Clydeside " epithet. During the 1930s, Glasgow was the main base of the Independent Labour Party . Towards the end of the twentieth century, it became a centre of
6048-667: The city, when the Glasgow Corporation published its controversial Bruce Report , which set out a comprehensive series of initiatives aimed at turning round the decline of the city. The report led to a huge and radical programme of rebuilding and regeneration efforts that started in the mid-1950s and lasted into the late 1970s. This involved the mass demolition of the city's infamous slums and their replacement with large suburban housing estates and tower blocks. The city invested heavily in roads infrastructure, with an extensive system of arterial roads and motorways that bisected
6156-610: The city. After World War I , the city suffered from the impact of the Post–World War I recession and from the later Great Depression , this also led to a rise of radical socialism and the " Red Clydeside " movement. The city had recovered by the outbreak of World War II . The city saw aerial bombardment by the Luftwaffe during the Clydebank Blitz , during the war, then grew through the post-war boom that lasted through
6264-665: The commercial centre of the city. Following the European Protestant Reformation and with the encouragement of the Convention of Royal Burghs , the 14 incorporated trade crafts federated as the Trades House in 1605 to match the power and influence in the town council of the earlier Merchants' Guilds who established their Merchants House in the same year. Glasgow was subsequently raised to the status of Royal Burgh in 1611. Daniel Defoe visited
6372-426: The construction period the decision was taken to extend the line to the village of East Kilbride , at an additional cost of £45,000. The Caledonian Railway subscribed one-third of this sum. The extension was opened on 1 September 1868. In 1881 the line was doubled between Busby Junction and Busby. On 18 July 1881 an Act was passed authorising the Caledonian Railway to absorb the Busby Railway, and in December 1881 it
6480-401: The control of the Caledonian Railway, and trains to and from England now used the station. From 10 September 1849 trains from the Hamilton line also used the station. In that year the station was rebuilt to a design of William Tite ; although cramped, the facade was imposing. In 1865 the G&SWR promoted a bill to build a line from Kilmarnock to Glasgow via Stewarton—the direct route which
6588-501: The data series began is December 2010, during a severe cold wave affecting the British Isles. Even then, the December high was above freezing at 1.6 °C (34.9 °F) with the low of −4.4 °C (24.1 °F). This still ensured Glasgow's coldest month of 2010 remained milder than the isotherm of −3 °C (27 °F) normally used to determine continental climate normals. Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway The Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Railway
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#17327914507246696-413: The devolved Scottish Parliament and UK Government, they determine various matters that Glasgow City Council is not responsible for. The Glasgow electoral region of the Scottish Parliament covers the Glasgow City council area, a north-western part of South Lanarkshire and a small eastern portion of Renfrewshire . It elects nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituency members and seven of
6804-413: The duplicate expenditure was wasteful. At first the compromise was that the two routes would converge at Stewarton, continuing as a single route to the G&SWR station at Kilmarnock. In fact the proposals were held in suspense for some time, until in the 1869 session a bill was put forward merging the schemes entirely: the rival companies agreed to build the line jointly from Crofthead to Kilmarnock. This
6912-440: The electorate of Glasgow voted in favour of Scottish independence; the SNP won every seat in the city at the 2015 general election , including a record-breaking 39.3% swing from Labour to SNP in the Glasgow North East constituency. At the 2017 snap general election , Glasgow was represented by 6 Scottish National Party MPs and 1 Labour MP; the Glasgow North East constituency which had a record 39.3% swing from Labour to SNP at
7020-410: The later L&AR line runs south-west to north-east. The south curve as described above is shown as in situ but disconnected at both ends on an Ordnance Survey map dated 1911; the junction at the Neilston end is named Clarkston West Junction and the signal box at the Clarkston end is Clarkston East Junction; this is in addition to Clarkston station signal box. An east curve, not referred to by Paterson,
7128-449: The legacy of the city's Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988, its status as European Capital of Culture in 1990, and concerted attempts to diversify the city's economy. However, it is the industrial heritage that serves as key tourism enabler. Wider economic revival has persisted and the ongoing regeneration of inner-city areas, including the large-scale Clyde Waterfront Regeneration , has led to more affluent people moving back to live in
7236-413: The line was closed, as the alternative line to Neilston High was electrified. The East Kilbride line, branching from the Kilmarnock line at Busby Junction, assumed greater importance as the housing construction there developed. The track between Barrhead and Kilmarnock was singled as part of the rationalisation of the route in the mid 1970s following the electrification of the West Coast Main Line , with
7344-400: The lowest turnout were all in Glasgow; turnout further decreased in the 2017 election, when five of the city's seven seats reported a lowered turnout. Glasgow is located on the banks of the River Clyde, in West Central Scotland. Another important river is the Kelvin , a tributary of the River Clyde, whose name was used in creating the title of Baron Kelvin the renowned physicist for whom
7452-417: The mid-eighteenth century the city began expanding westwards from its medieval core at Glasgow Cross, with a grid-iron street plan starting from the 1770s and eventually reaching George Square to accommodate much of the growth, with that expansion much later becoming known in the 1980s onwards as the Merchant City . The largest growth in the city centre area, building on the wealth of trading internationally,
7560-452: The mineral traffic ran that way. The Clarkston curve then had very little traffic, and it was closed on 29 October 1907. Clarkston East Junction remained in use as a block post on the Busby line until 1930. Around the end of the nineteenth century the industrial activity on the line declined, but residential travel increased considerably. East Kilbride transformed from a village to a New Town from 1947 onward, and this gave new significance to
7668-519: The modern name appears for the first time in the Gaelic period (1116), as Glasgu . It is also recorded that the King of Strathclyde , Rhydderch Hael , welcomed Saint Kentigern (also known as Saint Mungo), and procured his consecration as bishop about 540. For some thirteen years Kentigern laboured in the region, building his church at the Molendinar Burn where Glasgow Cathedral now stands, and making many converts. A large community developed around him and became known as Glasgu . The coat of arms of
7776-477: The modern world, as did Stanley Spencer downriver at Port Glasgow . With the population growing, the first scheme to provide a public water supply was by the Glasgow Company in 1806. A second company was formed in 1812, and the two merged in 1838, but there was some dissatisfaction with the quality of the water supplied. The Gorbals Gravitation Water Company began supplying water to residents living to
7884-740: The odd sunny day. Long dry spells of warm weather are generally quite scarce. Overcast and humid conditions without rain are frequent. Generally the weather pattern is quite unsettled and erratic during these months, with only occasional heatwaves. The warmest month is usually July, with average highs above 20 °C (68 °F). Summer days can occasionally reach up to 27 °C (81 °F), and very rarely exceed 30 °C (86 °F). Autumns are generally cool to mild with increasing precipitation. During early autumn there can be some settled periods of weather and it can feel pleasant with mild temperatures and some sunny days. The official Met Office data series goes back to 1959 and shows that there only have been
7992-478: The penalty as well as clarifying the City Union line connection. The through route was opened on 26 June 1873. As well as the line from Glasgow to Kilmarnock, there was a branch to Beith from Barrmill, opened on the same day. However the Glasgow terminal remained the awkwardly located South Side station: the connection towards St Enoch was not ready. The former Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway company
8100-420: The present day. The station at Neilston was closed, and the locality is served by a different line. The Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway (GB&NDR) was authorised on 4 August 1845 to build its line of nine miles (15 km) with a capital of £150,000. It was to run from a terminal on the south side of Glasgow to Crofthead, near Neilston. The location was the centre of several local industries, in
8208-571: The previous general election, was regained by Paul Sweeney of the Labour Party , who narrowly defeated sitting SNP MP Anne McLaughlin by 242 votes. Since the 2019 general election , Glasgow has been represented by 7 Scottish National Party MPs; the Glasgow North East constituency, was regained by Anne McLaughlin of the Scottish National Party , resulting in the same clean sweep like 4 years previously . In
8316-514: The regional vote, the Glasgow electoral region is represented by four Labour MSPs, two Conservative MSPs and one Green MSP. Following reform of constituencies of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom ( Westminster ) in 2005, which reduced the number of Scottish Members of Parliament (MPs), the current Westminster constituencies representing Glasgow are: Following the 2014 Scottish independence referendum , in which 53.49% of
8424-458: The responsibility of Scottish Water . Glasgow's population had surpassed that of Edinburgh by 1821. The development of civic institutions included the City of Glasgow Police in 1800, one of the first municipal police forces in the world. Despite the crisis caused by the City of Glasgow Bank 's collapse in 1878, growth continued and by the end of the 19th century it was one of the cities known as
8532-490: The rest of the United Kingdom. In the Referendum of 2014 turnout was 75%, the lowest in Scotland; in the Brexit referendum the city's voters, while joining the rest of Scotland in voting to remain part of the EU, again had a low turnout of 56.2%, although SNP MP Angus Robertson placed this in the historical context of traditional low turnout in Glasgow. In the 2015 general election, the six Scottish constituencies with
8640-474: The river from the city to that point was then too shallow for seagoing merchant ships. By the late 18th century more than half of the British tobacco trade was concentrated on the River Clyde, with over 47,000,000 lb (21,000 t) of tobacco being imported each year at its peak. At the time, Glasgow held a commercial importance as the city participated in the trade of sugar, tobacco and later cotton. From
8748-558: The same time. Glasgow became one of the first cities in Europe to reach a population of one million. The city's new trades and sciences attracted new residents from across the Lowlands and the Highlands of Scotland , from Ireland and other parts of Britain and from Continental Europe . During this period, the construction of many of the city's greatest architectural masterpieces and most ambitious civil engineering projects, such as
8856-498: The second *cöü , "hollow" (cf. Welsh glas-cau ), giving a meaning of "green-hollow". It is often said that the name means "dear green place" or that "dear green place" is a translation from Gaelic Glas Caomh . "The dear green place" remains an affectionate way of referring to the city. The modern Gaelic is Glaschu and derived from the same roots as the Brittonic. The settlement may have an earlier Brittonic name, Cathures ;
8964-531: The severity of rationalisation was such that the line was to be closed, and trains diverted via Paisley and Dalry—the original GPK&AR route. In the event this was not done, and the Dalry - Kilmarnock route closed. The main line is open and carries (2015) a typically half-hourly passenger service running from Glasgow to Barrhead and then all stations to Kilmarnock; in addition a half-hourly service runs from Glasgow Central to Barrhead, calling at all stations. There
9072-490: The sewers, as part of a deal to allow them to tunnel under the city, and sewage treatment works were opened at Dalmarnoch in 1894, Dalmuir in 1904 and Shieldhall in 1910. The works experimented to find better ways to treat sewage, and a number of experimental filters were constructed, until a full activated sludge plant was built between 1962 and 1968 at a cost of £4 million. Treated sludge was dumped at sea, and Glasgow Corporation owned six sludge ships between 1904 and 1998, when
9180-500: The south of the River Clyde in 1846, obtained from reservoirs, which gave 75,000 people a constant water supply, but others were not so fortunate, and some 4,000 died in an outbreak of cholera in 1848/1849. This led to the development of the Glasgow Corporation Water Works , with a project to raise the level of Loch Katrine and to convey clean water by gravity along a 26 mi (42 km) aqueduct to
9288-528: The struggle against the poll tax ; which was introduced in Scotland a whole year before the rest of the United Kingdom and also served as the main base of the Scottish Socialist Party , another left-wing political party in Scotland. The city has not had a Conservative MP since the 1982 Hillhead by-election , when the SDP took the seat, which was in Glasgow's most affluent area. The fortunes of
9396-488: The temporary southern extremity of the GB&NDR line. The line between Barrhead and Neilston was closed temporarily from 1 May 1870 to enable the doubling of the line; the new Neilston station was located a short distance on the Kilmarnock side of the former location. The 1869 act of Parliament had authorised building a short connecting line from near South Side to the City of Glasgow Union Railway , which had been authorised in 1863, so as to enable G&SWR trains on
9504-565: The valley of the Cowdon Burn, on the Ayr Road below Neilston. Two short branches, to Thornliebank, and to Househill were authorised in the following year, with an additional £35,000 capital. The Glasgow terminal was somewhat remote from the city—Glasgow Bridge carried a toll at this time—but a small railway company could ill afford a central terminus. Many early railways had been simply a means to move coal and other heavy minerals from
9612-535: The west of the city, in neighbouring Renfrewshire. Owing to its westerly position and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Glasgow is one of Scotland's milder areas. Winter temperatures are usually higher than in most places of equal latitude away from the UK, due to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream . However, this results in less distinct seasons as compared to continental Western Europe. At Paisley ,
9720-540: Was driven at considerable speed into the entrance of the main terminal building . This was the first time that a terrorist attack had targeted Scotland specifically, and was the second terrorist attack to occur in Scotland following the explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie in the Scottish Borders in December 1988. Immediately following the incident, a close link was established between
9828-479: Was a railway jointly owned by the Caledonian Railway and the Glasgow and South Western Railway , completed in 1873, and giving the latter a shorter access to its Carlisle main line. A branch to Beith was also built. It was formed by extending the earlier independent Glasgow, Barrhead and Neilston Direct Railway , which is also described here; that line was taken over by the joint company. The main line between Glasgow and Kilmarnock continues in operation at
9936-414: Was abolished in 1996, since when the city has again been responsible for all aspects of local government, being one of the 32 council areas in Scotland. Despite its northerly latitude, similar to that of Moscow , Glasgow's climate is classified as oceanic ( Köppen Cfb ). Data is available online for 3 official weather stations in the Glasgow area: Paisley, Abbotsinch and Bishopton. All are located to
10044-419: Was authorised by a fresh act of Parliament on 12 July 1869, which cancelled the two earlier acts. The line was to be called the Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Line. The G&SWR had already constructed a short length northwards from Kilmarnock, and now extended that to make an end on junction with the GB&NDR line at Neilston. By then a new station had been opened at Neilston, on 27 March 1871, forming
10152-407: Was bought out. The new route was difficult to operate: "a veritable switchback" with 3½ miles (5 km) of 1 in 67-70 on Neilston bank. The G&SWR discontinued its passenger service from South Side station towards Kilmarnock on 1 September 1877. While Glasgow commuting built up in the 1960s, the outer limit of frequent passenger train services was Barrhead. The Neilston station on
10260-442: Was cut to 59, with new constituencies being formed, while the existing number of MSPs was retained at Holyrood. In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election , the boundaries of the Glasgow region were redrawn. Currently, the nine Scottish Parliament constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region are: At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election , all nine of these constituencies were won by Scottish National Party (SNP) candidates. On
10368-566: Was determined to buy out the remaining shareholders of the Busby Railway Company, and the line passed fully into Caledonian Railway ownership on 2 February 1882. The Caledonian Railway built a line eastwards from East Kilbride to join the Strathaven line near High Blantyre , where there was considerable mining activity; the intervening land was very thinly populated. When the Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Railway (L&AR) line
10476-406: Was found in the reservoir at Milngavie, and so the new Milngavie water treatment works was built. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth in 2007, and won the 2007 Utility Industry Achievement Award, having been completed ahead of its time schedule and for £10 million below its budgeted cost. Good health requires both clean water and effective removal of sewage. The Caledonian Railway rebuilt many of
10584-544: Was hostile to the GPK&;AR, then the Caledonian was a friend of the Ardrossan. A physical link between the GB&NDR and the Ardrossan company had been suggested, and the Caledonian calculated that possession of the GB&NDR would give it access to much of Ayrshire, beating off the GPK&AR. In 1846 the Ardrossan Company had obtained Parliamentary authority to build a line from Crofthead, intended terminus of
10692-464: Was in agriculture, brewing and fishing, with cured salmon and herring being exported to Europe and the Mediterranean. By the fifteenth century the urban area stretched from the area around the cathedral and university in the north down to the bridge and the banks of the Clyde in the south along High Street , Saltmarket and Bridgegate, crossing an east–west route at Glasgow Cross which became
10800-549: Was in the type of coronet over the arms. The area around Glasgow has hosted communities for millennia, with the River Clyde providing a natural location for fishing. The Romans later built outposts in the area and, to protect Roman Britannia from the Brittonic speaking ( Celtic ) Caledonians , constructed the Antonine Wall . Items from the wall, such as altars from Roman forts like Balmuildy , can be found at
10908-493: Was opened between Cathcart and Neilston in 1903 a south curve connection was built so that trains could run direct from Blantyre via East Kilbride and Neilston (High) to Ardrossan . The junction on the Busby line was Clarkston East Junction. The intention was to shorten the mileage for mineral trains, but this only lasted for nine months, until the opening of the section of the L&AR from Newton to Cathcart, when nearly all of
11016-451: Was purchased by the magistrates in 1641 and that bell is still on display in the People's Palace Museum, near Glasgow Green . The supporters are two salmon bearing rings, and the crest is a half length figure of Saint Mungo. He wears a bishop's mitre and liturgical vestments and has his hand raised in "the act of benediction ". The original 1866 grant placed the crest atop a helm, but this
11124-514: Was reduced to the construction of a terminal station called South Side, in the angle of Pollokshaws Road and Cathcart Street. The Glasgow Southern Terminal Railway was absorbed by the GB&NDR by an act of Parliament of 2 July 1847, which also authorised a deviation of the route. The CR also obtained authority to lease the GB&NDR line. At this period the Ardrossan Railway had grand plans to reach Glasgow from Ardrossan, where
11232-414: Was removed in subsequent grants. The current version (1996) has a gold mural crown between the shield and the crest. This form of coronet, resembling an embattled city wall, was allowed to the four area councils with city status. The arms were re-matriculated by the City of Glasgow District Council on 6 February 1975, and by the present area council on 25 March 1996. The only change made on each occasion
11340-410: Was substantially enlarged in 1891 to take in areas from both Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire where the urban area had grown beyond the old burgh boundary. In 1893, the burgh became its own county for lieutenancy and judicial purposes too, being made a county of itself . From 1975 to 1996 the city was part of Strathclyde Region , with the city's council becoming a lower-tier district council . Strathclyde
11448-616: Was the European Capital of Culture in 1990 and is notable for its architecture , culture , media , music scene , sports clubs and transport connections . It is the fifth-most-visited city in the United Kingdom. The city is also well known in the sporting world for football, particularly for the Old Firm rivalry. The name Glasgow is Brittonic in origin. The first element glas , meaning "grey-green, grey-blue" both in Brittonic , Scottish Gaelic and modern day Welsh and
11556-599: Was the "Second City of the British Empire " for much of the Victorian and Edwardian eras . Glasgow became a county in 1893, the city having previously been in the historic county of Lanarkshire , and later growing to also include settlements that were once part of Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire . It now forms the Glasgow City Council area, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland , and
11664-557: Was the next expansion being the grid-iron streets west of Buchanan Street riding up and over Blythswood Hill from 1800 onwards. The opening of the Monkland Canal and basin linking to the Forth and Clyde Canal at Port Dundas in 1795, facilitated access to the extensive iron-ore and coal mines in Lanarkshire . After extensive river engineering projects to dredge and deepen the River Clyde as far as Glasgow, shipbuilding became
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