heikegani ( 平家蟹 , ヘイケガニ , heikeopsis japonica ) is a species of crab native to japan , with a shell that bears a pattern resembling a human face which many believed to be the face of an angry samurai hence the nickname samurai crab .

it is locally believed that these crabs are reincarnations of the heike warriors defeated at the battle of dan-no-ura as told in the tale of the heike .

heikegani

artist’s impression of a heikegani . remarkably , it’s pretty close to the reality .
heikegani crab , japan crab with a human like face on it ' s shell . it is believed that a heikegani is the reincarnation of heike warriors defeated at… | pinteres…
the heikegani crab ( heikeopsis japonica ) and a stylize kabuki samurai face . image source .
two times per day as a swift action , a heikegani can challenge a foe to combat .
each time the heikegani molts , its new shell comes to more closely resemble an angry demonic face .
[ … ] sources : andrew kincaid . “heikegani – the samurai crab . ” ( 2013 ) [ … ]
heikegani
was premiered in april 1912 in ďsaka at the naniwaza , starring onoe baik˘ vi and sawamura s˘jűr˘ vii .
heikegani
is made up of 1 act , divided into 2 scenes , which runs for just over an hour .
but the legend of the samurai crabs has turned them into souvenirs for the historically - minded travel . and the heikegani’s shells certain do look like angry samurai faces . maybe the vengeful ghosts of the heike are expressing themselves through the snarling shells of the heikegani .
heikegani has become a popular image in japanese tattooing , though the face on the shell is exaggerated for dramatic effect . a tattoo that works great as a japanese themed gap filler , heikegani tattoos are the funkiest of all crab tattoos and offer some awesome crustacean inspiration .
once per day when the heikegani is about to attempt a saving throw or skill check , it can call upon the resolve it held to in its prior life , gaining a + 4 bonus on the roll . the heikegani must decide to use this ability before the roll is made .
until either that foe is rendered unconscious , or the combat ends , the heikegani gains a + 4 bonus on damage rolls against that enemy , and takes a –2 penalty to ac except against attacks made by the challenged foe . the heikegani gains dr 2 / — against attacks made by the target of its challenge .
dan - no - ura tatakai no zu ( ‘battle of dannoura’ ) . the heikegani crabs can be seen in the lower half of the painting . image source .
the soul of a heikegani has very few of its memories from life , but retains its single - minded sense of purpose and honor , and is quick to challenge those it meets to mortal combat . a heikegani believes it has been reincarnated , but in reality it never passed on to be judged . the unnatural genesis of a heikegani causes it great agony , and the dangerous crustacean scuttles along the shores , seeking foes that it can defeat in honorable combat so its soul can finally be put to rest .
according to the japanese legend , the ghosts or souls of the heike samurais were reincarnated into the heikegani crabs who ate their remains , their angry faces now shown on the shells of the crabs . to this day , it is said that the heikegani crabs roam the depths of the oceans around japan , searching for the lost heirlooms of their empire .
as a full - round action , a heikegani can stand on its rear legs and display its facelike carapace , snapping its pincers in a threatening display . the heikegani can attempt an intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 30 feet that can see its display , as if it had used the dazzling display feat . it doesn’t take penalties on this check for being smaller than its targets .
featured image : ‘the ghost of taira tomomori’ by utagawa kuniyoshi – depicts the ghost of taira tomomori along with the anchor he drowned with , and heikegani with faces of fallen soldiers . image source .
a resounding battle cry for many vegetarians is : “i don’t eat food with a face” , and luckily for the heikegani crabs , the inhabitants of the inland sea have taken that gustatory sentiment to heart .
after that battle start appeared heikegani , the so - called “samurai crab” . it was a unique species of crab , with a shell that bore a pattern resembling the face of an angry samurai . the superstitious believed these crabs were reincarnated souls from toshigoku , the realm of slaughter , and it was considered unlucky to eat the plentiful heikegani from the region , for to do so was to invite the sin of familial betrayal into one ' s heart . [ 1 ]
to see more traditional japanese body art and perhaps a few more disgruntled samurai crabs , visit these tattooists’ instagrams . should you want a piece of irezumi featuring heikegani for yourself , have one of them design a tiny clawed crustaceans just for you .
i’ve read carl sagan’s take on heikegani before . just imagining thousands of angry faced crabs scurrying in mass under the water , it sends shivers down my spine 😫 why crab ? it’s also reind me the scene from the film “the thing”… too creepy 😱
a species of crab native to japan heikegani is widely recognized for its bizarre shell . the shell of heikegani has numerous myths and legends surrounding it , but the most common is that the shell shows the face of an angry samurai slain in battle . they are also known as the samurai crab . in certain regions of japan a more detailed explanation is offered , it is believed that the crabs are reincarnations of the heike warriors , who were defeated at the battle of dan - no - ura in 1185 .
for the heike samurai , surrender to the enemy was never an option . those that were not slain in battle , committed suicide by drowning themselves along with their emperor . their bodies became food for the heikegani crabs who lay in wait on the sea floor .
during an episode of the pbs science show , ‘cosmos : a personal voyage’ , carl sagon expounded on a theory put forward by julian huxley in 1952 , to explain the strange face - like characteristics of the heikegani crab shell . huxley theorized that the crab’s samurai faces are the result of artificial selection . he proposed the fishermen fishing japan’s waters would throw back any crabs whose shells looked like a samurai’s face out of respect for the fallen heike . this preserved the dna of the heikegani with samurai - like faces while thinning the genetic lines of those without .
but , while it certainly is an interesting theory , it’s likely only a bit of scientific folklore . the snarling samurai face on the heikegani’s shells is the result of nothing more than the natural site of muscle attachments . the crabs are only around four centimeters and not used for food , making the theory that fishermen threw samurai face - bearing heikegani back while keeping those without extremely unlikely . other crabs with human - like shells have also been found throughout the world , even appearing in the fossil record , lending even less credit to the still fascinating theory .
magic is always involved , either because the death happened in a high - magic environment or because the samurai was dealt a magical deathblow . a heikegani is especially vicious when young , and kills other crabs and marine creatures it encounters until it develops the ability to travel onto land .
the problem with this theory is that the heikegani crabs , which have a maximum length of 1 . 2 inches , are too small to be eaten , so it is unlikely they were ever caught for food in the first place . furthermore , analysis of the shells has shown that the face - like patterns are simply the result of connection points for muscle and ligament tissue . finally , heikegani crabs are not the only crabs with a human - looking face on the shell . a variety of crabs from the family dorippidae all appear to have human faces on their backs .
carl sagan theorized that the crabs’ samurai faces are the result of artificial selection . he proposed the fishermen fishing japan’s waters would throw back any crabs whose shells looked like a samurai’s face out of respect for the fallen heike . this preserved the dna of the heikegani with samurai - like faces while thinning the genetic lines of those without .
in the aftermath of the battle , the leader of the genji , minamoto yoritomo , became the first shogun to realize complete military control of japan . the fate of the remaining heike was execution–this time without exception . it’s said the heike samurais’ angry spirits were reincarnated into the heikegani crabs who ate their remains , their scowling faces now marking their carapaces .
the heikegani crab has inspired reverence to ancient legends , as well as scientific investigation into the power of selection . while many believe the angry samurai face in the crab’s shell is simply the result of the psychological phenomenon of pareidolia , others believe that the grimaced faces are the heike samurai warriors , who were reborn and are still , somehow , watching over them .
famous american astronomer and author carl sagan once speculated that the resemblance was due to artificial selection . sagan proposed that the fishermen fishing japan’s waters would throw back any crabs whose shells looked like a samurai’s face out of respect for the fallen heike tribe . this preserved the dna of the heikegani with samurai - like faces while thinning the genetic lines of those without .
a far more plausible theory is that any resemblance of a human face seen in the shells of the heikegani crabs is the result of pareidolia , the human brain’s innate ability to recognize faces and human forms in a set of random stimuli . common examples include seeing images of animals or faces in clouds , the virgin mary on toast , and the man in the moon .
the battle of dan - no - ura was preceded by an immense struggle between the imperial rulers of japan , the taira clan ( later known as heike ) , who the heikegani crabs are named after , and the minamoto clan ( genji ) , who were fighting for control of the throne at the end of the 12th century in the genpei war ( 1180 - 1185 ) .
while it sounds good and it does fit the mold for how selective pressures tend to work , there’s a problem–nobody eats heikegani . they’re too small . plus , crabs with this kind of shell pattern aren’t confined to only that small bay , but they can be found all over the bay of japan . and there are other species of crabs with similar patterns , although maybe not as pronounced .
a japanese crab , the heikegani , has a shell closely resembling a samurai’s face . legend says the crabs are the souls of the fallen heike samurai who died in a massive battle over the japanese imperial throne . the battle of dannoura , immortalized in the heike monogatari ( the tale of heike , ) was a pivotal moment in japan’s history that both established the first shogunate and killed a child emperor .
heikegani or heike crabs ( heikeopsis japonica ) are a species of crab native to japan many of who share a distinctive feature : strange markings on their carapace that have a striking resemblance to the face of an angry samurai . the crabs get their name from a japanese epic : the tale of the heike s , an epic prose tale about a battle that was fought in japan’s inland sea , which is where these crabs are found .
the reason people see a face in the crabs is because of a psychological phenomena called pareidolia , which makes vague or random things seem significant . seeing a samurai face in the shells of crabs–even the japanese heikegani–is like how we see shapes in the clouds or a man in the moon . ( i’ve never quite been able to see a man in the moon , by the way . i tend to side with the japanese , who say it’s a rabbit . )
the battle of dan - no - ura gave rise to many legends , the strangest of which involves a crab . this crab has a distinctive shell with a pattern that vaguely resembles the angry face of a samurai . the story goes that when the heike warriors died and sank , their souls were transferred to the crabs and their gnarled faces were forever etched onto the crab ' s back . the crab is called heikegani or the heike crab . sometimes , it’s also called the samurai crab .
because of their fascinating backstory , heikegani have skittered their way out of the history books and traditional japanese art into popular culture . one can’t help but faintly see their vestige in anthropomorphic arthropods like dr . zoidberg from futurama , crabby a la pokemon , or the subterranean “crab people” in south park . even carl sagan cited the angry - looking crustaceans as evidence of artificial selection in the second episode of cosmos , but beyond the shores of japan , tattoos are where they’re most commonly found , grimacing amidst the waves and wind bars of irezumi .
the heikegani crab’s legend finds its roots from the two rival families’ involvement in japan’s government , which eventually toppled the imperial courts’ power . after a fierce battle between the two opposing samurai factions , the heike seized control of japan . their leader though , kiyomori taira , was in love with his rival’s , yoshitomo minamoto , concubine . at her behest he showed an uncharacteristic degree of mercy by sparing her and minamoto’s sons . though it might be considered noble by modern standards–especially since killing them was legally permitted–it was ultimately a mistake that would later put and end to the heike samurai .
samurai are renowned for their resolve , but sometimes a samurai becomes so obsessed with her purpose that her soul can’t depart from the material plane upon her death . unable to seek eternal rest , and unwilling to become undead in the pursuit of vengeance , the samurai soul instead finds a suitable host in which to continue its existence . a heikegani is the effect of such a joining : a tragic , furious symbiosis of the soul of a dead samurai and the body of a crustacean . this usually occurs when the samurai dies near a crab habitat and her soul imprints upon a newly hatched crab zoea .
the mythos surrounding heikegani originates from a military conflict between two feuding japanese clans back in the 12th century . following a five - year power struggle known as the genpei war , the taira ( later referred to as the heike ) and minamoto clashed in a final battle at a small bay called dan - no - ura on april 25 , 1185 . the taira were severely outnumbered , and during the fighting , their child emperor — antoku — drowned . as the tide turned in their enemy’s favor , the samurai , rather than dying in dishonor , took their own lives , leaping into the frigid sea .
years later those very sons led an uprising against him after he installed his own grandson as the new child emperor . genji forces drove the heike out of the capital and proclaimed their own emperor . their forces pursued the fleeing heike samurai and the rival emperor to the shimonoseki straight , were a final , decisive naval battle ensued . the heike were outnumbered three to one , and the battle was quickly over . the emperor was drowned by his grandmother , who promised him a new kingdom under the sea . the heiki samurai were either killed or committed suicide by drowning themselves along with their emperor–their dead bodies food for the heikegani crabs .
okamoto wrote
heikegani
at age 39 from childhood memories of a popular edo picture book in which a young fisherwoman encounters the spirit of tamamushi , a heike court lady from the heian period ( 794 ~ 1185 ) . inspired by the illustrations of tamamushi in the book , the playwright created the character of a proud , modern woman who is unwilling to passively accept others ' choices and is prepared to use violence to achieve her ends . yet tamamushi ' s passion drives her to madness , causing her to kill her own sister and the man her sister wants to marry . ultimately , it leads her to her own self - annihilation .
( sasaguchi rei )
the heian imperial court was simultaneously the high and low point of japan’s aristocracy . it had reached the height of its refinement , but at the cost of alienating the ruling class from the people they supposedly governed . there was an explosion in literature . poetry flourished , dress was extravagant , and the tale of genji , one of the world’s first novels , arose from the heian court . japan also discovered buddhism during this time . unfortunately , the court’s preoccupation with the arts allowed lower - ranking officials and their families to gain the real control over japan . the two largest families were the taira ( later known as heike , ) who the fated heikegani crabs are named after , and the minamoto , later called the genji .
liu j . y . [ ruiyu ] ( ed . ) . ( 2008 ) . checklist of marine biota of china seas . china science press . 1267 pp . ( look up in imis ) [ details ] available for editors [ request ]
on 24 the april , 1185 ad , the two powerful samurai clans fought to the death on the dan - no - ura bay of japan’s inland sea . the ruling taira clan ( heike ) , was led by their child - emperor , antoku , and his grandmother . the heike had ruled for many decades , but now , massively outnumbered , they faced defeat at the hands of the minamoto .
during the battle , a member of the royal household took the seven - year - old emperor antoku and plunged with him into the water in the shimonoseki straits , drowning the child emperor , rather than allowing him to be captured by the opposing forces . his mother and grandmother followed him in their grief . antoku came to be worshipped as mizu - no - kami (
god of water” ) .
this crucial battle was a cultural and political turning point in japanese history : minamoto yoritomo became the first shogun , or military ruler , of japan . dan - no - ura marked the beginning of seven centuries , in which japan was ruled by warriors and shoguns instead of emperors and aristocrats .
defeated heike warriors are turned into crabs as they are tossed from their ships . painting by kuniyoshi . image source .
pareidolia is the brain’s innate ability to see faces in a set of random stimuli .
april holloway is a co - owner , editor and writer of ancient origins . for privacy reasons , she has previously written on ancient origins under the pen name april holloway , but is now choosing to use her real name , joanna gillan .
i think the idea that the fishermen throw back the crabs with the samurai faces out of respect for the samurai therefore making the samurai crabs dominant is highly plausible .
i think it’s a quaint idea but i doubt there’s any truth in it , especially since the crabs are too small to be eaten and other crabs have similar markings .
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hansik of the day ( ep . 3 ) gejang ( fermented crab ) _ full episode
clip from carl sagan , cosmos , episode 2 on artificial selection and heike crabs .
carl sagan , stephen hawking and arthur c . clarke - god , the universe and everything else ( 1988 )
the carapace of this large crab resembles a scowling face , its eyes seething with an ancient fury .
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haha , “the thing ? ” you’re giving me shivers now . a sheet of angry samurai faces crawling along the ocean floor is pretty creepy now that you mention it though…
[ … ] fuente : introvert japan / japan powered / wikipedia / japan hoppers . [ … ]
the crabs that these traditional japanese tattoos are based on are believed to embody the souls of dead samurai .
the downfall of the taira ushered in an era of shogunate rule that lasted for nearly 700 years , during which the art of traditional japanese tattoos rose to prominence among the merchant class . to this very day , the descendants of the heike gather on april 24th at the akama shrine near the sea where their ancestors perished to honor the memory . in the age - old ceremony , people cast nets to catch crabs , throwing the ones with faces on their backs into the water , because they are believed to contain the souls of the doomed samurai .
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the famous story of the genji warrior nasu no yoichi in the fierce 1185 battle of yashima between the genji and heike clans : nasu no yoichi shot an arrow through a fan held by tamamushi , so foretelling the fall of the heike clan at dan - no - ura ( the inland sea ) the following month .
heikeopsis japonica , a species of crab native to japan , with a shell that bears a pattern resembling a human face .
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the year was 1185 , the place a tiny bay called dan - no - ura . two great fleets faced one another ; on once side , the heike clan , imperial rulers of japan , and on the other the minamoto , upstarts fighting to control the throne . at stake was control of all japan . after a half - day of fighting , the heike were routed , and their 6 - year old emperor drowned to keep him out of minamoto hands . minamoto yoritomo went on to become the first shogun , or military ruler , of japan .
a strange story arose in the wake of the battle . locals told a legend about crabs in the area with strange patterns on their shells , said to resemble samurai masks . legend held that the crabs were the reincarnations of samurai slain at the battle of dan - no - ura .
the crabs do bear an uncanny resemblance to samurai masks . carl sagan speculated in his show cosmos that the resemblance was due to artificial selection . basically , people would throw back crabs that resembled samurai masks , and eat the ones that didn’t . so that put selection pressure on the population to grow shells that resembled masks .
the folds and creases are points where muscles attach to the carapace . humans just happen to think they look like faces–or masks–because of a phenomena called pareidolia , where we see faces in random patterns . it’s not quite as cool as reincarnated samurai ghosts , but then again , not many things are .
[ … ] just learned about heike crabs a month ago when crystal from gomineko books posted about them . the legend behind them is super [ … ]
if you like japanese folklore , a fairly new series called “folktales from japan” has sprung up on crunchyroll . co . uk . its a collection of the best of japanese folktales come to life and is mostly presented in a way that makes you think its target audience must be older children . still , i watched a few over time and last night watched episode number 18 and completely out of the blue they have put a terrifying horror story called left behind in as the second story . if you have time you really should watch it , its psychologically very scary and definitely not the type of thing i’d show to a child . also i was wondering how anyone in japan manages to find the courage to fish if this tale is common place . i thought maybe i might have a low threshold for horror since i don’t watch it , but there’s a few comments under that video and the fact that it was so mind bogglingly out of the blue and scary seems to be the general consensus .
thanks for the tip ! it sounds interesting . often the psychological is more terrifying than gore .
hey thanks for the link ! i watched left behind . the ghost in the show is called a noppero _ bo , which will be the subject of a future post . it was a pretty creepy story !
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carl sagan 222 success secrets - 222 most asked questions on carl sagan - what you need to know edition by evelyn gonzales and publisher emereo publishing . save up to 80 % by choosing the etextbook option for isbn : 9781488572159 , 1488572151 . the print version of this textbook is isbn : 9781488543609 , 1488543607 .
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the epic recounts the genpei war , an event that radically changed japanese history in the late 12th century . the war involved the imperial taira clan ( later known as heike ) and the warrior minamoto clan as they struggled for control of the imperial throne . the minamoto’s final victory ended the reign of imperial rule in japan and heralded the event of the shogun rule with minamoto yoritomo , the first military ruler .
the final battle in this story is the battle of dan - no - ura . while the taira had retained power through the child emperor antoku , years of fighting had left the taira weak , and their numbers dwindled . the taira had retreated to their fortress on the island of yashima , and were holed up there protecting the seven year old emperor . the minamoto’s landed a small force on the rear of the island , lighting bonfires and making it look like they were staging a full attack . the taira , thinking the armies were behind them , and worried that the fortress would be breached took to the water , escaping in a number of boats . the attack had been a ruse , and the main forces of minamoto’s army were waiting for them in a flotilla of ships . while the taira were easily outnumbered , their skillful archers put in a valiant effort and the forces seemed to be evenly matched .
unfortunately for the taira , bad omens started occurring ; a white banner unfurled itself from the heavens upon a minamoto boat , and a number of dolphins swam towards the taira . these omens all portended to the defeat of the taira , and so a number of their allies deserted and betrayed them . knowing that they were facing certain defeat , the emperor’s grandmother took the young child in her arms and slipped quietly off the boat , preferring drowning over capture . many of the taira samurai followed suit , leading to a minamoto victory .
the crabs , which are native to the inland sea ( the location of the battle ) are thought to be the re - incarnation of the many samurai who died that day . the locals refuse to eat the crabs that are marked with faces ( not all are ) , throwing them back into the sea . carl sagan famously did a piece on his show cosmos on the crabs , claiming that they were a perfect example of artificial selection ; after all , not being eaten makes spreading one’s genes easier . while sagan’s theory has garnered criticism , one thing is certain :
the battle of dannoura resulted in the destruction of the crab village of dannoura .
two twins from the yasuki family , grew apart in the years after the first yasuki war . yasuki heike remained with the crane and was fostered into the daidoji , but he kept his original family name . his brother yasuki taira joined the crab and was given command of the coastal village of dannoura . [ 1 ]
no one was certain what prompted the battle between brothers , but the result was the death of both along with hundreds of their men , while dannoura burned to the ground . [ 1 ]
this battle related article is a stub . that means that it has been started , but is incomplete . you can help by expanding this article .
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in a small seaside park near the kanmonkyo bridge , in the japanese city of shimonoseki , stands two bronze statues depicting two samurai warriors locked in mortal combat . the statues are flanked by replicas of cannons and ships . the monument commemorate a historic battle that took place in this area more than eight centuries ago .
the year was 1185 . two powerful fleets , one consisting of the heike clan , the imperial rulers of japan , and the other consisting of the minamoto , who were fighting for control of the throne , faced each other one april morning on tiny bay called dan - no - ura in japan’s inland sea . in the fierce battle that followed , hundreds of samurai warriors lost their lives and their bodies slipped between the waves to the bottom of the sea . at the end of the day , the minamoto came out victorious ; the heike were routed and their 6 - year old emperor was drowned by his grandmother to prevent his capture . minamoto yoritomo went on to become the first shogun , or military ruler , of japan .
however , the heike crabs are tiny—about four centimeters— and nobody actually ate them , and so the fishermen used to throw them from the nets . besides , crabs with human - like shells have been found all throughout the world .
the folds and creases that resembles a snarling samurai face are actually the points where muscles attach to the carapace . they just happen to look like the face of an angry samurai , thanks to our innate ability to find faces in random objects—a phenomena called pareidolia .
the sculptures at mimosusogawa park in shimonoseki . photo credit : hidetsugu tonomura / flickr
crab tattoos are always a funky design that look even better with a japanese twist .


the finnieston crane or stobcross crane is a disused giant cantilever crane ( hammerhead crane ) in the centre of glasgow , scotland .

it is no longer in working order , but is retained as a symbol of the city 's engineering heritage .

the crane was used for loading cargo , in particular steam locomotives , onto ships to be exported around the world .

it is one of four such cranes on the river clyde , a fifth one having been demolished in 2007 , and one of only eleven giant cantilever cranes remaining worldwide .

the crane can be seen in the background of news broadcasts from bbc pacific quay .

finnieston crane

finnieston crane is a listed and the north rotunda and custom house are b listed .
finnieston crane glasgow - retained as a symbol of the city ' s engineering heritage .
it is officially known as the stobcross crane ( or , to the navigation trust as clyde navigation trustees crane # 7 ) , but its proximity to finnieston quay , and the fact that it was intended to replace the previous finnieston crane , has led to its being popularly known as the finnieston crane .
deacon blue singer ricky ross photographed in front of the finnieston crane . picture : robert perry
oblique aerial view centred on the bridge with finnieston cantilever crane adjacent , taken from the n .
the finnieston crane is one of glasgow’s most iconic monuments - and one of its most unusual .
the finnieston crane ( also known as the stobcross crane ) is the largest of the cantilever cranes , of which four remain along the river .
there are only 15 surviving cantilever structures like the finnieston crane in britain , seven of which are in scotland .
a bright yellow question mark has been hung from glasgow’s finnieston crane as a tribute to the scottish artist george wyllie .
ambitious plans to house a restaurant at the top of glasgow ' s finnieston crane have taken a huge step forward .
although the finnieston crane was actually part of the stobcross quay and should accurately be referred to as the stobcross crane ; it derives its title from the crane it was built to replace ; the old finnieston crane which stood just at the end of the squinty bridge , the actual locations can be seen in the map above .
the finnieston crane is a crane and landmark in glasgow , scotland . it is now disused but is retained as a symbol of the city ' s engineering heritage .
ranald macinnes , principal inspector with historic scotland , said :
the finnieston crane is a much - loved glasgow landmark .
finnieston in glasgow has been named the hippest place to live in the uk .
[ 1 ] the finnieston crane in 1957 . ( source : ben brooksbank / wikimedia commons ) [ 2 ] the docks in 1950 . ( source : rcahms ) [ 3 ] the “finnieston crane” at stobcross quay , 1955 . ( source : burrell collection photo library , 1955 survey / the glasgow story ) [ 4 ] the finnieston crane holding the straw locomotive by george wyllie , 1987 ( source : wikimedia commons ) [ 5 ] story on a planned restaurant up the finnieston crane . ( source : evening times , 06 / 09 / 06 ) [ 6 ] the 1892 ordnance survey overlaid with the original location of the finnieston crane .
hello gordon , was there ever a titan crane located in the broomielaw just east of finnieston street . this is to settle a discussion .
no future events currently found at finnieston crane in glasgow ( view past events ) . check out the similar venues below or view events in glasgow .
the finnieston crane , floodlit during the glasgow garden festival in 1988 . the crane was situated directly opposite the festival site , which was on the south bank of the river clyde . a straw locomotive by artist george wyllie was hung from the end of the crane .
mr wyllie ' s most memorable pieces of public art included a straw locomotive suspended from the finnieston crane in glasgow and a paper boat launched on the river clyde .
finnieston crane news 8 oct 2015 – we were advised today by e - mail of plans now with glasgow city council , to apparently build a 10 storey hotel complex “with massive interactive billboards on the street and blocking vies of the now iconic buildings at finnieston street . ”
use this fun activity sheet to challenge your class to create their own version of glasgow ' s finnieston crane . this resource is available in standard and super eco colour .
the ‘finnieston crane’ , actually the proper description should be the ‘stobcross crane’ was built in the early 1930s to replace a 130 ton steam crane which was located about 100m upstream of it . it was called the finnieston crane . the reason for removing it was to make way for a high level bridge at the location now occupied by the clyde arc ( squinty bridge ) . ships would have been able to pass under it . however , the great depression in the late 1920s put paid to the idea of building a bridge the until the start of the 21st century . as a result the old finnieston crane remained in use and it’s intended replacement was completed and called the stobcross crane ( or crane no 7 in the clyde navigation trust’s plant inventories ) . there had been an earlier stobcross crane of around 50 ton swl , which was big in its day
i’d like to know why , on both our visits to glasgow , you’ve neglected to take us on an illegal nighttime climb of the finnieston crane . seems an oversight to me 🙂
the finnieston or stobcross giant cantliever crane by cowans sheldon and co . of carlisle and cleveland bridge and engineering co . ( cantilever ) was buit in 1931 ( operating from 1932 ) .
for ( associated and adjacent ) stobcross quay ( ns 5674 6532 ) and finnieston cantilever crane ( ns 57103 65151 ) , see ns56ne 123 . 00 and ns56ne 123 . 01 respectively .
the finnieston crane has loomed over the clyde since 1932 and stands 165ft high , with a 253ft cantilever . when it was commissioned in 1926 , its owners , the clyde navigation trust christened it with the catchy moniker , clyde navigation trustees crane # 7 .
in the years since , the finnieston crane has been the subject of a great deal of speculation . while the crane itself is category a listed , there have been many attempts to ' turn it into something’ but of course , it already is something .
• the titan crane at clydebank - once towering over the john brown shipyard the crane is now a tourist attraction . picture : stephen mansfield
it is a monument to glasgow and a symbol of everything that glasgow has both lost and gained in the 20th century . if the finnieston crane never moves again , it will forever be something .
the new macron - designed ‘built for glasgow’ kit features the warriors’ standard colours of black and light blue , with a design of the famous finnieston crane on light blue panels on the side of the shirt .
the finnieston ( or stobcross ) crane is a perfect example of maritime engineering . it was built for one purpose only - to load glasgow - built railway carriages onto ships to be transported all over the world .
the crane mostly carried steam locomotives which were brought down from the railyards in springburn for export . the crane would wheecht them up and onto the waiting ships .
a spokeswoman for clydeport said :
we have had further meetings with glasgow city council regarding plans to develop the finnieston crane into a restaurant with office buildings looking on to the clyde - and the response has been positive .
it was a 130 ton steam crane built in the 1890s and a sister crane was built in the princes dock in front of govan town hall . a third heavy lift crane , called the clyde villa crane was located on plantation quay at the berth now occupied by the paddle steamer waverley ( the quay was renamed pacific quay in the past few years )
the greenock crane is the one my grandfather climbed back when he worked in the yard .
described as
a buzzing neighbourhood
, finnieston has undergone a host of changes in recent years which helped it beat london ' s bllackhorse road to the top spot .
the cantilever crane was built for the clyde navigation trust by cowans , sheldon & co of carlisle , to replace the trust ' s crane at finnieston . work on the crane , which had a lifting capacity of 175 tons ( 178 tonnes ) , was completed in 1932 . the crane was used to lift boilers and engines into new ships , and to load heavy goods such as locomotives and tanks . the domed roof in the background belongs to the south rotunda on mavisbank quay , which contained the entrances and hoists which gave access to the glasgow harbour tunnel .
the opening of the queen ' s dock and the railway spelt the end of stobcross house and finnieston . cut and built in giffnock stone , the dock transformed the area into a city service centre , legacies of which are still evident . it was filled for the scottish exhibition centre . only the finnieston crane , 1932 , by cowans sheldon , now recalls the mercantile bustle . the crane could load railway engines and tanks on to cargo ships , which is said to be one reason for its survival . otherwise the engineering works have gone .
it is a giant - cantilever crane , measuring 50 . 24metres ( 165 ft ) tall with a 77 metre ( 253 ft ) cantilever jib . it has a lifting capacity of 175 tons . it can be ascended either by a steel staircase or an electric lift . the actual finnieston crane was located a bit further upriver on the site now occupied by the city inn .
the imposing form of the finnieston crane also features in willie rodger’s 100 foot long mural for the exhibition centre rail station painted in 1988 . the kirkintillock - born printmaker works with the economical lines of lino - cut , producing bold imagery that captures the character of the city and its people .
initially called the stobcross crane ( or , to give it its much stiffer formal title , the clyde navigation trustees crane # 7 ) , the structure is a permanent reminder of glasgow’s once - mighty industrial past , but the city’s current inhabitants - especially artists - have made use of the crane’s dominance of the skyline .
a major glasgow hotel has already expressed an interest in developing the crane which is in a prime location .
in 1987 the glasgow sculptor george wylie created a memorable and poignant artwork , the straw locomotive , for the finnieston crane in 1987 . made from straw in the form of a full size locomotive , the sculpture processed slowly through the streets , then dangled from the crane for two weeks , twisting slowly in the wind , before being brought down and set ablaze , as a commemoration of this once vital industry .
there are some absolutely stunning images of the city taken from the crane at night here , by the cycleologist .
having lived directly on the clyde for a few years , i really grew to love this view . it was industrial and dramatic and the showstopper was when the waverley paddlesteammer would sail past my window on it’s way down the clyde” . the clyde has transformed completely over the past few decades and with all the shipyards more or less gone , the finnieston crane and the titan crane stand as monuments to what went before .
plans can be viewed on the council website : 15 / 02220 / dc site formerly known as 200 finnieston street , glasgow . erection of hotel with ancillary facilities , car parking and associated works .
open only seasonally from may to october each year , bungee jumps from the crane’s summit are available on limited dates .
straw locomotive was a 78ft effigy of a steam engine constructed from steel , straw and chicken wire that wyllie suspended from the landmark finnieston crane in may 1987 . it was later taken to springburn engineering works , once the heart of the glasgow locomotive industry , and set ablaze in what the artist described as a viking funeral .
the crane was commissioned in 1926 by the clyde navigation trust , the operators of the port and dock facilities in glasgow .
the opening of the queen¿s dock and the railway spelt the end of stobcross house and finnieston . cut and built in giffnock stone , the dock transformed the area into a city service centre , legacies of which are still evident . it was filled for the scottish exhibition centre ( see below ) . only the finnieston crane , 1932 , by cowans sheldon , now recalls the mercantile bustle . the craine could load railway engines and tanks on to cargo ships , which is said to be one reason for its survival . otherwise the engineering works have gone .
the clydebank crane is the only grade ‘a’ listed structure in clydebank . it is one of five titans designed for the clyde shipyards by william arrol . the crane was one of the key targets for destruction in wwii but managed to survive the blitz .
as scotland’s manufacturing sector declined in subsequent decades , so did the use of the crane . it was last operational in 1988 - the docks that housed the crane were closed much earlier , in 1969 . at the time of its construction , it was the largest hammer - head crane of its type in europe - now , it is one of only 11 cantilever cranes in existence .
a giant straw sculpture in the shape of a locomotive , designed by scottish artist george wyllie , was hung from the crane in 1987 . as a tribute to wyllie , who passed away in 2012 , a question mark was hung from the crane in tribute . lately , the crane has been a temporary pub , a musical instrument , and a vertigo - inducing platform for stunt cycling .
it’s true . you can’t have a party up the top a’ that finnieston cran but you can read this post and learn all about it . if history’s taught us one thing , it’s that learning’s much more fun than parties .
clydebank shipbuilder john brown & co ltd awarded arrol a design and build contract for the crane in december 1905 . they specified an overhead rotating cantilever with a fixed jib . sometimes called a hammerhead crane because of its shape , this type came to be much used in ship construction and for loading extremely heavy items , such as locomotives , into vessels . construction of the clydebank crane began in 1906 .
it is part of a series of events that pay homage to the life of wyllie , who died last may . the artist adopted the question mark as his trademark , reflecting his interest in questioning conventional artforms . one of his most famous artworks was the straw locomotive , a sculpture that was hung from the finnieston crane for several months in 1987 , before being taken down and burned .
commissioned in the first years of the 20th century , the crane was built in the heart of the shipbuilding hub of clydebank and finished in 1907 . a hundred years later , titan crane reopened as one of scotland’s most unique tourist attractions , acting as a lookout point over glasgow .
the titan crane on queens quay at clydebank , west of glasgow , is the oldest giant cantilever crane in the world . fewer than 60 such cranes were built worldwide , the overwhelming majority of them by sir william arrol & co — at may 2011 it was thought that only 11 were extant , four of them along the river clyde . the clydebank crane is no longer operational but has been refurbished and can be visited .
gordon , you mention that a ‘scale model’ was made of the govan titan crane . any idea where this is currently located ? i know that some equipment from the crane ( hoists etc . ) was sent to the scottish maritime museum in irvine . any information would be much appreciated !
two bulging packs of lessons have been created , one for primary and one for secondary children , with innovative ideas for teaching youngsters about the crane in every subject from using the geometry of the crane in maths , to drawing it in art and writing reports on it in english lessons .
i ' m glad they ' ve chosen the guy that runs gamba and papingo . these are very pleasant places to eat and i ' m relieved that they are going for the exclusive end of the market rather than some sort of tgi friday clone . i think , on balance , i ' m pleased at the crane being put to this new use but i hope they take care not to obliterate the crane ' s silhouette by building within the crane ' s tower and i hope that the proposed office block doesn ' t distract from the majestic isolation of the crane .
the crane passed its commissioning tests and was accepted by john browns on 24 april 1907 . despite being a major target during the war , the crane and shipyard survived the devastating clydebank blitz in march 1941 . more information on the clydeside blitz can be found at the blitz on clydeside website .
a century - old crane that has been transformed into a popular tourist attraction , the titan is one of scotland ' s most unusual engineering feats .
though derigged and no longer operational , the crane has been used for several high profile arts projects . one of the most well - known took place in 1987 , when the artist george wyllie used the crane to suspend a straw locomotive for eight weeks , before being ceremoniously burned . in 2013 , artist bill fontana captured the sounds of the crane by attaching microphones to it , turning it into a musical installation in a project commissioned by the glasgow unesco city of music project . the crane features prominently as part of a newly redeveloped riverscape , and forms part of the backdrop to bbc and stv news broadcasts .
key to its success is passing on memories , and former workers at the yard have been recruited to relate their days under the shadow of the titan crane .
“it was me , ma sister and ma da , and we wur huvin’ a party . but somehow we wur huvin’ it up the top a’ that finnieston cran . that’s whut makes me ‘hink it nevur happened ' cuz that canny be done . ” - dee dee , limmy’s show
the titan towers 150 ft over the clyde , and on a clear evening you can see the mighty cantilever crane from miles away , thanks to its nightly illuminations .
originally known as the stobcross crane , it was built for the clyde navigation trust by cowans , sheldon & co of carlisle in 1932 . the cantilever crane stands 195 feet high and has a hammerhead jib of 152 feet . it was used to transfer boilers and engines into new vessels and load heavy machinery such as railway locomotives onto freighters .
today the crane remains as a landmark , a category a listed structure , and one of the most identifiable images of glasgow . during the 1988 glasgow garden festival ( sited on the princes dock on the opposite bank of the river ) a full - size replica locomotive , made from straw by local sculptor george wyllie , was suspended from the crane .
connected to a spur of the stobcross railway , the crane ' s primary purpose was to lift massive boilers and engines onto new ships ; at the time glasgow was one of the leading shipbuilding cities in the world . with the decline of the shipbuilding industry , the crane survived with a secondary use , loading heavy machinery â€“ mainly springburn ' s then renowned locomotives â€“ for export . with the downturn in seafaring trade , use of the crane continued to decline and it fell completely into disuse in the early 1990s .
the crane ' s capacity was 175 tons . it is 175 ft high with a 152 ft jib which could make a full revolution , of 1 , 000 ft at the tip of the jib , in 3½ minutes . it was built by the carlisle firm cowans , sheldon & co . at the time it was the largest hammerhead crane in europe .
just next to a junkyard , and itself next to a listed building of the former diesel works , this crane is visible from the m8 as you approach glasgow from the west .
built in 1926 at the time it was the largest hammer - head crane anywhere in europe ( standing at 59 metres , 195 feet ) and it was always in great demand .
it also has a rather cleverly designed sloping glass wall which allows a full view of the crane from inside – no mean feat when it is almost directly below this 150ft giant .
the steel sculpture , called the big clyde question mark , weighs a ton and was hoisted into place to hang from the crane’s arm , where it will remain until next february .
advertisementnow clydeport is carrying out a feasibility study to ensure the giant cantilever crane could be successfully developed into what would be a unique dining experience with fine views over the river clyde .
the scale model of the crane you are referring to sat in the entrance foyer of sir william arrol & co . ltd where i worked for five years . . from memory it was a model of the crane built in belfast for harland & wolff . just for clarity folks none of these cranes are “titan” cranes , they are giant cantilever cranes . best regards gordon campbell
directions : from the crane continue along the riverside to the rotunda . it ' s now a straight path all the way along to the suspension brideg at the end of the walk .
in the 1980s the crane came to be regarded as a symbol of glasgow ' s industrial past . although seldom used for its original purpose , the crane is still in working order . in the past it has been used to load tanks onto ships , and could do so again , should the need arise . it is sometimes used for fundraising events such as abseiling .
connected to a spur of the stobcross railway , the crane ' s primary purpose was the lifting of heavy machinery – mainly springburn ' s then renowned steam locomotives – onto ships for export . with the decline of locomotive manufacturing and other heavy engineering in the city during the 1960s , use of the crane continued to decline and it fell completely into disuse in the early 1990s .
the fifth crane , at govan , despite also being category a listed , was demolished in 2007 . sadly , the justification was that the yard needed the space to remain economically viable , and the only option was to demolish the crane . despite the fact a scale model of it was made , i still feel its a shame that it couldn’t have been moved or otherwise retained for display elsewhere .
during construction , small sub - assemblies of the cantilever weighing just a few tons were lifted by means of hand - powered cranes and riveted in place after first fixing with temporary bolts and adjusted for alignment etc . for lifting the heavier sections of machinery , a steam powered crane was provided . the crane was initially fitted with two ' hoists ' the main one able to lift very heavy loads of up to 150tons and a 30ton ' auxiliary ' hoist to ensure that the crane remained useful for lifting lighter loads , as the very heavy lifts were comparatively few . this lifting capacity was increased to 200tons in 1938 to assist with the war effort .
the docks having long since been filled in to be replaced with the scottish exhibition and conference centre and the clyde auditorium . the north rotunda ( part of the defunct clyde harbour tunnel ) stands next to the crane .
it is a 174 ft high cantilever crane built in the 1920s , and it began operating in 1932 with the rather unornamental job of lifting railway carriages , engines and other heavy structures onto ships docked on the river clyde .
i reckon its a horrible idea . any insertion of occupiable space into the crane would destroy its integrity as an object . it would end up as quite a disneyesque object that would trivialise the industrial heritage of its origins .
little else remained of the town after the blitz – just eight houses in this town of 47 , 000 souls remained untouched – but the titan crane was undamaged , a symbol of the industry and survival which had created this community .
the steel superstructure was bolted together in sections , adjusted for alignment and then riveted . pieces of the sub - assembly and the machinery were lifted into place either by manually operated derricks or a steam - powered crane , depending upon weight .
orignally part of john brown’s yard in clydebank , this crane now has a lift and staircase erected next to it , allowing the visitor to see the town from a unique angle . the view from the top is stunning , to say the least…
in the third line of photos , you can see renowned scul ? tor george wyllie’s straw locomotive which was suspended from the crane during the 1988 garden festival . the locomotive was brought to the crane down the old route from the railworks in springburn before being taken back up the road where it was burned on the derelict site of the old hyde park works , revealing wyllie’s trademark question mark . if you’re going to plough in with some heavy handed imagery , plough in with some viking heavy handed imagery .
the titan , weighing in at more than 800 tonnes , was erected at the brown’s shipyard , the former site of which is just north of the crane ' s location . its steel frame is 49m high , with cantilever frames 45 . 7m and 27 . 4m long , rotating above a square lattice girder tower some 12m wide . the crane is founded on boulder clay on four concrete piles extending 23m below ground level . the centreline of the tower is just 10 . 7m from the edge of the quay .
the crane is an a - listed building and , while we have been told historic scotland are in principle happy with the concept , we are currently conducting a full feasibility study into the development to ensure any work carried out complies with appropriate regulations .
during 1988 garden festival a huge straw built locomotive was suspended from the crane as a nostalgic reminder . it is one of the emblems of glasgow , partly for its iconic status in the cities industrial past and partly because of the way it still dominates the skyline .
however , today ' s residents will never line the banks of the clyde to watch a ship launch from here again , as all that remains of the famous john brown ' s shipyard is the titan crane which made such giant vessels possible . since a 3m refit of the crane in 2007 , via government - owned regeneration company clydebank re - built , installed a lift , visitors have been able to visit the top in just seconds rather than the 30 minutes it took the original operators to climb the ladders to the top .
imagine the movement in the cantilever as you get out towards the end . rather him than me ! to give you an idea of the movement in the crane check out bill fontana’s silent echoes project which lets you hear every yawning creak of the structure moving in the wind .
mad , but genius mad . if they can put a table on top of battersea power station , this should be a doddle . be good to see the crane brought back to productive use . i presume it will require a lift and fit out similar to the clydebank titan .
the crane was never meant to be an object to be looked at and admired , it was there to be used . it ' s integrity would be ruined by leaving it dormant . any conversion into a useable space would have to be done incredibly sympathetically , and carefully however .
it survived the bombs of the second world war and enabled the construction of some of the world ' s most famous ships . ahead of the opening of an education centre in its honour , our reporter traces the history of clydebank shipbuilding and the structure that made it possible , the titan crane
another consideration was the height to which the crane would have to lift a load in order to clear the structure of the ship , known as the ' lifting range ' , and the distance out from the quay side a load could be taken , known as the ' radial capacity ' .
haha what a good idea . although it could end up ruining the industrial look and historic aspect of the crane in the process . it would have to be done very tastefully , minimalistic almost . . . but i ' d eat there ( if i had the money ) . . .
the crane ' s image is used extensively in the media , including by bbc scotland news programmes and for the quintessentially glaswegian crime drama taggart . it stands as a symbol to the industrial heartland that glasgow and clydeside were in the early to mid - 20th century , and of the downturn of those industries .
peter harford - cross , of the architectural firm , says :
the idea was we would have this big bank of windows looking right up at the crane and in bad weather some of the children could sit here and draw it while others had a lesson in the interactive area . it wasn ' t easy !
perhaps its a political sort of notion but i beleive that there is an integrity to it only as a crane and a certain poignancy to it sitting there disused . the very machinery of the trade that made glasgow what it is sitting there idle speaks more poetically than a base commercial reuse of a structure just because its avaiable .
created by the firm collective architecture , the glass - fronted building contains an open - plan classroom area with benches and a whiteboard area , as well as models of some of the famous vessels built using the crane as well as a display of trinkets , photographs and documents , such as letters sent by passengers from the ships themselves .
in 1988 its future was secured when it was given a - listed status , putting it on a par with edinburgh and stirling castle . that was to be a lonely future , however , as in 1999 the yard and engineering works on the 100 - acre site was sold , closed and eventually demolished . the titan then stood alone in clydebank , a survivor of the industry which had created it . it had built some of the most famous and largest sea - going vessels the world had ever seen : from the world ' s largest ship , the lusitania , to the clyde ' s biggest ship , the queen mary , warships during the second world war with their heavy artillery and the royal yacht britannia . but it wasn ' t a solitary survivor , 11 titans still exist around the world from australia to japan , and three others , including the finnieston crane up - river , still stand on the banks of the clyde .
on 19 november 1968 , above the crowds watching the qe2 launch , 150 feet ( 46 metres ) tall and motionless , stood the blue giant titan crane that had made it possible to build the iconic ship . it had stood in the same spot for decades , rising above the flames and destruction as the town burned during the bombing raids of the second world war .
there is still an arrol titan on the tyne and the one and only titan built by babcock & wilcox of renfrew for j samuel white’s shipyard at cowes on the isle of wight is still standing but not in good nick . there was an arrol designed titan at the royal australian navy base at sydney until earlier this year but it was under a demolition order and may well be gone now . it was built during ww2 to replace an arrol - built titan at the royal navy base at singapore which had been destroyed by british forces just in advance of the japanese invasion to prevent it from falling into enemy hands . another scottish - built titan still stands in the harbour at nagasaki , japan . it was built by motherwell bridge engineering for the mitsu bishi shipyard there . it was to be the marker the us air force would use to drop the atomic bomb in 1945 . however , the weather was very cloudy and they failed to find the crane as a result of which the crane survived but the bomb landed in a more residential area of nagasaki . today the crane is regarded as a sort of memorial to those who died .
however , many lamented the fact there was nothing here but the view and the memories which would soon disappear with time . in a bid to preserve the history for a new generation , an education centre , built at the bottom of the crane , will open next tuesday to ensure the tales of this giant icon of a dying trade that touched the lives of millions will live on .
totally agree , legs - great idea and good choice of folks to run the joint , but i can only hope they don ' t touch the outside of the crane anymore than they have to . . . it would be such a shame to see such beauty wasted just so people can dine about higher up than usual . . . the outside of this tower needs to be left alone !
build your own delightfully detailed 1 : 1200 scale model of glasgow’s iconic ‘finnie monster’ crane in photo - etched brass . the ingeniously intricate design features a rotating jib with a sliding trolley , complete with a hook block , just like the real thing . a great gift for the industrially minded and perfect for posting . this make - your - own kit requires no glue to assemble , just concentration and nimble fingers !
“please can i urge you to join residents and other local groups to submit an objection to the current planning application as it will completely ruin the now globally recognised glasgow skyline ! ! ! if these plans go ahead it will ruin the local , chic ethos of this eclectic up and coming area , should we allow it to become like las vegas ! ! ! ! ! but mainly the beautiful skyline of glasgow will be completely ruined . in recent years glasgow has hosted many globally recognised events and this will help generate tourism to the city as a whole . finnieston has a fantastic feel about it and there is no place for a ten story hotel there , i am sure there would be better suited locations for it . ”
i don ' t think the idea is necessarily bad - lots of industrial structures by the ruhr in germany no longer needed for their orginal purpose have been reused very sucessfully - but i ' d struggle to imagine how you could put a sufficiently large restaurant up there without siginificantly compromising the crane . i think the jules verne restaurant in the eiffel tower is meant to be very good ( food wise ) , though maybe that ' s the exception that proves the rule .
clydebank rebuilt ltd , a local urban regeneration company , acquired 4ha of the site , including the crane , in 2004 . work to restore it began the following year and was completed in july 2007 under engineer arup ' s supervision , at a cost of about £3 . 75m . the task included installing a lift tower and illuminating the structure after dark . it is open to the public between may and september , and can accommodate up to 60 people on the jib . the original operating machinery has been preserved .
far below , thousands of men and women poured out of clydebank ' s factories . foremen at the nearby singer sewing machine factory ordered workers not to leave , but in vain , as the crowds swarmed out of the doors regardless , along streets towards the river to a spot underneath the shipyard ' s giant crane . this was a moment no - one in this town wanted to miss : one still etched on the hearts and memories of those who were there – the launching of the rms queen elizabeth 2 .
for versatility , the crane was equipped with two hoists . the main one was capable of lifting 152 tonnes , and the auxilliary 30 . 5 tonnes . its operating machinery ( except the roller path ) was supplied by stothert & pitt of bath . the original lifting capacity was increased to 203 tonnes in 1938 , when world war ii navy ships , such as the battleship hms duke of york ( keel laid 1937 , launched 1940 ) , were being fitted out . though clydebank suffered in the heavy enemy bombing of march 1941 , the titan was not damaged .
these unforgettable scenes in 1968 had their roots in a decision more than 60 years earlier by shipyard owners and sheffield steelmakers john brown & co , who took the forward - thinking step to order the latest in technology : the world ' s first electrically - driven cantilever crane , from the same firm which made the forth rail bridge and london ' s tower bridge . it could be controlled by one man and lift tremendous weights of up to 150 tonnes , allowing the yard to create the biggest ships in the world , heaving the enormous steam boilers and engines the ocean - going giants needed .
however , he does have one abiding regret – that he left before he had a chance to work on the qe2 .
that was the curse of my life . it went against the grain with me that i never worked on it . a lot of people in clydebank have a love affair with that ship .
at the time of the launch he was working in the singer factory when the managers made an announcement :
they told us , ' nobody is to leave your place to watch . ' but they might as well have been talking to that crane out there . everyone just walked out and they couldn ' t sack everyone .
local author james cowan described a trip up the crane and to the far end of the jib in 1935 : ' a noticeable peculiarity of each lateral movement was that it was not continuous , but took place in gentle jerks of a few inches at a time . the object of this is to prevent the load at the end of the cables acquiring a swinging motion , which would soon render the accurate placing of any load a matter of great difficulty and danger . . . i saw the heavy machinery . . . placed in a few minutes into a space where there was hardly an inch to spare on one side or the other , all the directions during this delicate operation being conveyed to the craneman by signs , and blasts on a whistle . . . '
destroy its integrity as an object ? what the * * * * does that mean ? why not breathe life into the old beast ? let it become a functional object again in a new era . open it up to the public and people from all over the world and of all ages - then when they are there you can educate them and remind them of its great past and glasgow ' s former industrial might . most people at the moment dont bat an eyelid or think theres that big old crane . this is a positive , why just let it sit there as a dead monument to the past ? let it be alive and productive once more . there are thousands of dead cranes , statues and monuments around the world - why not do something different . i cant see this as anything but a positive .
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prince ' s dock and queen ' s dock , glasgow . oblique aerial photograph taken facing north - west .
queen ' s dock and prince ' s dock , glasgow . oblique aerial photograph taken facing north - west .
prince ' s and queen ' s docks , glasgow . oblique aerial photograph taken facing north - west . this image has been produced from a print .
one of four surviving on the clyde , the other three being : formerjohn brown shipyard , glasgow ( sir wiliam arrol and co . , 1907 , 150 tons ) ; watt dock greenock , inverclyde ( sir wiliam arrol and co . , 1917 , 150 tons ) and former barclay curle north british diesel engine works , south street , glasgow ( sir william arrol and co . , 1920 , 150 tons ) , it is one of 11 surviving worldwide .
taken from
greater glasgow : an illustrated architectural guide
, by sam small , 2008 . published by the rutland press urltoken
visited by rcahms ( agch ) 13 may 2015 , information from martin conlon 14 december 2015 .
selected writings and things . not all the entries are about old cinemas . honest .
both my grandfathers have links to shipbuilding on the clyde ; my maternal grandfather worked on the qe2 , and many other ships ; his speciality was working on propellar shafts . my paternal grandfather was a clerk in the yard at greenock . both would have been very familiar with the titan cranes that make up such an iconic part of the shipbuilding heritage of the river .
42 were built originally around the world , of which 40 were designed by willaim arrol ltd . 27 of those were in the uk , of which ( in 1988 ) 15 still existed , of which 7 were in scotland .
until quite recently , there were five titan cranes left on the clyde ; there were also two at rosyth on the east coast .
the most famous titan ; this can be seen in the background of most bbc scotland news studio reports .
the rosyth cranes appear to have been demolished around 1990 ; a great photo of one of these cranes can be seen on the rcahms website here .
there’s something about these titan cranes – their elegance as objects designed to do a job , but in the best possible way – that reminds me of the forth bridge ; in some ways , they are all practical , but at the same time , they become beautiful , and well worth fighting to make sure some remain .
old buildings fan , ex - scientist , software dev , old cinemas buff , occasional boffin & cow - wrangler . too many books , too few bookshelves .
i * think * it is part of glasgow museum’s collections now – not sure how you’d go about finding it though . can put you in touch with someone at gm if you’d like ?
old buildings fan , ex - scientist , software dev , old cinemas buff , occasional boffin & cow - wrangler . too many books , too few bookshelves . co - editor of @ scottishcinemas and works at @ archhfund
rt @ mrtimdunn : lots of chat today about # oxfordstreet not being pedestrianised . simple solution ! just follow the 1951 proposal for a bennie… 3 days ago
rt @ emilyvcole : now here ' s something i hadn ' t thought about before - the protection given to monuments during the second world war . the ' sh… 4 days ago
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> biography of hunter > more modern industrial machinery > show me other items from the 1900s > show me more in west dumbartonshire > all items by sir william arrol & co . ltd > all items by adam hunter > all items by arup
all the remaining titan cranes along the clyde are category a listed structures . two were also constructed by arrol and are each capable of lifting 152 tonnes . they can be found at james watt dock , greenock ( 1917 ) , and scotstoun , glasgow ( 1920 ) . the third was built by cowans sheldon & co ltd at stobcross quay , glasgow ( 1931 ) and has a lifting capacity of 178 tonnes . a fifth was demolished in 2007 .
as shipbuilding , and later oil rig construction , at the site dwindled , the clydebank titan became neglected . it was last used in the mid 1980s , and was designated category a in april 1989 . the shipyard closed on 31st july 2001 and was dismantled in 2002 .
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in 1955 partick camera club set out to create a photographic survey of glasgow . as the project progressed , other camera clubs joined and each was allocated a district of the city to photograph . glasgow museums exhibited the photographs at kelvingrove art gallery and museum and at the people ' s place , and in 1956 the exhibition was shown at the palace of art in bellahouston park . the photographs are now part of glasgow museums ' collections .
the legal part of the listing is the address / name of site only . all other information in the record is not statutory .
listing is the way that a building or structure of special architectural or historic interest is recognised by law through the planning ( listed buildings and conservation areas ) ( scotland ) act 1997 .
we list buildings of special architectural or historic interest using the criteria published in the historic environment scotland policy statement .
the statutory listing address is the legal part of the listing . the information in the listed building record gives an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building ( s ) . it is not a definitive historical account or a complete description of the building ( s ) . the format of the listed building record has changed over time . earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded .
listing covers both the exterior and the interior . listing can cover structures not mentioned which are part of the curtilage of the building , such as boundary walls , gates , gatepiers , ancillary buildings etc . the planning authority is responsible for advising on what is covered by the listing including the curtilage of a listed building . for information about curtilage see urltoken . since 1 october 2015 we have been able to exclude items from a listing . if part of a building is not listed , it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record . the statement will use the word ' excluding ' and quote the relevant section of the historic environment scotland act 2014 . some earlier listed building records may use the word ' excluding ' , but if the act is not quoted , the record has not been revised to reflect current legislation .
if you want to alter , extend or demolish a listed building you need to contact your planning authority to see if you need listed building consent . the planning authority is the main point of contact for all applications for listed building consent .