ALL CHANGE AT COWLAIRS

摘要

The Glasgow district of Cowlairs is the location for this month's entry in our All Change series. The date is August 12,1960 and two'Black Fives'-Nos. 44975 and 44973 - are slogging up the 1-in-41 incline with the 10.15 Glasgow Queen Street-Mallaig train. The bank was so steep it had to be rope-worked when first opened and banking engines were required until the demise of the steam era, as evidenced by the exhaust behind the eighth coach, an observation car. The scene is typical of the mid-20th century British industrial landscape; in the background are the chimneys and cooling tower of Pinkston power station, which generated electricity for the city's trams and just visible on the diverging line in the centre of the picture is what appears to be a 350hp diesel shunter. Even with the exhaust, most rail historians and industrial archaeologists would have little trouble identifying this location.