Basic Site Details Name: | Foamslag factory, Amulree Street | Town, district or village: | Tollcross | City or county: | Glasgow | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | The Tollcross precasting factory was the centrepiece of the Corporation's attempt to devise its own heavy precast-concrete prefabrication system employing 'foamslag' (steelworks waste) as aggregate. The concrete panels were to be large, storey-height slabs, for the casting of which a factory and mobile cranes would be necessary. The factory was a steel-framed structure, mostly on one storey, with concrete floor, 'Everite' corrugated asbestos cladding and low-pitched roof. It was arranged around two parallel linear flows from east to west, each beginning at an unloading bay and cement store, and proceeding through a mould filling bay (with flanking aggregate bin, and upper-floor section for mixing and pouring), curing ovens, and stacking floor to the outgoing loading bay. Cost of factory, £80,600. | Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | Tollcross precasting factory | | |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Factory | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | Amulree Street | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1945 | | Build/construction | | | 1947 * | | Opened | Plant cost £90,000 | | 1950 | | Alteration/conversion | Factory converted to production of small-scale precase components such as lintels and sills | | 13 June 1952 * | | | Closure - designed to produce 2,000 houses per year, but reached 1,120 houses over five years. Failure partly attributed to switch to multi-storey construction, which relies less on foam slag. £71,000 written off with closure, with premises to be disposed '... to best advantage.' | | 1981 | | Destruction/demolition | Site demolished and redeveloped with private housing |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
PeopleDesign and Construction
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | ed. Nicola Hamilton | 1981 | From Spitfire to Microchip: studies in the history of design from 1945 | | London: Design Council | p59 | | Glasgow Corporation Housing Department | 1947 | Report on Foamslag Construction and the Foamslag Factory | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 13 June 1952 | | | p900 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Strathclyde Regional Archives | Glasgow Dean of Guild | GCA DG 1944/156 | |
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