Springburn
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Springburn is an area in the north of Glasgow. It has a strong historical link to heavy industry, particularly railways, with the manufacturing of locomotives. In the past, Springburn produced 25% of all the trains in the world, thanks to its many train workshops.
These included Cowlairs, Walter Neilson's Hyde Park Works, Sharp Stewart and Company's Atlas works, Eastfield and the Caledonian Railway's St. Rollox works. Later it became the headquarters of the North British Locomotive Company. Also in Springburn was Eastfield running shed, built by the North British Railway. St. Rollox became the largest works, and is the only one still in operation today, although it is currently an Alstom repair and maintenance yard, rather than a manufacturing facility.
The highest point in Springburn and of the City of Glasgow is its famous park on Balgrayhill, donated to Glasgow by James Reid, a business colleague of Walter Neilson, in 1892; a statue in honour of Reid was erected in the park in 1903. Working from this highest point things go downhill both geographically and socially. On the border of the park is the "posh" part of Springburn boasting Mosspark Mansions, a castle (Balgray Tower) and Broomfield Road, a row of middle-class villas over looking the park. Working downhill you pass Victorian red sandstone tenements, then a newer mix of Georgian and modern houses. This is due to the poorer housing being removed when they became slums and the building of the A803 - the fast road link for the north of Glasgow commuters.
Springburn is served by the North Clyde Suburban Rail Line.
Many people from Springburn have left their mark on the big wide world, two of more the famous being broadcasters and writers Tom Weir and his sister Molly, and the politician John McAllion.
Springburn's current MP, Michael Martin, is Speaker of the House of Commons.
[edit] References
- Lowe, J.W., (1989) British Steam Locomotive Builders, Guild Publishing
- Thomas, J., (1964) The Springburn Story: The History of the Scottish Railway Metropolis, David & Charles
- Weir, M., (1970) Shoes Were For Sunday, Hutchinson
[edit] External links
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