Glasgow's Fire Brigade - Casualties of Fire

Moderators: John, Sharon, Fossil, Lucky Poet, crusty_bint, Jazza, dazza

Postby Armadillo » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:00 pm

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.
User avatar
Armadillo
Second Stripe
Second Stripe
 
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2005 8:12 pm
Location: West End-ish

Postby glasgowken » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:23 pm

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.
Image

- 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.
Image
GK
User avatar
glasgowken
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 4477
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:59 am
Location: Glasgow

Postby tobester » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:30 pm

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?
User avatar
tobester
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 3101
Joined: Sat May 20, 2006 5:24 pm
Location: Parbold

Postby glasgowken » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:42 pm

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.
GK
User avatar
glasgowken
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 4477
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:59 am
Location: Glasgow

Postby Smartalex » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:44 pm

glasgowken wrote:Image


Cracker GK, There is still a lot of areas in Larkfield remaining with scars of the fire:-
Image
User avatar
Smartalex
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 1628
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2004 4:19 pm
Location: In Your Heid, Poking your Brains!

Postby retro.kid » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:22 am

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.
User avatar
retro.kid
Busy bunny
Busy bunny
 
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:58 pm

Postby glasgowken » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:34 am

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.
Last edited by glasgowken on Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
GK
User avatar
glasgowken
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 4477
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:59 am
Location: Glasgow

Postby retro.kid » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:41 am

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.
User avatar
retro.kid
Busy bunny
Busy bunny
 
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:58 pm

Postby brickwall » Wed Feb 07, 2007 12:53 pm

more:

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

Image

Lyric Theatre, Sauchiehall st.

Image

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

Image

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.

Image
User avatar
brickwall
Second Stripe
Second Stripe
 
Posts: 395
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 8:57 pm
Location: Thirst pocket

Postby glasgowken » Wed Feb 07, 2007 1:04 pm

It was a gas leak.
GK
User avatar
glasgowken
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 4477
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:59 am
Location: Glasgow

Postby Vinny the Mackem » Wed Feb 07, 2007 2:01 pm

Sometime October 1971 I think.
User avatar
Vinny the Mackem
Second Stripe
Second Stripe
 
Posts: 399
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:11 pm
Location: Glasgow

On this day

Postby Dexter St. Clair » Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:37 pm

User avatar
Dexter St. Clair
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 6252
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2004 9:54 pm

Postby Minted Stereo » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:05 pm

User avatar
Minted Stereo
Second Stripe
Second Stripe
 
Posts: 132
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Maryhilton

Postby Socceroo » Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:25 pm

Safe to say the fire in that photo had a wee bit of accelerant added. 8O
User avatar
Socceroo
Third Stripe
Third Stripe
 
Posts: 1369
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: Mount Flo, Glasgow

Postby Minted Stereo » Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:31 pm

Socceroo wrote:Safe to say the fire in that photo had a wee bit of accelerant added. 8O


whatever makes you think that? :wink:
User avatar
Minted Stereo
Second Stripe
Second Stripe
 
Posts: 132
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Maryhilton

PreviousNext

Return to Hidden Glasgow Projects

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 42 guests