The Hidden Glasgow Forums

How much is known about Steam Trucks in use in Glasgow particularly in the War years,
I remember that A company, 'Alexandra Transport' ran a fleet of Steam Trucks during the war. I lived in a house just to the north of them on the banks of the Monkland Canal and had a good view from our bedroom window.

I suppose that they must have had a crew of two with both a fireman and a driver.

I remember also that one of the cooperatives had one in the 50s which was kept in good nick as an advertisement

John

I remember as a youngster in the 1960s seeing Alexandra Transport tippers, but these were short-wheelbase Albion Clydesdales, and were diesel powered: they may well have used Sentinel steamers prior to this.

Sentinels were originally built at Polmadie. Here is an S4 model (built at Shrewsbury), which is preserved in its original Cowlairs Co-op livery, and may be the vehicle you remember:-

http://www.traction-engines.net/picture/number162.asp

Hi Neilmc,
could be that one, but I seem to remember a maroon livery?

About the Albions,
I remember when the first arrived, they had six of them all lined up for a photograph.- I had a great view from out bedroom window.
John

I knew I had these old clippings somewhere:-


Untitled by neilmc_photos, on Flickr


Untitled by neilmc_photos, on Flickr

Jock78, I've contacted some folk I know on another forum, they're at the Great Dorset Steam Fare, I've asked for pics of steam trucks in any there or any pics they have, when they reply i'll let you know.

Showman Joby Carter is taking 2 rides there this year, his Ark (speedway) & his steam yachts (the 2 swinging baskets either side of a centre)

Hi Neilmc,
The first photo looks like the truck was being loaded below the crusher plant in the quarry site behind the depot.
In the late 40s there were two steam trucks lying abandoned in the centre of the quarry- we used to play around them - ( the watchie had a wooden leg so we were reasonably safe!)
You seem to know the area well, are you from Alexandra Parade? We lived in the house above the corporation depot there until about 1960.
John

No, I came from the opposite end of the city, but my father was a lorry driver, delivering potatoes. His 'run' was the East End, and I used to accompany him on Saturdays in the mid-1960s.

He delivered to the likes of Templeton's carpets, Barr's soft drinks, Tennent's brewery, and Wills' cigarette factory on the Parade, as well as numerous Italian-owned chippies (including Peter Corvi's Val D' Oro), and humble corner shops.

Of course, his lorry was an Albion (Chieftain), which had the 'LAD' cab, same as that in the second photo above.

Used to see steam Sentinal lorries at work in the Aberdeen docks area in the early 1960s. Did Beardmores use them during the war 1940-45 or just after? I seem to recall seeing one or two of them at work around the Parkhead forge area. Not to be confused with the steam trains going across Duke Street

It would have made a lot of sense to use steam trucks during the war, coal, or coke, was plentiful and other fuels very limited.
I remember Alexandra Transport had at least part of its business in supplying and delivering crushed rock. They had a crusher plant to the rear served by a light railway and a supply of demolition rubble as the whin stone quarries were long worked out.
Neilmc's comment almost certainly includes a view showing a truck being loaded from the hopper supplied by the crusher.