K8 telephone kiosks, nr Kilmartin Village – Bruce Martin, 1968

north side, traffic heading North

north side, traffic heading South

As promised a few months ago, I have found these wonderful examples of the very rare K8 telephone kiosk on the north side of the approach road to the Erskine Bridge in Renfrewshire; I’m fairly sure there are another two on the south side of the bridge as well. Designed by Bruce Martin in 1968, they were a rationalisation of the earlier K6 kiosk designed by Dog and Deco fave, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

Martin’s K8 was the last red cast iron telephone box ever to be constructed in the UK, and represents the final stage in the lineage of a design that has become a global icon and symbol of Britain. Pitifully few of the 11,000 boxes manufactured remain and it is an incredibly rare feature in the British landscape – the boxes were too young to be protected by English Heritage when BT began decommissioning boxes in 1984.

However, twelve known survivors have been submitted to English Heritage by the Twentieth Century Society, who are also running a campaign to find out about any other boxes they may not be aware of yet. You could also tell us here if you know of any other K8 kiosks.

Why not buy a pack splendidly good K8 tea towels like these ones, designed by the fabulous People Will Always Need Plates. All money goes to the Twentieth Century Society campaign to protect the phone boxes.

Weir Pumps Ltd, Cathcart works, 147-149 Newlands Road – (Offices and amenity block) Wylie, Shanks & Wylie – 1937

Weirs of Cathcart

Weirs of Cathcart

Weirs was founded in 1870 and moved to this site in 1886 where they manufactured pumps, boilers and other auxiliary equipment for ships. The factory began to manufacture aeroplanes in 1917 and Weir’s became the largest Clydeside producers of military aircraft. Around that time William Douglas Weir, son of the founder James Weir and former Director of the company, became Secretary of State for the RAF.

No longer the Weir Group’s headquarters, the Cathcart plant is estimated to have had up to one million square feet of factory space at one stage. It is still used for their pump manufacturing division, but is threatened by regular proposals to turn the site into residential housing – originally a greenfield site, the residential tenements around it grew up subsequently.

It is still a massive complex, and you can read more about it in the book Greater Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide by Sam Small.

You can also get some more information about the production of the Weir autogiro aircraft on the Hidden Glasgow forum and see some good pictures of the site, including aerial photos here.

K6 telephone box, UK – Sir Giles Gilbert Scott – 1935

I had a lovely trip last weekend to Glen Lyon in Perthshire, so I thought I’d strike a pose in front of this classic phone box with the oldest tree in Europe (and possibly the world), the Fortingall Yew, in the background. The tree is believed to be about 5,000 years old and Pontius Pilate was meant to have grown up in the village – you can find out more about the Fortingall Yew here. But enough about nature, back to my deco!

I know this isn’t exactly a factory, but the K6 telephone box was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who also designed Bankside Power Station and Battersea Power Station. The K6 was the most popular box he designed for the General Post Office, it followed his K2 from the 1920s – you can find out more about red phone boxes here. The Twentieth Century Society have recently launched a campaign to save the K8 designed by Bruce Martin in 1968. There are believed to be only 12 examples of the K8 left in Britain – it is my mission to try and strike a pose by one of them soon…

Carreras Cigarette Factory (now Greater London House), Mornington Crescent, London -M.E and O.H Collins with A.G Porri – 1926-8

I don't actually like cats

Back “on message”, this classic Deco factory is especially for those of you who were disgusted by my last Brutalist concrete entry!

On Hampstead Road, NW1, this was apparently the first factory in Britain to make use of pre-stressed concrete technology, the first to contain air conditioning and a dust extraction plant and the company was the first to provide full welfare services for its employees (all taken from Wikipedia, so not my words). After Carreras merged with Rothmans, and the building was sold in the 1960s the decorative facade was removed – including those bronze cats (not sphinxes). The building was restored in the late 1990s, and it houses the offices of a number of media companies.

Carreras factory from Hampstead Rd

Here is a not very good photo – you have to imagine the drunk man in his mobility chair distracting me just off camera bottom left, add to this my panicking PA, concerned we were going to miss our train from Euston, and you get the picture… – but I thought it would give you an idea of the geography of the building.

Trinity Square car park, Gateshead – Owen Luder - opened in 1969

I know, I know – neither Art Deco or a factory. But this building is such a distinctive landmark that I couldn’t not strike a pose when I was in the area. The building was made famous due to its appearance in the most wonderful film Get Carter (the 1971 version, of course).

Built as the key feature in the Trinity Square shopping complex, the square-windowed viewing room on the top floor was designed as space for a restaurant/bar, but it was never used. I have to say I love this Brutalist building, but I’ve met lots of people who hate it! The site is owned by Tesco, and I understand that planning permission is in place to demolish and replace the whole area. You can read more about the site and its current status on the Risky Buildings and The Twentieth Century Society websites.

WD & HO Wills factory, Coast Road, Newcastle upon Tyne - Cecil Hockin - 1946

Sorry it’s been so long since my last post. These piccies were taken months ago during my Christmas travels around the country – it gets dark very early and rather quickly in December and it was a really cold day, which is why they’re not quite up to scratch (and besides, I had parties to get to), but I hope that they give you a decent enough idea of the building. And we did have fun there!

The factory was designed by Cecil Hockin who was apparently an in-house Imperial Tobacco Company architect. This suggests that he may also have designed the Wills factory in Glasgow, see previous entry (- thanks to Demdoggydog for the pointer).

The factory closed in 1986 and it laid derelict until the 90s when it was converted into apartments by Wimpey. You can see some fabulous photos taken during the last few days the factory operated at Amber Online. 

You can read more about architecture in the Newcastle and Gateshead region, including the Wills building, in this rather lovely book: Newcastle and Gateshead: Architecture and Heritage

Coty perfume and cosmetics factory, Great West Road – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners – 1932

Opposite the former Firestone building, this factory was used for the manufacture of Coty soaps, lipsticks, scents and creams until 1979.  It has been under scaffolding for a while and is still getting some work done inside, I look forward to it looking rather scrummy in a few months time, hopefully.

Next door to it is a new Audi centre, which, judging by an old photo I’ve seen, used to be a very lovely towered factory for Brittol Ltd and later for Admiralty Oil – massive shame it’s gone.

Wills factory, Alexandra Parade, Glasgow – architect unknown – date 1940s?

Crikey, I am surprised – I can’t find any info on who originally designed this Glasgow landmark, or when. As you can see in the photos, it’s been recently redeveloped into a business park. Admittedly I’ve been struggling to get my paws and claws around the pages of any books, so maybe haven’t researched as hard as I could, but I’d love any more facts if you’ve got any.

I don’t even know what fags they used to make here…

Alexandra Parade, Glasgow – architect unknown – date unknown

Just along the road from the old Wills factory. Would love to know more about it if you’ve got any info!

Templeton’s Carpet Factory, Glasgow Green - William Leiper & George A Boswell (later extensions) - 1888-92 & 1928-37

Original factory wing (Leiper, 1888-92)

1936 wing, Boswell

Corner tower (Boswell, 1934)

OK, I know it isn’t all even 20th century, but this has to be one of the most stunning buildings in Glasgow. The factory was designed by William Leiper for the manufacture of Axminster carpets, and the Venetian style gothic block (top) was built between 1888 and 1892.  Behind the facade, the functional mill was designed by engineers, Messrs J B Harvey.  Part of it collapsed in 1889, killing 29 women in the adjacent weaving sheds.

Various wings were added over the years, and I’m posing in front of the two best. All the 1920s and 30s wings are designed by George Boswell. It was converted into a business centre in the 1980s.

On my trip to Templeton’s factory, I met some lovely ladies who were wondering what the chimney with the rising smoke across the green to the south was. Well, I can confirm that it is from the Allied Distillers plant in the Gorbals – I hope that helps!