Springburn

Springburn (to the north of Townhead) used to be a centre of heavy industry and full employment. Around 25% of the world's locomotives were manufactured in Springburn. There is an excellent account of the area's history in the Wikipedia entry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springburn; for more history and for some fabulous old photos, see the Springburn Virtual Museum section of the invaluable Glasgow Digital library - 

http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/springburn/springmitchell.htm

This area had the largest chemical works in Europe, the remnants of which (the 'Stinky Ocean'), you can still smell in Fountainwell Road (see Sighthill Towers: Before the Fall) and also what was possibly the highest chimney in the world 'Tennant's Lum' (435 ft; demolished 1922).
For Stobhill Hospital, see Hospitals; for the Nov 09 by-election here, see Glasgow North-East

Some Springburn shops

The Talisman; once a popular bar

No one listened: cops on patrol in Springburn

Milanos

This work by Vincent Butler RSA was unveiled in 1989

The man - in anachronistic working gear - represents Heritage, the girl represents Hope

The work faces Springburn Museum

Lawyers of one kind or another shout out their presence 

This drinking fountain was presented to the people of Springburn in 1902by the Cowlairs Co-operative Society; originally sited at Springburn Cross. There are quite a few drinking fountains such as this throughout Glasgow. Their significance is a civic and communal pride in the fact that clean water from Loch

Katrine was available to all. As with the great Victorian sewage systems, we have been living on that past glory as it were in a dream; and forgotten that someone has to pay for maintaining that extraordinary legacy

A falling population means schools such as this being closed or merged

St Rollox Church of Scotland from the other side of Springburn Rd; it does fine parish work; see Churches.  Sighthill towers are no longer in background, of course

Springburn Leisure Centre

Springburn Park; created in 1902, an intriguing park, and not much visited by outsiders; the north side of the park is a designated 'Site of Importance for Nature Conservation' there is abundant bird life, ponds, a rockery and - sometimes - roe deer; see www.friendsofspringburnpark.co.uk

Most days here are quiet

A nicely curving side path

One of the park's pretty wee memorial gardens

Winter path to the ponds: a monochrome world

Some bird life; see the park friends site mentioned above for a list of the birds you may see

Swans and ducks can be crabby but these all seem to live in peace

Note fed-up heron on right