The Hidden Glasgow Forums

One off The Finnieston Crane.

Bugger! I had been meaning to post that one myself but hadn’t got round to it. Here is the crane in case anyone doesn’t know it, along with the unrestored sister sign on the other side which looks like its going to be left to rust away



Here is another one from A & J Main, I’ve seen this style of railing all over Glasgow’s parks never thinking that they would have any maker’s marks on them, this time they have limited their empire to Glasgow, London & Dublin.





Thanks to the Springburn Virtual Museum at the Glasgow Digital Library http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/ who provided the following info.

Around 1870 Alexander and James Main, due to increasing demand for their products, relocated their iron foundry at Hawthorn Street, Possilpark. Main's made a wide range of products from gates and railings to complete buildings for agricultural and railway purposes. Structural steelwork and bridge building became major aspects of their work. Their Clydesdale Iron Works remained operational until 1968 but the Gala Bingo now occupies the Hawthorn Street site.

Babcock and Wilcox probably one of the biggest Engineers in Scotland.
“The American engineers Stephen Wilcox and George Herman Babcock patented their first water-tube boiler design in the United States in 1867 and in the United Kingdom in 1873. Their firm, Babcock & Wilcox Co., opened a sales office in Glasgow in 1881. By 1883 they were producing boiler parts by sub-contractors in Scotland and the first completely British-built Babcock boiler was manufactured at the Singer Works in Clydebank in 1885. A British company, Babcock & Wilcox Ltd., was formed on the 4 July 1891, with a capital of £240,000. Its sphere of operations was to include the world outside the United States and Cuba.
The firm established its own manufacturing facility at Renfrew in 1895 and increased capital to £1,575,000 in 1900. The firm rapidly became a leader in both land-based and marine boilers and opened subsidiaries and production facilities around the world. The group developed a large defence business during the two world wars, producing tanks and munitions in addition to their naval boiler business.
From the 1960s onwards the group became increasingly involved in nuclear energy, taking the lead in the design and construction of Hinkley Point Power Station. The group continues to be heavily involved in boiler and turbine technology, power plant construction and nuclear energy. After merging with FKI plc in 1987, Babcock demerged in 1989 and continues as a multinational energy engineering group, with Babcock International Group plc as the parent company and Babcock Energy as the principal operating company in the UK.”

The company is still going on the same site but nowhere near the size it was. They are now owned by Koreans and called Doosan Babcock after they were sold by the Japanese Mitsui corporation.

P & R Fleming & CO. Glasgow (I think)

Found on that wee bridge that runs parallel with Partick Bridge.

cell wrote:someone told me recently that the roof of Queen St station was by PW MacLellan so there must be a plate some where around there, has anyone a picture or know where it was?

I Know ...
Tis on the the giant fanlight above burgerking. Also found Central's plate but have promptly forgotten where.





From The Botanics - Kibble Palace

Mr Sam

Anyone any idea what caused all the dimples round this one?



PK

Peekay wrote:Anyone any idea what caused all the dimples round this one?
PK

If you mean in the concrete shurley the dimples are to help provide 'grip' on the concrete?

Another Babcock's one, but a bit older, you can see originally they put Glasgow on their plates rather than Renfrew, I wonder if thought being associated with Glasgow was better than Renfrew in the early days or perhaps they just thought that folk wouldn't know where Renfrew was! This was sent to me by Dean who had seen the others on this site

cell wrote:A Mcluckie Dalry

Still going strong as far as I'm aware.

Peekay wrote:Anyone any idea what caused all the dimples round this one?


PK

this

contact cement roller cover

Textured pebble like roller resilient to adhesives and solvents

Available in 9" lengths

Quick quiz, what do you think these were used for?


Inglis McInnes Glasgow


AA Cameron Paisley

Great Thread, it's always something I've grown up seeing and never paid any mind. Think I'll be out and about with the camera now
Any idea where some of the firms where situated address wise?

Springburn Boy wrote:Any idea where some of the firms where situated address wise?

The annual Post Office Glasgow Guide (in the Mitchell and other fine libraries) is your friend.

cell wrote:Quick quiz, what do you think these were used for?


Inglis McInnes Glasgow


AA Cameron Paisley

Coal chute?, Stopcock?, very odd! I guess the large 'flap' is for total access and the small 'flap' is to inspect the contents.

Mr Sam

mrsam wrote:

cell wrote:Quick quiz, what do you think these were used for?


Inglis McInnes Glasgow


AA Cameron Paisley

Coal chute?, Stopcock?, very odd! I guess the large 'flap' is for total access and the small 'flap' is to inspect the contents.

Mr Sam

Used in cleaning the streets aparently, I've no idea how deep they would be or how you were meant to get the rubbish back out easily. This was from the 1904 Glasgow Handbook of Municipal Enterprises, anyone know when this practise stopped and they fell out of use? Could be some goodies in them if you're brave enough to stick your hand in!