Alstom has announced that it will open its Glasgow Traincare Centre to the public in celebration of the depot’s 150th anniversary on Sunday 12 October 2025.
The depot, which is located roughly two miles south-east of Glasgow Central station, is currently the main base for the maintenance and cleaning of the Caledonian Sleeper service.
The depot receives 17 trains per day, including trains such as Avanti West Coast’s fleet of Alstom-built Class 390 Pendolinos.
Rob Whyte, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Alstom, said:For 150 years, Polmadie has continuously been a home to dedicated maintenance staff and train drivers that in turn have proudly served passengers and freight across Scotland and along the West Coast Main Line. It’s a privilege to celebrate this milestone with enthusiasts and the local community, and showcase the incredible legacy of rail in Scotland.
Polmadie is more than just a depot – it’s a symbol of engineering excellence and commitment to keeping Britain moving. We’re proud to open our doors and share this heritage with the public, while inspiring the next generation to help us shape the future of rail.
Visitors to the Traincare Centre will be able to experience a unique lineup of rolling stock that has been stored at the depot over the course of the last 150 years, including a Class 37 from the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS), a Freightliner Class 90 and Class 08 locomotives.
A Class 99, a Class 92, a Class 73/9 and a Class 66 will also be on display, courtesy of GB Railfreight. Further exhibits are set to be announced in the near future.
The Caledonian Sleeper will also be on open display to the public.
Graham Kelly, Interim Managing Director at Caledonian Sleeper, said:We are immensely proud of Caledonian Sleeper’s inclusion in this milestone celebration at Alstom’s Glasgow Traincare Centre. For 150 years, this site has played a vital role in preparing and maintaining trains, and today it remains at the heart of ensuring our guests enjoy a safe, comfortable and memorable journey.
As we celebrate 200 years of modern rail, it is a privilege for the Caledonian Sleeper team to honour that heritage, recognise the people who make it possible and look forward to the future.
The day before Polmadie’s open day (11 October) will see the maintenance facility welcome its first-ever passenger train, giving visitors the chance to ride along on-site track. The charter, which is set to be handled by two RailAdventure Class 43 locomotives with Derby-built Mark 3 coaches from 125 Group, will begin its journey at Alstom’s Derby factory on Litchurch Lane – the site of the recent Greatest Gathering event.
Once reaching Polmadie, the unit will be shunted along multiple depot tracks by the facility’s resident Class 08 locomotives, 08451, 08764 and 08954.
The railtour, which has been named ‘To the Birthplace and the Backbone’, will also call at Derby railway station, Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Lancaster and Motherwell along its journey to Polmadie, with a return journey to Derby Litchurch Lane Works the next day (12 October).
Alstom has also announced that Railway 200’s exhibition train, Inspiration, will be stationed in Glasgow Central on both Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October.
Tickets for Polmadie go on sale at 19:00 BST on Tuesday 9 September via the Branch Line Society and priced from £150 per person (including a round trip ticket for the railtour). All profits will be split between Glasgow Traincare Centre’s two chosen charities, The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and the Railway Children’s Glasgow Project.
