Springburn Virtual Museum

Railway industry

Loading a locomotive onto a cargo ship at Finnieston docks, 1950

Willie Dewar supervising the loading of a YP class 4-8-0 locomotive on board a cargo ship at Finnieston docks in Glasgow. This was one of an order of 100 engines built for India in 1951-52 by the North British Locomotive Company (NBLC) at their Hyde Park Works in Springburn.

Willie Dewar left school at the age of 15 in 1939 and worked for NBLC until its closure in 1962. His first position was in the wages department, and thereafter he worked in the drawing office and then the works themselves from 1941-44 to gain practical experience. After practical training in 1944 Willie worked in the drawing office designing the lifting gear which was used in the loading of the locomotives onto ships for export.

After NBLC closed in 1962 Willie was able to put his engineering skills, gained in the locomotion industry, to use working for a variety of other engineering companies in the Glasgow area. These included Voith Engineering, Maver and Coulson, Templetons Carpets, Weirs and Yarrows.

Source: Glasgow City Archives