Industrial http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/ http://www.eblah.com en Two subject suggestions http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1222722465/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1222722465/#num1
First off, we have the now demolished, or largely demolished Ravenspark Hospital, I remember seeing a site which had a load of photos taken within this place where it had a rather Marie Celeste feel with large amounts of items and equipment left lying.  Now as far as I know the site is pretty much flattened.

Secondly, we have the Virginia Galleries.  All I know is that sited in Virginia St in Glasgow they were a haven for small traders who operated a large market inside (not the Argyle Market I might add).  This building was grade 1 listed, and had originally been used by the tobacco barons.  Unfortunately, Marks and Sparks wished to construct a loading bay adjacent and the contractors 'accidentally' damaged the building.

Basically, the blame game was spun out, and both Tarmac and M&S had stronger lawyers than the traders who had to be quickly evacuated, many of which never set up again due to the high prices in Glasgows centre.  The building despite being a grade 1 listed was pulled down and disappeared.]]> Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:07:45 JadeFalcon Post Office submarine cable terminal http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220809562/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220809562/#num1
These are not apparently all that uncommon as the os maps show another further south on the same shore and one on the shore opposite.

Pictures at http://picasaweb,google.co.uk/TheFoxSecS/POSubTerminal

I don't know if it worth a summary page although the plurals rule could be a problem.  Possibly the plural Termini would bend the rules?]]> Sun, 7 Sep 2008 18:46:02 The Fox Brownfield redevelopment http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220551600/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1220551600/#num1
But wait!!!!!

There's going to be redevelopment, a load of new houses, maybe a power station (unsightly turbines of course) and a Golf Course (just what Ayrshire needs, yet ANOTHER golf course).

I'm sure if you asked the locals, especially in Stevenston, what they would prefer, new houses or the old ICI plant in it's former glory, the answer would be ICI.  I remember seeing how many cars came out that place, and that it had its own train station, technically I think it had two, one at the main site and one nearer the explosives bunkers..

Anyway here's the story.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7597871.stm

Quoted Text

Housing plan for explosives site

A former explosives site in North Ayrshire could be transformed into a business park and housing estate if a £500m development proposal goes ahead.

NPL Estates said its 15-year plan for the Ardeer Peninsula would create 1,000 jobs, benefiting the coastal towns of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston.

Plans for the 1,700 acre area also include a golf course and a marina.

The proposal, for Scotland's largest brownfield regeneration site, has yet to be submitted for planning consent.

NPL Estates commissioned architecture and planning practice Keppie Design to develop the proposal.

Their recent projects include the Ravenscraig development in North Lanarkshire.

Simon Towers, managing director of NPL Estates, said the development would turn around the fortunes of the local community

He said: "This exciting plan is the culmination of over five years design and consultation work and will deliver unprecedented regeneration in an area which has experienced a decline in socio-economic conditions following the downturn of heavy industry.

"This plan will reverse those conditions and will deliver real benefits to the local community."

The area was formerly owned by Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize, and was the site of the world's largest explosive plant.

At its peak, during the 1950s and 1960s, about 15,000 people worked at the site.

'Few hurdles'

There are currently about 200 staff employed by companies in the area.

Jim Clements, a former local councillor in the area, said he hoped the regeneration plan would succeed where others had failed.

He said: "They have a few hurdles to get over yet, but hopefully in the next 15-year period it will come to fruition.

"But what it does mainly in my view is give people in my area hope that something is happening.

"That there is hope for the youngsters in the area, and that can only be good."


1000 jobs, that will probably be temporary, compared to the 10000 jobs that Ardeer once had.  Also, with this forthcoming slump in the housing market it doesn't seem to be the wisest decision.]]> Thu, 4 Sep 2008 19:06:40 JadeFalcon Baillieston electrical DB http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1218221209/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1218221209/#num1 Fabulous stuff, well researched. Noticing a photo of an electricity box on your 5 March post I see one very similar to this strange pillar box type object [less the lettering plate] that still sits in Baillieston Main Street. You'll notice the date I took the pic, thats how long its mystified me ........

]]> Fri, 8 Aug 2008 19:46:49 Captain Brittles Video of Inverkip power station http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1208835519/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1208835519/#num1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sT-O3-dt44

let me know what ya  think ,

Spliffed

P.s if anyone can add this vid to the post , feel free ]]> Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:38:39 spliffed Dalmarnock Power Station http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1208655659/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1208655659/#num1
I found...

Dalmarnock road bridge, which turns out to be the third over the Clyde at that point, having been preceded by two wooden bridges since 1821.

Dalmarnock rail bridge 2, which is built almost on top of Dalmarnock rail bridge 1. The first bridge is gone, apart from the impressive cast iron pillars that supported it, still surviving in full.

An ancient boatyard, beside the rail bridge, and still operating today.

Three unidentified piers west of the road bridge - these are new as in present day items from the past decade or two, but already abandoned and rotting - and there's no indication why they are there, unless they were just a good idea when the Clyde Walkway was added a few years ago.

Most interesting at the time was the wall along the river. The engineer in me smelt something interesting here, and closer examination revealed the wall was massively strong, made of steel reinforced concrete and 50 ft high at a guesstimate. When I got back and did a bit of digging I found it had to be strong, as it was holding up the former Dalmarnock Road Power Station, and stopping it from sliding into the Clyde. The whole station is now gone completely apart from this wall. Although the piers I mentioned earlier had nothing to do with it, the same spot was where the coal boats came along the Clyde to deliver to the power station.

You never know what your going to find, and I didn't even mention the Belvidere Housing development on the old hospital site.]]> Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:40:59 Apollo Barr's Irn Bru factory demolition http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1198526192/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1198526192/#num1
Even though it had been a while, it was still a bit of shock to see the former site for the first time in ages, as it is completely gone, razed to the ground, and with new foundations already being assembled. No doubt something to do with this Commonwealth Games nonsense that keeps getting heralded in the news every so often.

The most disappointing aspect seems to have been the loss (or rather, I hope, the re-siting) of a memorial plaque of some sort that was installed in one of the walls that faced into the Gallowgate. I'd wandered down a few times in the past, hoping to catch a pic, but as the wall also faced into the works yard, where vehicles were always working, I could never get a clear view, or there would be something parked in front of, and obscuring it.

Hope someone knows what it was, and that it has been logged somewhere.]]> Mon, 24 Dec 2007 19:56:32 Apollo Changing Glasgow's skyline http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1195387939/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1195387939/#num1
I've long admired the policy of not permitting high rise developments, but inevitably this is and will be eroded with the lure of £££.

We're now to be blessed with a £135 million development offering 160 rooms, 68 serviced apartments, two presidential suites, a sky-bar on the rooftop, gourmet restaurant, an infinity swimming pool, and the usual conference facilities; all wrapped up in 26 storey glass tower, seen by the cooncillors as a cutting edge landmark development.

Interesting how it will land in the middle of the city's financial services area, and probably never to be visited by the 'little ordinary people' that keep the place running.

The hotel is intended to offer more that any other in the city, with hints that it would be Six Star, if there was such a classification.

One wonders where the helipad on the roof went? Disallowed by the planners, forgotten by the designers, or not needed as they reckon the locals would have nicked any that landed there?]]> Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:12:19 Apollo Glagow Fort shopping centre expansion http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1189908880/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1189908880/#num1
Opened in 2004, next to the (notorious) Easterhouse housing estate, the developer's faith in the location, just off the M8 motorway proved to be well placed as it has become extremely popular.

They're now pursuing a £25 million planning application to increase its retail space by 40%, adding 175,000 sq ft to the existing 400,000 sq ft it already covers, adding more shops, restaurants, and parking spaces, with the addition of Marks & Spencers to the catchment.

So, we're supposed to be lamenting the demise of the High Street, the loss of the corner shop and small shops, and appalled by the growth of huge shopping centres, and the miles folk drive to shop in them. Yet we still seem to be clamouring for, and building more.

Go figure!

I've never been to Glasgow Fort, even though it's close enough so I could walk there (if I wasn't in a hurry, and didn't actually want buy anything bigger than a packet of plain biscuits). I'll probably never go either, as it's also too close for the hassle of driving there and negotiating a the motorway slip roads and large car park - available spaces are sure to be miles away from the shops, and I don't do the space-hunting thing to try and find one near the door.

To be honest, the thought of the place doesn't appeal to me (and I am actually a bit of a mall-rat, I used to really enjoy a Christmas trip to the Metro Centre outside Newcastle - until they made it 'better'). I visited the old shopping centre in Easterhouse once. I never went back, and couldn't get out of the place quick enough. If you know the feeling of being a stranger in a town where everyone knows everyone, and the stranger stands out like a sore thumb, you'll know what I mean. That's hard to shake once you've been to a place.

Am I being unfair? Guess I'll never know (think)]]> Sun, 16 Sep 2007 03:14:40 Apollo Virginia Galleries lost http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1184537128/ http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1184537128/#num1
I eventually found out a little bit of the history of the place.  However, eventually M&S decided they wanted to build a loading bay on Virginia Street.  Some sloppy construction work resulted in severe cracks in the Galleries structure and the evacuation of the premises.  For some strange reason, the contracters weren't obliged to compensate the traders and many went out of business.  The building despite being listed was eventually pulled down.  A story I'd heard was that M&S and the construction company basically waited the traders out with legal fees to see who would crack first.]]> Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:05:28 JadeFalcon