Abercorn Shipbuilding Yard
Location type
WorksName and dates
Abercorn Shipbuilding Yard (1838-1845)Description
This was Barr & NcNab's shipyard on the White Cart Water. Bounded by the river to the west, Newtown Quay (south), Abercorn Street (east), Niddry Street (north). To the east, over Abercorn Street was the Abercorn Foundry.
Steamers PS Pilot, PS Pioneer [I] and PS Petrel were built here for the Railway Steam Packet Company (owned by the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway).
Due to the very narrow width of the river here vessels were side launched. The site was not large, limiting vessel size. Barr & McNab operated here between 1838 (it was initially just a field adjoining the river by the foundry) and 1845 before relocating to Renfrew on land they owned outright.
Later passed through several ownerships such as Hanna & Donald, Hanna, Donald & Wilson and the Abercorn Shipbuilding Co.
Tags
Ship yard shipbuilders02/06/2022
| Nearby stations Paisley Hamilton Street Paisley Gilmour Street Paisley Abercorn Paisley East Paisley Canal Paisley Canal [1st] Paisley St James Paisley West Hawkhead Hawkhead [1st] Sandyford Halt Dykebar Potterhill Ferguslie South Renfrew | Abercorn Foundry Vulcan Foundry [Paisley] [2nd] Vulcan Works [Paisley] Carlile Quay Abbey Works Wallneuk Junction Paisley Signalling Centre Paisley Junction Greenlaw Goods Laighpark Engineering Works Paisley Mineral Depot [GSW] Underwood Viaduct Soho Engine Works [Paisley] Tourist/other Stoneybrae Twin Signal Box Paisley Abbey |
| Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. | |
Former ShipyardStand today on the Old Sneddon Street or A726 bridges and look at the east bank of the White Cart Water, the narrowness of the river and just how shallow it is. But this overgrown location is linked to many west coast locations; piers, ports, lochs and resorts; by virtue of its having been a shipyard. This was the Abercorn Shipbuilding Yard where vessels such as the PS Pioneer [I], a vessel just shy of 160ft long, was launched, floated on the rising tide on the 18th of June 1844. This well regarded vessel went on to have a distinguished career, initially for the Railway Steam Packet Company, extending the Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Railway to Clyde piers and resorts. Then with G & J Burns it served the west coast, continuing with David Hutcheson and David MacBrayne, first running from Glasgow to Ardrishaig, and later out from Oban, until retiring in 1893. |
Chronology Dates
| / /1842 | Railway Steam Packet Company Buys the PS Royal Victoria (built by Barr & MacNab at the Abercorn Shipbuilding Yard in 1838) to operate the Greenock to Helensburgh route. |
| / /1844 | Railway Steam Packet Company Two new ships delivered from the Abercorn Shipbuilding Yard of Barr & McNab: PS Pilot, PS Pioneer [I]. |
| / /1845 | Railway Steam Packet Company The new steamers met with such success that PS Petrel was ordered from the Abercorn Shipbuilding Yard of Barr & McNab. |
