The Hidden Glasgow Forums

I remember a big fire at the Rankine Building at Glasgow Uni in, I think, 1986. A few of us were drinking in the early hours in the GUU and were alerted by the sound of some of the windows blowing out. We raised the alarm and the fire brigade arrived and told us to evacuate the building. By this stage the Rankine was well alight, and more and more fire engines were arriving (I counted 15 at one point). We were standing on the far side of University Avenue, but could still feel the heat on our faces. They thought at the time some folk had been working after hours and were trapped, although it turned out that wasn't the case, but I'll never forget the sight of firemen at the top of extending ladders trying to get the fire under the control in the face of explosions which we were told were compressed gas cylinders blowing up. I might have had a wee boy's admiration for them before then, but I've certainly had an adult's admiration for them since.

Quite a few Glasgow tram & bus depots have suffered from the firebug.


- Whiteinch Depot, May 1881. The depot was almost destroyed, later rebuilt.

- Blackfaulds Depot (Tobago Street), 11th March 1883. 2 trams destroyed, 2 horses killed. The entire depot was burned to the ground. Later rebuilt in 1884.

- North Street Depot, 31st May 1884. 1 tram destroyed, 174 horses killed. The depot was almost completely destroyed. Later rebuilt. The fire was the result of a paraffin spill in the lamp room.

- Crownpoint Depot, 30th November 1885. 40 trams destroyed, 6 horses killed. Rebuilt 1886.

- Newlands Depot, 11th April 1948, 9 trams destroyed. Part of the depot was badly damaged, but repaired.

- Dalmarnock Depot, 22nd March 1961. 50 trams destroyed. Over half of the depot was gutted, and left roofless, but it was pressed back into service until the end of the trams in 1962.


- Larkfield Depot, 18th May 1992, 60 buses destroyed. Most of the old bus works building was gutted by fire, but once the wreckage was cleared the area was (and still is) used for bus parking.

That's amazing pictures of the buses in larkfield, GK, must have been some heat to make them 'melt' like that.

Any more of them?

Sadly no, that was just one from a book.

These double-decker bodies were all aluminium, which was a feature of the builders (W.Alexander Ltd) bodywork at the time, so they melted quite readily.
You can see the steel framed coach, which is parked a bit further along, has retained it's overall shape a wee bit better.

glasgowken wrote:

Cracker GK, There is still a lot of areas in Larkfield remaining with scars of the fire:-

tobester wrote:That's amazing pictures of the buses in larkfield, GK, must have been some heat to make them 'melt' like that.

Any more of them?

I've got 5 colour photos here of the Larkfield Fire, but as I downloaded them off a web based newsgroup a few years back, I don't know if it would be safe to post them as I don't own the copyright etc etc. What's the forum policy in this instance?

I've also got some cracking photos of a Atlantean Bus (LA1423) on fire in East Kilbride, complete with Fire Brigade attendence, which are 'filed' away in a shoe box somewhere - Could dig them out if there was an interest. No copyright issues there as a neighbour took them for me on my behalf.

Was it from one of the bus web groups ? Copyright is a can of worms, but the feeling on here seems to be is if it informs and educates, and not done for profit, then it's justified.
Anyway that's my personal take on it, although it's perhaps not the legal view, I think it's a moral one.
I wouldn't mind seeing that LA1423 pic, you could post it on the Auld Glasgow Trams & Buses thread.

Indeed they were downloaded from one of the bus web groups. I'll leave that one just now.

I'll dig out the 1423 pic at the weekend then, and stick on the Auld thread if I find it.

C.

more:

Don't know where this is. Poss wartime as man has tin helmet.



Lyric Theatre, Sauchiehall st.



Grafton's gown shop, Argyll St 1949. Thirteen die.



Dad says this is an explosion in Clarckston. Any info? Anyone live there at the time? My Dad says it was fifteen or twenty people that died.

It was a gas leak.

Sometime October 1971 I think.

from this fire..........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6166247.stm

Safe to say the fire in that photo had a wee bit of accelerant added.

Socceroo wrote:Safe to say the fire in that photo had a wee bit of accelerant added.

whatever makes you think that?