Hidden Cumbernauld.

[mjw]

The circular structure must've been a filter bed as described by Nobby in a post last August. Has anyone subscribed to the http://www.rcahms.gov.uk website? looks to have a few interesting aerial shots of Cumbernauld from the late 40s, the small pics are free but the better quality ones need a subscription.

[Icecube]

The flood has stopped and it must be either filling up a huge complex of workings or it is surfacing somewhere downhill.



This is where the floodwater escaped and I think this was a drainage adit that had been blocked off when the mine was closed up but the force of the flood coming down from where the burn falls into the workings upstream burst its way through.



The surface conduit in the filter/settling pond.



Never seen a burn before falling into a hole except on the North York moors where many watercourses disappear into the limestone.

Although the burn completely disappears into the underground workings the downstream dry course slowly gets wet again although with only a trickle upstream of the dam and the same coming down the dam spillway, it gets a little contribution before the wee brig below the above burst adit but there is still very little water in it [and nothing compared to what flows into the hole upstream] but it gets a discharge from a pipe underneath the wee brig - probably coming from the mines which restores much of its flow, and when it falls over the waterfall a bit further down you'd think it hadn't lost any water at all. Strange.

[Sharon]

Ooo now this hascaught my eye, as looking at the size of the structure it reminds me of the Blue Pool in Torwood which me and my sister went on a hunt for at the weekend. We discovered it to be as promised a pool of the clearest water. However noone is clear on what it would have actually been. Best guess seems to be its a flooded airshaft for a mine.

Anyone know what this is? is it a lint pond? must've walked past this hundreds of times and never noticed it, it's near the mine entrance, the walls are made of bricks.

The ever mysterious blue pool by sisterblue, on Flickr

The blue pool as initially mentioned here:
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=9920&start=0&hilit=blue+pool
and discussed in fascinating but inconclusive depth here: http://www.ntgraphics.co.uk/investigation/bluepool.html

Could they be similar????

[purplepantman]

Ooo now this hascaught my eye, as looking at the size of the structure it reminds me of the Blue Pool in Torwood...

I must say that I immediately thought that too.

[jinty]

It sure does Jinty, its a private dwelling restored by a previous owner, one (the late) Hugo B. Miller who was also a local historian of note.

http://www.falkirklocalhistorysociety.co.uk/home/index.php?id=68

The house is situated off the Walton Road just at the railway bridge.

Thanks Icecube, i stay 5 mins from it and knew nothing of it being there, think this calls for a wee trip to investigate!!

[Icecube]

It sure does Jinty, its a private dwelling restored by a previous owner, one (the late) Hugo B. Miller who was also a local historian of note.

http://www.falkirklocalhistorysociety.co.uk/home/index.php?id=68

The house is situated off the Walton Road just at the railway bridge.

Thanks Icecube, i stay 5 mins from it and knew nothing of it being there, think this calls for a wee trip to investigate!!

Just remember it is a private dwelling.

[purplepantman]

This is the limekiln next to the Red Burn near the arches.

I visited the limekiln pictured in Angus's post (on page 19) and it's looking a bit
worse for wear after the hard winter. The tree growing out the front of it has fallen over
taking much of the stonework with it. The whole thing looks to be on the verge of collapse
and I was a bit worried it might do just that when I was there.
The arch is still intact - though how long for!?



What a shame!

Wonder if it's worth contacting RCAHMS given that they've an entry for it on their database?

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/12 ... limekilns/

Would they be interested in saving it?
Looking at Angus's pictures, it seems to have been repaired before.

[Lucky Poet]

RCAHMS only have a mandate to record details of historically notable things, so I doubt if they'd be able to do much. Historic Scotland are more likely to be useful.

[appleofglasgow]

I visited the centre today and took about 100 or so images of various parts including the library and car park of Phase 1.

I also took about 10-20 minutes of HD (well, 720p) footage of the centre. The library area, various ramps, an entire walkthrough of the car park area...

If you go to the library floor, and go to the lift the furthest away from the library (next to the ramp), and hit the lift to go to level 4 (or whatever the top floor is) it will take you up.

When you get there however, there is a small area that is accessible but the rest is locked up (sadly like other parts of the centre). Very creepy and gave me a strange feeling being there. Would recommend going all the way up for a nosey.

Any way at all to get anywhere near the original apartments of the centre?

[purplepantman]

RCAHMS only have a mandate to record details of historically notable things, so I doubt if they'd be able to do much. Historic Scotland are more likely to be useful.

Thanks LP! I'll drop Historic Scotland an email.

I know it's just one of many hundreds of old limekilns that nobody really gives a toss about but when you see
them up close, you appreciate how much effort and skill went into building them.

I visited the centre today and took about 100 or so images of various parts including the library and car park of Phase 1.

I also took about 10-20 minutes of HD (well, 720p) footage of the centre. The library area, various ramps, an entire walkthrough of the car park area...

If you go to the library floor, and go to the lift the furthest away from the library (next to the ramp), and hit the lift to go to level 4 (or whatever the top floor is) it will take you up.

When you get there however, there is a small area that is accessible but the rest is locked up (sadly like other parts of the centre). Very creepy and gave me a strange feeling being there. Would recommend going all the way up for a nosey.

Any way at all to get anywhere near the original apartments of the centre?

I'm not 100% sure where the "original apartments" were located but I do remember seeing pictures of
them on the net somewhere. I'm sure if you ask the centre management they'll point you in the right direction
although you'll obviously have to go through the whole rig-ma-roll of explaining why.

About ten years ago I remember being dragged along to some social/working mens club up beside the library
(possibly on another level) to watch the Grand National. What a weird experience - it was like the decor and
fittings hadn't been updated since 1970. I was a bit drunk so it's all a bit hazy but it was weird.
Wonder if it's still open?

Are your pictures available to view on-line? Flickr etc?

[appleofglasgow]

Hi there purplepantman.

I believe this to be the only image of the corridor. Try and imagine the circular windows as those you see on the outside of the "rabbit hutch" part.



I have contacted centre management to ask permission to photograph the place which I got knocked back due to "data protection" so I have had to make use of the flip out screen on the DSLR and try not to look too anorak-ish to get the shots I want.

In terms of asking the centre staff, I doubt they would understand such a request nor satisfy it, but if only they know how bloody much I'd love to go up there and wander around. I can bet I will get some sh!t about it not being safe or something though.

There is something across from the library that is closed and I'm sure there is another bit with a massive roller shut down on that floor also. Really not sure though.

The pictures are going on Flickr and I will let you know asap when they appear, the video is getting edited together into a montage along to a period piece of library music to complete the mood of the place.

I wish that guy with the David Bowie avatar at the very start of this thread was still active cus I'd kill to have a look at his pics of the model from every angle as he later states he owns. Can't track him down anywhere. Anyone care to help?

[jinty]

It sure does Jinty, its a private dwelling restored by a previous owner, one (the late) Hugo B. Miller who was also a local historian of note.

http://www.falkirklocalhistorysociety.co.uk/home/index.php?id=68

The house is situated off the Walton Road just at the railway bridge.

Thanks Icecube, i stay 5 mins from it and knew nothing of it being there, think this calls for a wee trip to investigate!!

Just remember it is a private dwelling.

Thanks icecube, i located it but was too afraid to go past the huge private property sign at the end of the road. I have driven along that wee road many times, never realised thats where the private road took you to!

[mjw]

Even though up until quite recently I thought those offices were always such, aren't they the original apartments? I did a training course up there about 15 years back and inside they're like a split level villa with stairs just inside the front door that go up and down. Incidently there was a planning notice in the Cumbie News about 8-10 years ago wanting to convert them back into flats but nothing came of it, seems if you can't actually get into them now what's the point of keeping them? I hope when the day comes to knock it all down we get a chance to roam about reminiscing about lost features like the rooftop chippy that i think burned down in the early/mid 80s and the bricked up road tunnel under central way where you emerged in what became phase 4.

[Seamey]

There is previous pedestrian tunnel near the roundabout going towards Glasgow from the town centre. The tunnel connected St Mungo's Road and Tryst Road - and was removed about 1975. No idea if there are any features left.

As for the town centre flats - I always thought they were quite special, would loved to have lived there for a wee while at least.

[appleofglasgow]

Even though up until quite recently I thought those offices were always such, aren't they the original apartments? I did a training course up there about 15 years back and inside they're like a split level villa with stairs just inside the front door that go up and down. Incidently there was a planning notice in the Cumbie News about 8-10 years ago wanting to convert them back into flats but nothing came of it, seems if you can't actually get into them now what's the point of keeping them? I hope when the day comes to knock it all down we get a chance to roam about reminiscing about lost features like the rooftop chippy that i think burned down in the early/mid 80s and the bricked up road tunnel under central way where you emerged in what became phase 4.

Hi there. Thanks for your reply.

I am completely unsure as to whether the original apartments were converted to offices, either way I really want to get up there.

Your description of a split level villa however is ringing distinct and loud alarm bells, I am sure that the 1970 film "Cumbernauld: Town for Tomorrow" includes a stretched out look-around scene of this very place. At the time I seen it I thought it may have been inside the flats but the fact there was stairs made me think not.

Please don't say "when the day comes to know it all down". Part of me really really REALLY hopes that someone can see the potential of the building. It's an absolute travesty that the rear was ever demolished to make way for that beige wall that is the Antonine. The original centre people seem to forget was designed by people all over the world, it won a world coveted architects award and people travelled from all around just to visit it and marvel at it. I know times change, but doesn't such merits ensure that such a building is kept? The problem as I have said before is people don't give a flying one about the place and so their treatment of it is further plummeting it into the abyss.

Where is the rooftop chippie? Is this Phase 1 territory? Is the road tunnel still there? What was Phase 4 and where is it on the map?

Anyone know any other forums where similar discussions are taking place?