WITH more than a million spectators flooding into Glasgow for the ­Commonwealth Games, keeping them all ­moving was always ­going to be a key factor.

Ensuring victory, not just on the track at Hampden Park, but also on the transport network required military-style planning.

Train operator ScotRail set up a dedicated Games Desk for the event.

Joe Murphy was part of the team and played a key role during the Commonwealth Games to make certain rail services kept moving.

The Games Desk which was manned by Joe and ­others who were given the responsibility of keeping the country's railway running during Scotland's biggest ever sports event.

It was a massive task and there were times when passengers complained about queues and capacity but there were always going to be some problems when the country's biggest rail operator laid on more than a million extra train journeys.

Joe said: "The Games timetable was worked out over a year before the Games. My job was to monitor and amend services each day to reflect passenger movements and to ­ensure that volunteers, spectators and commuters got to where they needed to be, even if journeys took a little longer than usual."

Demand was unprecedented. Extra carriages were added to a fleet of 112 trains which operated 110 extra serves. Extra station stops were also factored in to almost 60 services and all because so many people were ditching the car and bus for the train.

Joe, 31, added: "We were using every train we have, so this was not an easy job and we had to work fast and accurately."

However, he admitted: "Due to the unprecedented numbers travelling, some of our regular customers were not able to make their usual journeys in the first few days of the Games. We recognised this, and amended our original plan to deal with it."

And Joe admits: "The work we do often goes unnoticed by customers. But when you see the results of our efforts - people having a great day out - it makes it all worthwhile."

Commuters never see or hear from Graham Whitehead. He's usually sitting with the train planning team at the ScotRail's Glasgow HQ in Waterloo Street.

But the 57-year-old found himself in the limelight when he swapped his keyboard for a microphone to provide live information to passengers over the PA system at ­Argyle Street station.

However, Graham was more than an announcer. He gave regular updates on Team Scotland's medal haul and held impromptu interviews with passing athletes while encouraging commuters to applaud them for their achievements.

His efforts were appreciated and earned him ­universal applause from passengers on social media sites. But Graham refuses to take any credit.

He said: "It was ­exciting for all of the staff at Argyle Street. We had a great team on the platform.

"We were lucky to meet thousands of lovely people - including spectators, regular customers and great athletes who were really welcoming, open and willing to meet passengers. We had a ball."

It was a real team effort. Arsene Aslan, 42, from Partick, is normally based at Bridgeton but was posted to the railway station at Dalmarnock just a short walk from the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

He said: "We normally get a few hundred people through Dalmarnock station each day, but during the Games we averaged 8000 - in both directions. That took a bit of getting used to."

Laura Cummings usually liaises with the media and writes articles for ScotRail's staff magazine but during the Games she ran the rail operations Twitter and Facebook feeds which handled more than 5500 conversations during the 11-day event.

She said: "Even when services were occasionally disrupted, I think people ­appreciated being kept updated and it has been great to receive so much positive feedback to our social ­media accounts."

James Inglis, 34, went the extra mile too. He's based at ScotRail's CCTV and station announcements centre in Paisley but before the Games got under way he had prepared a guide to enable his colleagues to help customers with information ranging from recommended routes, rail stations closest to venues and even the whereabouts of cash machines and public toilets.

During the Games, ScotRail sold more than 60,000 bottles of water, 27,000 teas and coffees, 4000 sandwiches, 3500 packets of crisps, 2200 Tunnock's caramel wafers and 2000 bottles of Irn-Bru.

And ScotRail's managing director Steve Montgomery today praised his workforce.

He said: "During the events, we delivered the biggest timetable that Scotland has ever seen and carried more than 1.1 million people.

"This would not have been possible without the commitment, enthusiasm and sheer hard work of our staff across the business.

"There is no doubt that being involved with Glasgow 2014 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience - and, with a packed events calendar still to come, we will continue in our efforts to deliver the best service we can for our customers."

gordon.thomson@eveningtimes.co.uk