Glasgow Museum of Transport
Encyclopedia
The Glasgow Museum of Transport in Glasgow
, Scotland
was established in 1964 and initially located at a former tram depot in Pollokshields
. From 1987 the museum was relocated to the city's Kelvin Hall
. It closed on 18 April 2010 in preparation for relocation to the Riverside Museum
building at Glasgow Harbour
in 2011.
opposite the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
in the West End of Glasgow. The Kelvin Hall was built in 1927, originally as an exhibition centre, but was converted in 1987 to house the Museum of Transport and the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena
. The Museum of Transport was first established in 1964. Created in the wake of the closure of Glasgow's tramway system
in 1962, it was initially located at the former Coplawhill tram depot on Albert Drive in Pollokshields
, before moving to the Kelvin Hall. The old building was subsequently converted into the Tramway
arts centre. The current Kelvin Hall site itself closed in April 2010, with the Museum moving to its third home at the new Riverside Museum in 2011.
The Museum of Transport in the Kelvin Hall was one of the most popular museums of transport in the United Kingdom, attracting half a million visitors a year and housed many exhibits of national and international importance.
and Albion
. More modern Scottish-built cars, namely the Rootes Group's Hillman Imp
, Chrysler Avenger and Chrysler Sunbeam
were represented too along with many other motorcars in a large showroom-type display sponsored by Arnold Clark
.
All forms of transport were featured, from horse-drawn vehicle
s to fire engines
, from motorcycle
s to caravan
s, even toy cars and prams.
and its shipbuilders and engineers to maritime trade and the Royal Navy
, including the Comet
of 1812, the Hood
, the Howe
, the Queen Mary
, and the Queen Elizabeth
and the QE2
.
Other main exhibits displayed the evolution of Glasgow's public transport system and included seven Glasgow Corporation Tramways
tramcars from different eras, Glasgow Corporation Trolleybus
es, and the reconstruction of "Kelvin Street", which aimed to recapture the atmosphere of 1930s Glasgow, including full-scale replicas of a pre-1977 Glasgow Subway
station and the Regal Cinema
, which played Scottish transport documentaries such as Seawards the Great Ships
.
in Glasgow Harbour
on the Clyde, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects
and engineers Buro Happold
. The new museum opened on Tuesday 21 June 2011.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
was established in 1964 and initially located at a former tram depot in Pollokshields
Pollokshields
Pollokshields is a district in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. It is a conservation area which was developed in Victorian times according to a plan promoted by the original landowners, the Stirling-Maxwells of Pollok, whose association with the area goes as far back as...
. From 1987 the museum was relocated to the city's Kelvin Hall
Kelvin Hall
The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, is a mixed-use arts and sports venue that opened as an exhibition centre in 1927. It has been a music hall, indoor arena and barrage balloon factory, and is currently home to the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena and from 1987 to 2010, Glasgow's Museum of...
. It closed on 18 April 2010 in preparation for relocation to the Riverside Museum
Riverside Museum
The Riverside Museum is a new development for the Glasgow Museum of Transport, completed on 20 June 2011, at Pointhouse Quay in the Glasgow Harbour regeneration district of Glasgow, Scotland. The next day it opened to the public.-Concept and design:...
building at Glasgow Harbour
Glasgow Harbour
Glasgow Harbour is an urban regeneration scheme at Partick in the city of Glasgow, Scotland.After many years of dereliction caused by the decline of shipbuilding and the migration of Glasgow's docks to the Firth of Clyde, since the mid 1980s, the banks of the River Clyde at Glasgow have become a...
in 2011.
History
The museum was situated inside the Kelvin HallKelvin Hall
The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, is a mixed-use arts and sports venue that opened as an exhibition centre in 1927. It has been a music hall, indoor arena and barrage balloon factory, and is currently home to the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena and from 1987 to 2010, Glasgow's Museum of...
opposite the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. The building houses one of Europe's great civic art collections...
in the West End of Glasgow. The Kelvin Hall was built in 1927, originally as an exhibition centre, but was converted in 1987 to house the Museum of Transport and the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena
Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena
The Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena is located within the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland. It has hosted many athletics competitions including the 1990 European Athletics Indoor Championships and the Aviva International Match since 1988.- History :...
. The Museum of Transport was first established in 1964. Created in the wake of the closure of Glasgow's tramway system
Glasgow Corporation Tramways
Glasgow Corporation Tramways were formerly one of the largest urban tramway systems in Europe. Over 1000 municipally-owned trams served the city of Glasgow, Scotland with over 100 route miles by 1922...
in 1962, it was initially located at the former Coplawhill tram depot on Albert Drive in Pollokshields
Pollokshields
Pollokshields is a district in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. It is a conservation area which was developed in Victorian times according to a plan promoted by the original landowners, the Stirling-Maxwells of Pollok, whose association with the area goes as far back as...
, before moving to the Kelvin Hall. The old building was subsequently converted into the Tramway
Tramway (arts centre)
Tramway is a contemporary visual and performing arts venue located in the Scottish city of Glasgow. Based in a former tram depot in the Pollokshields area of the South Side, it consists of two performance spaces and two galleries, as well as The Hidden Garden and offering facilities for community...
arts centre. The current Kelvin Hall site itself closed in April 2010, with the Museum moving to its third home at the new Riverside Museum in 2011.
Museum of Transport 1987 - 2010
Road vehicles
The museum housed the oldest surviving pedal cycle and the world's leading collection of Scottish-built cars and trucks, including pioneering examples from Scottish manufacturers Argyll, Arrol-JohnstonArrol-Johnston
Arrol-Johnston was an early Scottish manufacturer of automobiles, which operated from 1896 to 1931 and produced the first automobile manufactured in Britain...
and Albion
Albion Motors
Albion Automotive of Scotstoun, Glasgow is a former Scottish automobile and commercial vehicle manufacturer, currently involved in the manufacture and supply of Automotive component systems....
. More modern Scottish-built cars, namely the Rootes Group's Hillman Imp
Hillman Imp
The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976...
, Chrysler Avenger and Chrysler Sunbeam
Chrysler Sunbeam
The Chrysler Sunbeam is a small supermini 3-door hatchback manufactured by Chrysler Europe at the former Rootes Group factory in Linwood in Scotland. The Sunbeam's development was funded by a British government grant with the aim to keep the Linwood plant running, and the small car was based on the...
were represented too along with many other motorcars in a large showroom-type display sponsored by Arnold Clark
Arnold Clark
Sir Arnold Clark is one of the wealthiest businessmen in Scotland, ranked 10th in the Sunday Times Rich List 2005 for Scotland.-Biography:Born in Glasgow,in 1927,Clark joined the Royal Air Force aged 17...
.
All forms of transport were featured, from horse-drawn vehicle
Horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...
s to fire engines
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
, from motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s to caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
s, even toy cars and prams.
Ship models
In the Clyde Room was a display of some 250 ship models, representing the contribution of the River ClydeRiver Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
and its shipbuilders and engineers to maritime trade and the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, including the Comet
PS Comet
The paddle steamer PS Comet was built for Henry Bell, hotel and baths owner in Helensburgh, and began a passenger service in 1812 on the River Clyde between Glasgow and Greenock, the first commercially successful steamboat service in Europe.-History:...
of 1812, the Hood
HMS Hood (51)
HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
, the Howe
HMS Howe (1940)
HMS Howe was the last of the five British King George V-class battleships of the Royal Navy . Laid down in 1937 and commissioning in 1942, Howe operated during World War II as part of the British Home Fleet, the Mediterranean Force H, and the British Pacific Fleet.Following the end of the war,...
, the Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...
, and the Queen Elizabeth
RMS Queen Elizabeth
RMS Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. Plying with her running mate Queen Mary as a luxury liner between Southampton, UK and New York City, USA via Cherbourg, France, she was also contracted for over twenty years to carry the Royal Mail as the second half of the two...
and the QE2
RMS Queen Elizabeth 2
Queen Elizabeth 2, often referred to simply as the QE2, is an ocean liner that was operated by Cunard from 1969 to 2008. Following her retirement from cruising, she is now owned by Istithmar...
.
Railway and municipal transport exhibits
Locomotive manufacture was also an important Glasgow industry and the museum celebrated the city's railway heritage, including locomotives such as:- The Caledonian RailwayCaledonian RailwayThe Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
- Caley No. 123 single driverCaledonian Railway SingleCaledonian Railway Single No. 123 is a preserved Scottish steam locomotive. The unique 4-2-2 was built by Neilson and Company in 1886, works No. 3553 as an exhibition locomotive. In 1914 it was placed on the Caledonian Railway duplicate list, and renumbered 1123... - Highland RailwayHighland RailwayThe Highland Railway was one of the smaller British railways before the Railways Act 1921; it operated north of Perth railway station in Scotland and served the farthest north of Britain...
- No. 103, the Jones GoodsHighland Railway Jones Goods ClassThe Highland Railway Jones Goods class was a class of steam locomotive, and was notable as the first class with a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement in the British Isles... - Great North of Scotland RailwayGreat North of Scotland RailwayThe Great North of Scotland Railway was one of the smaller Scottish railways before the grouping, operating in the far north-east of the country. It was formed in 1845 and received its Parliamentary approval on June 26, 1846, following over two years of local meetings...
- Gordon Highlander No. 49LNER Class D40The London and North Eastern Railway D40 class is a type of 4-4-0 steam locomotive inherited from the Great North of Scotland Railway . It consisted of GNSR class V and GNSR class F... - Glasgow and South Western RailwayGlasgow and South Western RailwayThe Glasgow and South Western Railway , one of the pre-grouping railway companies, served a triangular area of south-west Scotland, between Glasgow, Stranraer and Carlisle...
- 5 Class 0-6-0T no. 9Locomotives of the Glasgow and South Western RailwayThe locomotives of the Glasgow and South Western Railway . The G&SWR had its headquarters in Glasgow with its main locomotive works in Kilmarnock.- Engines inherited from constituent companies :... - Andrew BarclayAndrew Barclay & Sons Co.Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. was a builder of steam and diesel locomotives, based in Kilmarnock, Scotland, that was founded in 1840 and is now owned by Wabtec Rail.- History :...
0-6-00-6-0Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
Fireless locomotiveFireless locomotiveA fireless locomotive is a type of locomotive designed for use under conditions restricted by either the presence of flammable material or the need for cleanliness...
, South of Scotland Electricity BoardSouth of Scotland Electricity BoardThe South of Scotland Electricity Board , was formed as a result of the Electricity Reorganisation Act 1954. On 1 April 1955, the two southern Scottish Area Electricity Boards were merged into the South of Scotland Electricity Board...
, No. 1 - First ScotRailFirst ScotRailScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
- Class 380 EMUBritish Rail Class 380Class 380 is the designation given to a class of electric multiple unit trains which operate on the national railway network in Scotland.- Description :...
(full scale model)
Glasgow Corporation Tramways
Glasgow Corporation Tramways were formerly one of the largest urban tramway systems in Europe. Over 1000 municipally-owned trams served the city of Glasgow, Scotland with over 100 route miles by 1922...
tramcars from different eras, Glasgow Corporation Trolleybus
Trolleybuses in Glasgow
The Glasgow trolleybus system operated in the City of Glasgow, Scotland, between 1949 and 1967, with the network reaching its largest extent in 1959....
es, and the reconstruction of "Kelvin Street", which aimed to recapture the atmosphere of 1930s Glasgow, including full-scale replicas of a pre-1977 Glasgow Subway
Glasgow Subway
The Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the third-oldest underground metro system in the world after the London Underground and the Budapest Metro. Formerly a cable railway, the Subway was later electrified, but its twin circular lines...
station and the Regal Cinema
Regal Cinemas
Regal Cinemas is a UK-based cinema chain since the early days of the cinema. In 1928, Regal Cinemas became part of Associated British Cinemas but has retained the name 'Regal Cinemas'....
, which played Scottish transport documentaries such as Seawards the Great Ships
Seawards the Great Ships
Seawards the Great Ships is a 1961 short documentary film directed by Hilary Harris. It won an Academy Award in 1962 for Best Short Live Action Subject, the first Scottish film to win an Oscar...
.
New Museum of Transport
The museum at Kelvin Hall closed on 18 April 2010, with most its collections moved to the new purpose-built Riverside MuseumRiverside Museum
The Riverside Museum is a new development for the Glasgow Museum of Transport, completed on 20 June 2011, at Pointhouse Quay in the Glasgow Harbour regeneration district of Glasgow, Scotland. The next day it opened to the public.-Concept and design:...
in Glasgow Harbour
Glasgow Harbour
Glasgow Harbour is an urban regeneration scheme at Partick in the city of Glasgow, Scotland.After many years of dereliction caused by the decline of shipbuilding and the migration of Glasgow's docks to the Firth of Clyde, since the mid 1980s, the banks of the River Clyde at Glasgow have become a...
on the Clyde, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects
Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid, CBE is an Iraqi-British architect.-Life and career:Hadid was born in 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. She received a degree in mathematics from the American University of Beirut before moving to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.After graduating she worked...
and engineers Buro Happold
Buro Happold
Buro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
. The new museum opened on Tuesday 21 June 2011.
See also
- Culture in GlasgowCulture in GlasgowThe city of Glasgow, Scotland, has many amenities for a wide range of cultural activities, from curling to opera and from football to art appreciation; it also has a large selection of museums that include those devoted to transport, religion, and modern art. The city often hosts exhibitions and...
- Glasgow Corporation TramwaysGlasgow Corporation TramwaysGlasgow Corporation Tramways were formerly one of the largest urban tramway systems in Europe. Over 1000 municipally-owned trams served the city of Glasgow, Scotland with over 100 route miles by 1922...
- history of trams in Glasgow - List of transport museums (worldwide)
- Scottish Tramway and Transport SocietyScottish Tramway and Transport SocietyThe Scottish Tramway and Transport Society was founded on 27 June 1951. Until 1983 it was known as the Scottish Tramway Museum Society. The Society was originally formed by tramway enthusiasts, mainly living in the Glasgow area, with a view to preserve a Glasgow "Room and Kitchen" type single deck...
- Summerlee Heritage ParkSummerlee Heritage ParkSummerlee, Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, formerly known as Summerlee Heritage Park is an award-winning industrial museum in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland...
- Trolleybuses in GlasgowTrolleybuses in GlasgowThe Glasgow trolleybus system operated in the City of Glasgow, Scotland, between 1949 and 1967, with the network reaching its largest extent in 1959....