Lat:55.8879 Lon: -4.2335

Springburn is an area of Glasgow, lying to the north of the city centre. Until the 19th Century, rural Springburn was little more than a collection of cottages. However, links to Glasgow had been forged with the building of a number of Glasgow merchants' villas at Balgrayhill. The opening of the Monkland Canal and the subsequent development of Charles Tennant's chemical works at St Rollox in 1799 began the area's transformation into an industrial centre. Railway lines were constructed in the late 19th Century. Locomotive manufacturing followed, growing to become one of Springburn's main industries. But the move from steam power to diesel and electric trains proved difficult for Springburn's train-makers. Engines are no longer made in the area, with only the St Rollox Locomotive Works still in use, now as a maintenance and repair yard.

In the years of growing industry, the population expanded rapidly as did the amount of housing. Not all of it was of good quality. During the post-war period, Glasgow undertook a redical policy of redevelopment. Springburn was selected as a "Comprehensive Redevelopment Area", bringing the construction of a series of housing estates and transforming Springburn Road into a major dual carriageway. The Balgrayhill Estate, with its four tower blocks on Balgrayhill Road and Viewpoint Place, formed part of the Springburn Area B redevelopment and was completed in 1967.

Features of the area

• City
• Industry
• Canal

City of Glasgow Group

City of Glasgow is one of Scotland's 32 unitary council areas and serves the largest population of any of Scotland's councils. It was set up in 1996, with boundaries altered from those of the then City of Glasgow district of Strathclyde region: Rutherglen and Fernhill, Cambuslang and Halfway were transferred from the city area to the new South Lanarkshire council area.

It is bordered by West Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire.

Elsewhere on the BBC

• BBC Glasgow and West Scotland

Elsewhere on the web

• Springburn Virtual Museum
• Glasgow City Council: Family and Local History
• Wikipedia: Springburn