Vessel At Pinkston Basin
Barge (19th Century), Lighter (19th Century)(Possible), Scow (19th Century)(Possible)
Site Name Vessel At Pinkston Basin
Classification Barge (19th Century), Lighter (19th Century)(Possible), Scow (19th Century)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Port Dundas Scow
Canmore ID 330171
Site Number NS56NE 5034
NGR NS 59283 66627
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/330171
- Council Glasgow, City Of
- Parish Glasgow (City Of Glasgow)
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District City Of Glasgow
- Former County Lanarkshire
Field Visit (1 March 2013 - 12 April 2013)
There are differing opinions on whether the vessel on the south-west side of Pinkston Basin is a scow or a lighter. Documents from between 1816 and 1825 do not seem to distinguish scows and lighters: the cargo boats were called 'track boats' and the passenger vessels 'passage boats', although there is a record of a 'barge' being used to carry passengers in 1819. This considered a ‘barge’ can mean just a ‘track boat’ that is not used as a track boat(1). Furthermore another source describes lighters as a ‘flat bottomed vessel’ which is clearly not the case with the Pinkston craft. Hence the terms ‘scow’ and ‘lighter’ can be considered equally appropriate(2).
Up until the second half of the 19th century horses where used to tow lighters and scows, steam boats became more common from 1858 (3). As the Pinkston boat is horse-towed it would be reasonable to assume that it was built in mid 1800s. We do not know when it sunk, but after WWII few tow boats were in operational use.
This vessel was recovered from the bed of Pinkston Basin in April 1993 by the Forth and Clyde Canal Society. There were another two similar boats with it which were scrapped in 2007/06. The third boat survived because its condition was better than that of the other two.4 Today its condition is deteriorating, the whole body is covered in rust and there are many holes on the sides and bottom. It is beyond repair for operational use, yet it is an interesting sight and part of the landscape that reminds of the industrial past of Pinkston, the Forth & Clyde Canal and the ‘Cut of Junction’ (the section of canal that joined with the Monkland Canal). The boat is also known locally as ‘The Cat’ because of the graffiti on the side.5
Sources
1. Observation from historic records made by Justin Parkes, Industrial History Curator, Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life.
2. http://www.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-000-571-114-C&scache=1ywqj2eo47&searchdb=scran
3. Healey S., ‘Steam Power on Canals’, in Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Vol XXVI, (London,1866-67), p. 10. http://archive.org/stream/minutesofproceed26inst#page/n0/mode/2up
4. Information offered by David McRoberts, Operations Supervisor – Forth & Clyde West.
5. http://www.architectureglasgow.co.uk/derelict.thecat.html
Material provided by Scottish Canals.
