Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Discuss all aspects of the three towns in the Threetowners' Lounge.
chriso
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 1094
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:36 pm
Location: Ulan Bator

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by chriso »

John Donnelly wrote:Does any-one remember the closed green trucks that used to be seen coming from Ardeer?

I was always led to believe that they were transporting explosives, probably taking supplies to local mines and quarries.

At the time, as a child / youth, I never gave it a thought, but now ........

JD.
John I knew one of the drivers, and he used to take explosives up fairlie moor where they tested them.
Idiot - seeks village.
User avatar
John Donnelly
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 2955
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:31 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by John Donnelly »

Hi Morag,

melting stockings ??

Do explain.

JD.
Penny Tray
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 19110
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:46 pm

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by Penny Tray »

JD,

I was feart tae ask :lol:.
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
User avatar
morag
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 11337
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Stevenston. now in S. Cal

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by morag »

Our stockings/ tights actually broke into holes..I mean we were used to ladders and us blondes donated hair to sew up the problem, but this was large holes appearing in our stockings and made us afraid to think what lungs etc. were dealing with.
"You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."
C.S.Lewis
User avatar
morag
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 11337
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Stevenston. now in S. Cal

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by morag »

acid rain?
"You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."
C.S.Lewis
Penny Tray
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 19110
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:46 pm

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by Penny Tray »

Aye right Morag. This is a serious topic. Hame fae school wi' torn tights and blaming THE FACTORY. What dae you think Little Plum? //funny
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
User avatar
morag
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 11337
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Stevenston. now in S. Cal

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by morag »

no, really. PT,mid sixties, stockings actually dissolving on our legs..it was incredible ...and scary
"You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."
C.S.Lewis
User avatar
little plum
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3360
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:51 am

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by little plum »

Penny Tray wrote:Aye right Morag. This is a serious topic. Hame fae school wi' torn tights and blaming THE FACTORY. What dae you think Little Plum? //funny
P.T. I'm not getting drawn into this one. Not even the e. mail image you sent me could make me pass comment on oor wee Morag. :wink:

it was a common occurrence in the factory to see lassies wi meltit stoakins/tights/nylons, the image you sent me had the imagination runnin riot, a' wis too busy tryin tae clear ma face an een o' acid to get any pleasure from this event. :roll:

P.T. on a more serious note I can recall the activity down at Ardeer wharf with the factory ships and the dredger in the Garnock/Irvine river mouth. I might stand corrected on this one, I have a recollection of the Ardeer boats dumping contaminated materials in the Irish sea, not sure if it was called " the hole" or " the shelf".

J.D's. recollection of the transportation of explosives on land is spot on,they were transported in a green van/truck/lorry. While serving my apprenticeship in Ardeer, one of my training posts ( 3 months duration) was in the Garnock/Misk dinky shed. At one end of the shed, the narrow gauge railway dinkies (might have been Barclays) were serviced and repaired, the other end was more like a garage to service vehicles within Ardeer. While I was there we had a green van/truck/lorry in for a pre M.O.T. this inspection was no ordinary ministry of transport inspection at a local garage. There was a period of hyper activity and very intense inspection of the vehicle before it was presented to a government transportation official .
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off - Abe Lemons
JScobbie
New Poster
New Poster
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2023 10:05 am

Re: Ardeer factory:transport by sea of explosives etc

Post by JScobbie »

Great info. Am just making a note so I can find this thread again, and to refer forwards to a 2022 thread “Nobel Coasters from Irvine to Hamburg”. Also, I just bought a copy of the SS Lady Gertrude Cochrane postcard online, from what was originally a German website, but is now international. I wonder if the postcard is actually coming from Germany, in connection to the travels of the ship, or if it is just coincidence.

The other ships at Irvine Wharf as well as Lady G Cochrane for the 1921 census day were Gleneden, Clan McNair, Irvine, George Brown, Hydaspes (?) of R.P. Houston & co, Liverpool.
Post Reply