Clyde Tunnel: Unseen photos revealed on 60th anniversary

Archive pictures show the Clyde Tunnel open to traffic in the 1960s

A batch of unseen archive photographs have been released to mark the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Clyde Tunnel.

Plans for the tunnel - which links north and south Glasgow - were first proposed in 1945 as ferries across the Clyde were struggling to cope with the volume of traffic.

At the time, the city's docks were still in use and a new road bridge with enough clearance for ships was considered impractical.

The tunnel was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on 3 July 1963. It cost £10.5m to build - the equivalent of £180m in 2023.

It has gone on to become an integral part of the city's road network, carrying more than 25 million vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians every year.

Before the Clyde Tunnel opened cars used to cross the river using ferries

There used to be 11 ferry routes across the River Clyde. The Govan Ferry carried vehicles until it was replaced by a smaller passenger boat after the Clyde Tunnel opened.

Miners excavating the tunnel in May 1960

The tunnelling work was carried out by 16 miners

The photographs were released by the Scottish Roads Archive and captured the early tunnelling work undertaken by 16 miners, work to install cladding, lighting and ventilation and early use of the tunnel.

Glasgow councillor Ruairi Kelly hailed the achievements of the engineers who built the tunnel.

"Sixty years on, the Clyde Tunnel remains a stunning feat of engineering," he said.

"The tunnel has been such fixture in the city's roads network for so long, it is easy to overlook the incredible skill and commitment involved in its construction."

The pictures highlight the dramatic changes to the landscape along the River Clyde since the tunnel opened

Due to the limited space available on both banks of the River Clyde, the tunnel needed to be built with a 6% gradient, which made it the steepest of any highway tunnel in the world at the time.

Once complete, the tunnel was said to have a world-leading control room.

It continues to be the only road tunnel in Scotland and is used by 65,000 vehicles every day.

The northbound tunnel was completed in June 1963

The tunnels control room was said to be one of the best in the world at the time

The tunnel was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip in July 1963

Mr Kelly said the pictures give a fascinating look back in time to a "very different Glasgow".

"The tunnel has now been an integral part of Glasgow's road system for decades and is still unique within the national network," he said.

"We monitor and maintain the tunnel on a 24-hour a day basis and we are investing substantial sums to ensure it remains operational for decades to come."

This is believed to be the first learner driver to use the Clyde Tunnel

The Scottish Roads Archive has produced a booklet that contains further detail on the story of the tunnel and other exclusive pictures from the time the tunnel was built.

Stuart Baird, of the Scottish Roads Archive ,said: "The tunnel has a fascinating history behind it and remains one of the most ambitious civil engineering projects ever constructed in Scotland.

"It's no surprise it's become such a well-loved landmark."

A bus breakdown recovery test being carried out in the tunnel in July 1963

The tunnel is now used by 65,000 vehicles every day

New lighting and CCTV has been installed in the tunnel and a further £3.45m will be invested in the tunnel by 2025 to improve features such as traffic control, ventilation and the information and alarm system.

"We're delighted to release these photos on the 60th anniversary of the Clyde Tunnel's completion," Mr Baird said.