Cowlairs
Encyclopedia
Cowlairs is a district
in the Scottish
city of Glasgow
, part of the wider Springburn
district of the city. It is situated north of the River Clyde
. Cowlairs F.C.
represented the area. The Cowlairs area has a long association with the railway, and is currently home to a diesel maintenance depot at Eastfield, and a signalling centre at Cowlairs, which controls trains from Glasgow Queen Street High Level. A new signalling centre, the West of Scotland Signalling Centre, controlling much of the south of Glasgow opened at Cowlairs South in December 2008. It controls the area formerly controlled by Glasgow Central Signalling Centre, and is expected eventually to control most of the west of Scotland.
was founded in 1841 by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
on the west side of the railway at Carlisle Street. It was the first works in Britain which built locomotives, carriages and wagons in one factory. In 1866, Cowlairs became the main workshop for the new owners, the North British Railway
Company. In 1923, Cowlairs passed into the ownership of the London and North Eastern Railway
(LNER), no more engines were built, and the works reverted to repair and maintenance. After nationalisation in 1948, the works became the property of BREL
, who used steam locomotives until 1968.
The works closed in 1968, and contracts were transferred to St. Rollox railway works
, which was renamed as BREL's Glasgow works. The former site of the works is still partly Brownfield and partly occupied by a Scotch Whisky
bonded warehouse.
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
in the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, part of the wider Springburn
Springburn
Springburn is an inner city district in the north of the Scottish city of Glasgow, home to various working and middle-class households.Springburn developed from a small rural hamlet at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Its industrial expansion began with the establishment of a chemical...
district of the city. It is situated north of the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
. Cowlairs F.C.
Cowlairs F.C.
Cowlairs Football Club was a 19th century football club from Glasgow, Scotland. One of the founder members of the Scottish Football League in 1890, the club was based in Cowlairs, in the Springburn area of the city.-History:...
represented the area. The Cowlairs area has a long association with the railway, and is currently home to a diesel maintenance depot at Eastfield, and a signalling centre at Cowlairs, which controls trains from Glasgow Queen Street High Level. A new signalling centre, the West of Scotland Signalling Centre, controlling much of the south of Glasgow opened at Cowlairs South in December 2008. It controls the area formerly controlled by Glasgow Central Signalling Centre, and is expected eventually to control most of the west of Scotland.
Cowlairs Works
The Cowlairs railway worksCowlairs railway works
Cowlairs Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Works , at Cowlairs in Springburn, an area in the north-east of Glasgow, Scotland, was built in 1841 for the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway and was taken over by the North British Railway in 1865. It was named after the nearby mansion of Cowlairs, with both...
was founded in 1841 by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway was a railway built to link Glasgow and Edinburgh. The Act of Parliament for building the railway received its Royal Assent in 1838 which was open on 28 July 1863. Services started between Glasgow Queen Street and Haymarket on 21 February 1842. The line was...
on the west side of the railway at Carlisle Street. It was the first works in Britain which built locomotives, carriages and wagons in one factory. In 1866, Cowlairs became the main workshop for the new owners, the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
Company. In 1923, Cowlairs passed into the ownership of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
(LNER), no more engines were built, and the works reverted to repair and maintenance. After nationalisation in 1948, the works became the property of BREL
BREL
British Rail Engineering Limited , was the railway systems engineering division of British Rail, until the design and building of trains in the UK was privatised in 1993. On 31 October 1969, the company was incorporated as British Rail Engineering Limited.-Main products:The vast majority of BREL's...
, who used steam locomotives until 1968.
The works closed in 1968, and contracts were transferred to St. Rollox railway works
St. Rollox railway works
St. Rollox Locomotive Works and St Rollox Carriage and Wagon Works were built in 1856 in Springburn, an area in the north-east of Glasgow, for the Caledonian Railway, moving away from their works at Greenock...
, which was renamed as BREL's Glasgow works. The former site of the works is still partly Brownfield and partly occupied by a Scotch Whisky
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is whisky made in Scotland.Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories: Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Single Grain Scotch Whisky, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky , Blended Grain Scotch Whisky, and Blended Scotch Whisky.All Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three...
bonded warehouse.