Miscellaneous factories and mills, Carlisle, Cumbria – architects tbc – dates tbc
I had an extended impromptu visit to Carlisle recently so I spent my time checking out the local sites. Any info on any of the following will be greatly appreciated!
Weirs of Cathcart, Glasgow
September 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Weir Pumps Ltd, Cathcart works, 147-149 Newlands Road – (Offices and amenity block) Wylie, Shanks & Wylie – 1937
Weirs of Cathcart
Weirs of Cathcart
Weirs was founded in 1870 and moved to this site in 1886 where they manufactured pumps, boilers and other auxiliary equipment for ships. The factory began to manufacture aeroplanes in 1917 and Weir’s became the largest Clydeside producers of military aircraft. Around that time William Douglas Weir, son of the founder James Weir and former Director of the company, became Secretary of State for the RAF.
No longer the Weir Group’s headquarters, the Cathcart plant is estimated to have had up to one million square feet of factory space at one stage. It is still used for their pump manufacturing division, but is threatened by regular proposals to turn the site into residential housing – originally a greenfield site, the residential tenements around it grew up subsequently.
It is still a massive complex, and you can read more about it in the book Greater Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide
You can also get some more information about the production of the Weir autogiro aircraft on the Hidden Glasgow forum and see some good pictures of the site, including aerial photos here.
K6 telephone box & the Fortingall Yew
June 7, 2009 By 3 Comments
K6 telephone box, UK – Sir Giles Gilbert Scott – 1935
I had a lovely trip last weekend to Glen Lyon in Perthshire, so I thought I’d strike a pose in front of this classic phone box with the oldest tree in Europe (and possibly the world), the Fortingall Yew, in the background. The tree is believed to be about 5,000 years old and Pontius Pilate was meant to have grown up in the village – you can find out more about the Fortingall Yew here. But enough about nature, back to my deco!
I know this isn’t exactly a factory, but the K6 telephone box was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also designed Bankside Power Station and Battersea Power Station. The K6 was the most popular box he designed for the General Post Office, it followed his K2 from the 1920s – you can find out more about red phone boxes here. The Twentieth Century Society have recently launched a campaign to save the K8 designed by Bruce Martin in 1968. There are believed to be only 12 examples of the K8 left in Britain – it is my mission to try and strike a pose by one of them soon…
Coty factory, Great West Road
December 15, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Coty perfume and cosmetics factory, Great West Road – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners – 1932
Opposite the former Firestone building, this factory was used for the manufacture of Coty soaps, lipsticks, scents and creams until 1979. It has been under scaffolding for a while and is still getting some work done inside, I look forward to it looking rather scrummy in a few months time, hopefully.
Next door to it is a new Audi centre, which, judging by an old photo I’ve seen, used to be a very lovely towered factory for Brittol Ltd and later for Admiralty Oil – massive shame it’s gone.
Alexandra Parade factory
November 7, 2008 By 2 Comments
Alexandra Parade, Glasgow – architect unknown – date unknown
Just along the road from the old Wills factory. Would love to know more about it if you’ve got any info!
