Consider the builders. The St Rollox Monument stands to commemorate them.
The St Rollox Monument is a tribute to Glasgow’s locomotive builders. It honors those who crafted steam and diesel locomotives. These locomotives were exported worldwide.
Jack Faulds Sloan created this monument in 1995. You can find it on Cobden Road in Sighthill. It stands beside the roundabout at the junction of Turner Road.
The inscription reads: “To Commemorate The Builders of The Steam and Diesel Locomotives Which Were Exported From Glasgow To The World”. The Miller Group and the Glasgow Development Agency funded it.
The St Rollox Works played a vital role in railway history. It was unusual for building both locomotives and carriages. In 1923, it became the main works of the London Midland and Scottish Railway’s Northern Division. By 1929, wagon repairs moved to Barassie. This left St Rollox as the carriage repair center.
Ownership transitioned to British Rail. Activities reduced in the 1980s under BREL management. Privatization followed. Alstom acquired the works. Railcare took over in 2007. Today, a reduced site operates as a rail maintenance depot.
The St Rollox Monument uses weathering steel and stainless steel. It measures 1200 cm high, 260 cm wide, and 160 cm deep. Glasgow City Council owns the sculpture. It is accessible at all times.
The St Rollox Monument stands as a reminder. It represents Glasgow’s contribution to railway engineering. Think of the skilled hands that shaped these locomotives. Their legacy steams on.