The Hidden Glasgow Forums

banjo wrote:walked through it yesterday as the local jakies were starting to gather on the benches.tourists were a bit bemused though.

Well that's predictable, they all used to congregate on Molendinar St on the grassy bit in front of Capones (or whatever its called now)...with a trail of empty Tennents Super cans behind them....

What a brilliant thread! Pure nostalgia. In the early 80s I used to work in the area and walked past Schipka Pass every day.

Hi - does anyone know why the bridge/tunnel below was created? I assume St Andrew's Lane existed before London Street/Road, so when the latter was built the bridge and tunnel below allowed pedestrians to keep walking south along the existing St Andrew's Lane towards St Andrew's church. I understand from the forum the area underneath the cast iron bridge is now a ventilation tunnel for the railway underneath but who could confirm that 100% and does anyone know if my theory on the original purpose (pedestrian access along Lane) is correct or it had some other purpose?

thanks

My research (see back at page 3 on this thread) indicated that it was indeed a pedestrian tunnel, but it could probably also accommodate a horse and cart. I also found some (unsubstantiated) reports that it was used by the meat market at Bellgrove on long weekends and holidays if they had sheep and cattle that needed feeding, they would herd them through the tunnel to Glasgow Green for grazing ?

I think that there is a Grant Morrison 'Hellblazer' story which cites the tunnel at the Schipka Pass as the home of a giant maggot monster that eats unsuspecting victims, lured there by the monster's "disciple". I suppose it is inevitable that a fantasy writer would be inspired to include it in their work as it was a truly incredible place.