Anniversaries like this don’t come around every year. Well, maybe every century and a half. Current operators Alstom celebrated the 150th birthday of Polmadie Depot in south east Glasgow. A unique locomotive lineup was assembled at what’s now called Glasgow Traincare Centre. The weekend just passed was the first public open day at the depot in 25 years.
Every year, millions of passengers see Polmadie Depot from the adjacent West Coast Main Line. It’s just a few miles from the terminus at Glasgow Central. However, only a tiny (and very lucky) fraction of that number were able to join the more than one thousand visitors last weekend. They experienced a unique lineup of historic and modern rolling stock, representing the fifteen decades of active service at the depot.
All traction maintained in the Empire’s Second City
The weekend (11-12 October 2025) was ticked off in the diary of every self-respecting railway enthusiast and professional. “Polmadie 150” was more than just a lifetime opportunity to celebrate the historic depot’s 150th anniversary. Alstom, the multi-disciplinary smart and sustainable mobility corporation, opened its Glasgow Traincare Centre to the public for the first time in 25 years.
Located about two miles (3.2km) south-east of Glasgow Central railway station, the Alstom facility is currently the main base of the iconic Caledonian Sleeper, serviced by over 100 staff, around the clock. Known as Polmadie Depot, it typically handles 17 trains per day, including Avanti West Coast’s fleet of Alstom-built tilting Class 390 Pendolinos. It’s also a vital front-line depot for all traction on the adjacent West Coast Main Line. It serves Europe’s busiest mixed traffic route, connecting the 400 miles (640km) between London and Glasgow, once known as the “Second City of the Empire”.
Proud railway heritage and industrial ingenuity
“Polmadie stands as more than a depot,” said Rob Whyte, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Alstom. “It represents a beacon of engineering excellence. A vital pillar in Scotland’s rich railway heritage. For 150 years, this site has played a crucial role in keeping the country moving. We’re incredibly proud of the dedicated teams who continue that tradition. It’s a privilege to honour this milestone with the community and showcase the people and technology that make Polmadie so special.”
The shed was originally opened on 16 September 1875 by the Caledonian Railway company. Polmadie was subsequently rebuilt and extended for the maintenance of steam engines and rolling stock. Some examples returned to Polmadie for the anniversary last Sunday (12 October). During the period of nationalisation from 1948, British Railways assigned the code 66A to the depot.
“Polmadie Depot is a living monument to Glasgow’s proud railway heritage,” said local politician Paul Sweeney. “Alstom’s open day is a fitting tribute to the generations of skilled workers who have dedicated their careers to benefiting passenger journeys and freight flows,” added the MSP for Glasgow. “It’s inspiring to see this iconic site continue to evolve, while honouring its remarkable past.”
Carrying on the tradition and generosity
Over one thousand visitors were welcomed by a unique lineup of more than 20 rail vehicles that have been based at the depot over the last 150 years. Veteran of the lineup was Caledonian Railway Number 419 (in its later identity as 15189), The steam locomotive was displayed courtesy of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS). Number 419 was built in 1907 for £1627 (about €1920) at the Caledonian Railway’s St Rollox Works (today known as Glasgow Works or ‘the Caley’) in the Springburn neighbourhood. Astonishingly, Glasgow was, in the early twentieth century, the manufacturing base of around a third of all locomotives worldwide.
In keeping with that manufacturing heritage, the next generation of motive power was on display, albeit none of the modern-day examples are built in Glasgow. The very latest and the most powerful ever bi-mode locomotive class was represented by GB Railfreight’s recently commissioned class 99 (99001). Another GB Railfreight locomotive – an example of the Class 92 (92023) was named “Polmadie 150 1875 – 2025” in recognition of the site’s milestone birthday. The locomotive was specifically chosen, as the previous locomotive to carry the name Polmadie was Virgin Trains’ Class 87 No. 87023.
Both classes have hauled mixed traffic in their operational lifetimes, including the cross-border “Caledonian Sleeper”. The ’92 has the unusual capability of operating from electric power supplied by overhead wires or third rail. All funds raised by the event will be split between Glasgow Traincare Centre’s two chosen charities, Beatson Cancer Charity and the Railway Children’s Glasgow Project. Fundraising efforts were further helped by the infrastructure agency Network Rail, which waived track access charges for the Branch Line Society charter into Polmadie Depot.