Barclay Curle Crane :: More Info

The North British Diesel Engine Works were designed by J. Galt for Barclay, Curle & Co. Ltd., and built in 1913-14 at a cost of £44,318. The design of the main bay was based on an iconic German AEG factory. The crane was built by Sir William Arrol, maker of the Finnieston and many other cranes and bridges - it was able to lift a diesel engine through the roof of the factory and install it into a ship tied up alongside at the Diesel Wharf - this old picture shows a tanker and a cargo vessel being engined.

The main bay and crane are still standing - the building is now used as a 24-hour industrial estate, but the crane stands rusted solid. It is A-listed, and was the prototype for the famous Meccano Hammerhead crane model.