One Titanic crane

Visiting my father in Port Glasgow today afforded me the opportunity to leave the genteel country houses behind and visit our industrial heritage for a change.

This is the 150 ton Titan cantilever crane that sits within James Watt Dock in Greenock. Built by Sir William Arrol & Co in 1917 it is was listed as a Category 'A' structure by Historic Scotland in 1989.

The dock, named after Greenock's most famous son, was completed in 1886 in an attempt to attract the increase in shipping trade that was sailing up the Clyde to Glasgow, and for a period of time it worked until the river channel was dredged and allowed the larger ships to sail to Glasgow without having to rely on high tides.

By 1864 almost a quarter of Britain's sugar refineries were located in Greenock and Port Glasgow and by the late nineteenth century up to 400 ship a year were arriving at the dock to unload their cargo. The large sugar warehouse in James Watt Dock that was used for the storage of raw and refined sugar still stands and it too is Category 'A' listed. Known locally (and rather predictably) as the 'Sugar Shed'.

Little or nothing left now to remind people of the area's past industrial and commercial heritage.