Here is a map of the docks area of the Clyde, date unknown but possibly early 1900s.
In more detail we see the massive Queens Dock on the north bank, mirrored by the equally huge Princes Dock at Govan on the southern shore.
.. . all filled in (except part of Princes) and now the site of the Scottish Exhibition Centre. Further west ...
... we can spot the Kelvin Hall (top right), what became Yorkhill Hospital (upper right) and, on the Clyde, Yorkhill Quay and the shipyards at the mouth of the River Kelvin. And today ...
... only the outline of Yorkhill Quay remains. The "M" symbol is the new Transport Museum and the map well represents its strange shape. Just before we take a look, here is a view looking west on a quiet day in the docks area.
The only things left are the crane and the former rotunda entrance to the Clyde foot tunnel at the bottom of Finnieston Street.
So it was that the fbbs arrived on their electric bus at the "Museum of Glasgow Life". Unknowingly, they had turned up during the "Blue Light" Festival, a huge display of all the rescue and police services ...
... which ensured that the exhibition halls and caff were packed. Admission is FREE!
How does the new set-up compare with the old?
The building is squiggly and trendy, for sure.
The displays are all mixed-up and in no historical order, or even no thematic order. This is probably good for the "wains"(children) but quite frustrating for a genuine transport enthusiast. Set against this, the displays are much more informative, with multilingual touch panels a-plenty.
An Albion in Urdu!
The cars were mostly stuck to the wall ...
... in a display dedicated to Arnold Clark, Glaswegian founder of a national car retail chain.
The iconic Hillman Imp was still there ...
... sitting in front of a huge African Railways loco, not seen before by fbb.
You had to look twice to remind yourselves that this monster ran on metre gauge track!
The trams and buses were all there to be found ...
... but well scattered - as were the rest of the steam engines.
The tank engine was on the first floor, peeping out over the main gallery where the other steamers were displayed.
There were a few disappointments for the old 'uns. The Glasgow Underground section, which used to be a reproduction of a station, was now two separated bits ...
... lacking in the well-remembered station appurtenances.
The street scene was brighter and taller ...
... but, somehow, lacked the Glasgow gloom of its predecessor.
But these subjective niggles aside, it is a truly magnificent display and should be a high priority for any transport enthusiast or budding social historian. Go see for yourselves.
But (tears of sadness) ...
... where was Edie McCredies bus?
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Morar Mention
Today is the last day of the "Discovery" Tour with a full trip on the West Highland line from Morar to Glasgow. The will take the fbb's on their first ever trip across the remote and desolate Rannoch Moor. Delicious! Tonight the gang is back in the Holiday Inn Express.
The blog was composed between 0600 and 0700 yesterday before the internet pipes filled up!
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Next external observations blog : Friday 28th September
I'm afraid I don't share your enthusiasm for the Riverside Museum as I think the displays are downright perverse if you actually want to see stuff! A triumph of fashionable design over substance, if you ask me. I found the ship displays especially annoying because you have to wait for them to come round on the conveyor - they were much easier to see at Kelvingrove. I agree with you about the Underground exhibit.
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