The Hidden Glasgow Forums

There are cobbles underneath the tarmac on the west end of Argyle st, I saw them when they had the road dug up for roadworks. IF you look carefully you can also see the marks on the tarmac where the tramlines were.

Not bad going for a blind pilot. Well spotted, sir.

Blindpilot wrote:There are cobbles underneath the tarmac on the west end of Argyle st, I saw them when they had the road dug up for roadworks.

Ditto for St Vincent Street. They looked as good as new. Perhaps it was standard practice just to tarmac over the cobbles rather than replace them?

Josef wrote:

Blindpilot wrote:There are cobbles underneath the tarmac on the west end of Argyle st, I saw them when they had the road dug up for roadworks.

Ditto for St Vincent Street. They looked as good as new. Perhaps it was standard practice just to tarmac over the cobbles rather than replace them?

I think so, probably for two reasons: it's obviously cheaper, and probably cobbles provide a good bedding for the tarmac. I'd guess....

It makes sense just to tarmac over them, it seems like such a shame, cobbles are so much prettier. Do you think the tram lines are also still there then?

I am CERTAIN I saw an exposed one just near Kelvinhaugh st about a year ago, and there are definetly tramline-like lines on the road, like sunken bits of tarmac, does that make sense? I'll take a photo when I'm back in Glasgow.

Upmarket cobbles and kerbs in Fordneuk Street , near Bridgeton

onyirtodd wrote:Anyone seeking an example of how not to lay cobbles should visit the Claremont Street end of Royal Terrace Lane. They're up and doon like a whore's drawers and severly restrict disabled access to the rear of the buildings on Royal Terrace and Royal Crescent. Not good.

I learned the other day that the contractor who did the work claims (I know not the truth or otherwise of the claim) not to have been paid and is proposing to lift everything for resale.

Blindpilot wrote:It makes sense just to tarmac over them, it seems like such a shame, cobbles are so much prettier. Do you think the tram lines are also still there then?

I am CERTAIN I saw an exposed one just near Kelvinhaugh st about a year ago, and there are definetly tramline-like lines on the road, like sunken bits of tarmac, does that make sense? I'll take a photo when I'm back in Glasgow.

I think that most of the Tram Rails were lifted for scrap. The areas where the roads have been asphalted over are where the Setts are like Wisdom teeth - relatively small square and shiny on the top with long molar like roots that are between 12 - 18 inches in length.

Most of Glasgow's roads that had Tram Rails and Setts were asphalted over. It was only in the late 1960's and early 1970's when there was a lot of redevelopment going on that many of them were removed. The Setts were wedged together a bit like the stones on a bridges arch to form the camber in the road, so if you go through them for new drainage etc the Keystone is gone and the strength is lost and the road would settle.

I think it would be great in Glasgow City Council lifted the tarmac in some parts of town to expose the cobbles underneath. In Edinburgh this sight and feel is terrific and really adds to the place.

That idea might not be as silly as it sounds, Luco !

My memories from the late 1950's; before my family emigrated to Australia; are that many of the major thoroughfares in Glasgow that I travelled on (Argyle Street, Dumbarton Road, St Vincent's Street, Clyde Street and Hope Street around Anderston; Govan Road and Craigton Road in Govan, and even parts of Great Western Road) at that time were cobbled streets. There were probably hundreds of others too (did trams to Maryhill, Possilpark and Springburn in the early fifties tavel along cobbled roads, too ? I seem to remember they did !).

That's only parts of Glasgow that I lived in or visited but (as many pictures on this thread show) I'll bet there's lots of other areas (north, south, east and west of the City Centre) where the old cobblestones have provided a terrific base for any new road.

But, because of course, if a modern conglomerate is employed to build a new motorway, then everything old has to be dug up and replaced !

Regards,
Tombro

Luco wrote:I think it would be great in Glasgow City Council lifted the tarmac in some parts of town to expose the cobbles underneath. In Edinburgh this sight and feel is terrific and really adds to the place.

Have you ever tried to sleep with cars zipping up and down a cobbled street? We want a well designed, functional, modern city for people to work and live in, not some frozen in time chocolate box image of a bygone world for the sake of tourists. If we keep old stuff it's because it was well designed, well built and still functional for today's world. Cobble stones on public roads do not fit this bill.

cell wrote:

Luco wrote:I think it would be great in Glasgow City Council lifted the tarmac in some parts of town to expose the cobbles underneath. In Edinburgh this sight and feel is terrific and really adds to the place.

Have you ever tried to sleep with cars zipping up and down a cobbled street? We want a well designed, functional, modern city for people to work and live in, not some frozen in time chocolate box image of a bygone world for the sake of tourists. If we keep old stuff it's because it was well designed, well built and still functional for today's world. Cobble stones on public roads do not fit this bill.

They're not great for high heel wearers either.

Beautiful though they are, it's also hellish trying to ride a bike on them.

Rucola wrote:Beautiful though they are, it's also hellish trying to ride a bike on them.

Enough to put a smile on a nun's face?

onyirtodd wrote:

cell wrote:

Luco wrote:I think it would be great in Glasgow City Council lifted the tarmac in some parts of town to expose the cobbles underneath. In Edinburgh this sight and feel is terrific and really adds to the place.

Have you ever tried to sleep with cars zipping up and down a cobbled street? We want a well designed, functional, modern city for people to work and live in, not some frozen in time chocolate box image of a bygone world for the sake of tourists. If we keep old stuff it's because it was well designed, well built and still functional for today's world. Cobble stones on public roads do not fit this bill.

They're not great for high heel wearers either.

I am always terrified I'm going to get turned away from a pub on Ashton lane because of the way I've ended up stumbling up to the door even when stone cold sober.