I’ve probably covered most of the public electricity stations in Glasgow, so I thought I’d do something on the private industrial concerns. My information on these is much more patchy, so anything anyone can contribute would be gratefully received, especially details on the equipment and any pictures.
In the early years of the use of electricity most of the public supply was for lighting, manufacturers soon saw the benefit of using it for driving machines and were early adopters. Early on it was generally more cost effective to put in your own supply, however the big public and private generators soon started to supply industry and on the whole most manufacturers switched over. Only where there was a cheap supply of fuel (at mines) or the additional need for steam (chemical works etc) did it make sense to continue to generate your own power.
Singers
Singers seems to have had one of the biggest private power stations in Glasgow. The detail and pictures below were lifted from the excellent Clydebank story website unfortunately this site seems to have disappeared recently.
When the factory opened in 1884, it was lit by gas produced from a small gasworks built at the south-east corner of the Kilbowie site. The coal used in the production of gas was brought into the factory in North British Railway wagons provided exclusively for Singer's use.
Between 1904 and 1905, the Gas Works was demolished and replaced by a new electricity generating station built by Robert McAlpine & Sons. Described as an "ugly building with four tall black chimneys", the power station was extended on several occasions and eventually occupied an area of 4,800 square yards. At its peak it had one oil-fired and four coal-fired boilers, in addition to three turbo generators. Together these powered 25,000 electric motors, 16,000 electric light fittings and 55,000 miscellaneous components.
In 1968 Singer decided to replace the factory's ageing power station. The new plant, costing £1 million, was opened on 17 September 1971 by Lord Clydesmuir, the Chairman of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry). The old power station was demolished around the late summer of 1971
The Singer power station, viewed from Kilbowie Road c 1958.
The Singer Factory's power station, photographed from the south bank of the Forth and Clyde Canal, 1981.
Rothesay Docks
Rothesay Dock was the first dock in the United Kingdom to be equipped entirely with electric machinery. The power station consisted of an engine house, a boiler house and a condensing plant house.
Beardmore
1905 photo of power station from the Beardmore Built book
An additional engine of 2000hp was added 2 years later but I’m not sure if this generated electricity. The original power plant were Oechelhauser gas engines, manufactured under licence by Duncan Stewart of Glasgow
Some other industrial sites that I know for certain had electricity generation include
Govan docks
Scottish Co-Op at Shieldhall
United Distillers at Port Dundas, still operational?
Fairfields at Govan
UCBS Bakery at the Gorbals
Babcocks at Renfrew
Cockburns Valves at Cardonald
The above are just a few of no doubt the many industrial concerns that generated their own electricity, if you know of any others I would be most grateful for any information or pictures.