Red Wheel at Southbank Marina Unveiled by the Provost and Don Martin MBE

On Wednesday 13th May, the National Transport Trust Red Wheel at Southbank Marina was formally "unveiled" by the Provost, Gillian Renwick and Don Martin MBE f the Antiquaries. The Red Wheel scheme is run by the National Transport Trust and is designed to commemorate sites of national transport heritage in the UK. The Wheel at Southbank Marina marks the northern terminus of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway, the first modern public railway in Scotland, with the Forth and Clyde Canal at Kirkintilloch Basin. The railway was opened in 1826 to enable coal, iron and other products from the mines and foundries of the Airdrie and Coatbridge area to be taken to the Canal for transport to markets elsewhere in Central Scotland and was a major step forward in the Industrial Revolution in Scotland. The first train on the line ran from Gartsherrie to Kirkintilloch in May 1826, so the bicentenary of the opening was a good time to unveil the Red Wheel.

The unveiling was attended by the Provost, Gillian Renwick, Council Leader Gordan Low, Don Martin MBE and other office bearers from the Antiquaries, John Cameron CBE, the Vice-President of the National Transport Trust and other office bearers, representatives from Scottish Canals and railway enthusiasts from the Monklands area and Kirkintilloch. Further details are available on the East Dunbartonshire Council website here. Photos of the ceremony are shown below.

Photos courtesy of East Dunbartonshire Council and Ruth Ruddock

Presentation to Don Martin at AGM

The Annual General Meeting was held in the Park Centre on Thursday 23rd April. Before the start of the AGM, Mrs Susan Murray, MP for Mid-Dunbartonshire, made a presentation to Don Martin. Mrs Murray had put down an Early Day Motion in Parliament noting the 200th anniversary of the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway and its importance as the first modern railway in Scotland, following the model of the Stockton and Darlington the previous year. In her Statement to Parliament, Mrs Murray highlighted the role of Don Martin in drawing attention to the anniversary and its importance. She presented Don with a copy of the Statement and stated that Don was a huge asset to the Kirkintilloch Community through his lifelong work spreading knowledge of the area’s history through talks and publishing numerous books. The Statement was warmly applauded by the members and greatly appreciated by Don.

The exhibition in the Auld Kirk Museum on the Monkland and Kirkintilloch and its contribution to the development of Kirkintilloch is open until 20th May, and the National Transport Trust Red Wheel at Southbank Marina will be formally unveiled by Don and the Provost on 13th May.

Photo courtesy of Ruth Ruddock

The AGM was well-attended and received reports from the President, Secretary, Research Group and Treasurer. The Society's funds are in good health and the subscription will remain at £10 for 2026-27. Dr David Graham stood down as President and was succeeded by the Vice President, Ms Louise Nixon. Dr Murray Reid became Vice President and Mr Alan Gifford took over as Secretary. Mr David Gow remains the Treasurer. There are a number of vacancies for ordinary members on the committee and anyone interested should contact one of the officers or drop an email to kdsantiquaries@gmail.com. 

The AGM was followed by a talk by Dr Murray Reid on "What lies beneath: the geology of Strathkelvin". 

Annual General Meeting, 23rd April, 7:30pm in the Park Centre

The Annual General Meeting of the Society will be held in the Park Centre, 45 Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch on Thursday 23rd April at 7:30pm. Reports from the President, Secretary, Treasurer and Research Group will be presented, the subscription for 2026-27 agreed and elections for Office Bearers held. There will be discussion on the future of Society Outings and other matters. 

The AGM will be followed by a presentation by Murray Reid on "What lies beneath: the geology of Strathkelvin". Murray is a geologist who worked in the civil engineering industry. Strathkelvin is underlain by a wide range of igneous and sedimentary rocks of Carboniferous age but, except in the Campsie Fells, they are mostly obscured by recent glacial and alluvial deposits. The strata are visible in natural outcrops and old quarries, and the traces of the extraction of coal and other minerals are visible throughout the area. These natural resources and the geographic location of the Kelvin Valley as the easiest route between the Forth and Clyde valleys have shaped the history of the area. Murray will show photos of the principal rock types and illustrate how they have shaped the history of Strathkelvin.

Please come along and participate in the AGM; the Society is there to serve its members, and the AGM is your opportunity to influence our future direction.

Looking across Kirkintilloch and the Kelvin Valley to the Campsies from a colliery spoil tip; what lies beneath these rolling fields and valleys?

Early Scottish Railway by John Yellowlees, National Transport Trust Scotland. Wednesday 18th March, 2pm, Kirkintilloch Town Hall

Our contribution to Local History Month 2026 will be a lecture in Kirkintilloch Town Hall, Union Street on Wednesday 18th March at 2pm by John Yellowlees of the National Transport Trust Scotland on "Early Scottish Railways". All of the early Scottish railways  - the 1722 Tranent to Cockenzie and Alloa wagonways, the Kilmarnock & Troon, the Edinburgh & Dalkeith, the Garnkirk & Glasgow, the Dundee & Newtyle - have their claims to fame. However, it is the Monkland & Kirkintilloch that ticks the most boxes - the first public railway in Scotland with an Act of Parliament, first successfully to use steam, even the first train-ferry. The Monklands was the cradle to much early railway activity, and the M&K would become the ancestor of present-day railway endeavour including Airdrie-Bathgate, Lumo and Russell Road-Rail.

Typical engine used in the early days of Scottish railways

Admission is free but registration in advance is required. To register, send an email to kdsantiquaries@gmail.com.

Copies of Don Martin's new book, "The Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway in the 1960s" will be on sale, price £11.95. Cash sales only.

 

The story of Lenzie Moss by Katherine Kelsey. Thursday 5th March, 7:30pm, Park Centre

Our next meeting will be on Thursday 5th March at 7:30pm in the Park Centre. Katherine Kelsey from the Friends of Lenzie Moss will give a talk on the history of Lenzie Moss and the contribution of the Friends to its conservation.

Lenzie Moss is a raised peat bog with a history that goes back 10,000 years. It is a Local Nature Reserve within the heart of our area and a place much loved by local residents and visitors alike, and the Friends are a group dedicated to conserving it for the benefit of us all.

Katherine is a long time Lenzie resident and treasurer of the group. She has been involved with the Friends over many years. Come and enjoy her presentation on this iconic local site of great ecological significance.

Members' Night: My favourite monument. Thursday 19th February at 7:30pm in the Park Centre

This year Members' Night will be on Thursday 19th February at 7:30pm in the Park Centre. The theme is "My favourite monument " and four members have volunteered to give a short talk on this topic.  They have complete freedom to interpret it in any way they fancy, so come along to support them and discover what they regard as their favourite monument, and why. Mine is shown below, but I am not one of the speakers this year. There will be time for questions after the presentations.