The Cranes of River Clyde

A giant cantilever crane looms over a car park adjacent to the Hilton Garden Inn at Glasgow City. During its heydays, this crane used to load cargo and steam locomotives onto waiting ships to be exported around the world. The crane is no longer operational, yet its arm still bears the name of its former owners—Clydeport. Known as the Finnieston Crane, it is one of only four such cranes still standing on the River Clyde, upon which Glasgow is built. They are the cherished symbols of the city's engineering heritage. Shipbuilding was once a huge industry in Scotland, and the heart of this industry was situated on the banks of River Clyde. Within a short stretch of about thirty kilometers along the Clyde, dozens of different shipbuilding yards operated employing tens of thousands of workers who made some of the world’s fastest, biggest and most beautiful ships. In the early 1900s, one out of every five ships launched was built on the River Clyde. Shipbuilding was the pride of Scotland, and the envy of the world. The first boats were built on the Clyde probably as early as the 15th century, but it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution had begun that shipbuilding became a real source of commerce for Glasgow. Back then, conditions on River Clyde were not exactly conducive to shipbuilding. It was wide and shallow, and at places the depth was as little as two feet at low tide. This hampered Glasgow's ambitions to become a port, which prompted the City Council to buy land closer to the sea and build their own port. This town became Port Glasgow, and for a while it was the main customs port for the Clyde. The Finnieston crane , Glasgow. Photo credit: DrimaFilm/Shutterstock.com In the late 18th century, a number of extensive river engineering projects were undertaken to dredge and deepen River Clyde as far as Glasgow. As soon as this work was completed, a number of shipbuilding companies rapidly establishing themselves on the river.