I must apologise for posting so many photo’s of this Old Harbour in the village of Bowling, West Dunbartonshire Scotland, but it holds so many memories of the shipbuilding days that belonged here along this stretch of the River Clyde. Bowling Harbour dates back to around 1835 when a Dyke was created topped with a timber wharf and sitting 8ft above the high water mark of the River Clyde to create a Berthage for Clyde Steamers during the winter months. Today unfortunately it tells a different story as over the years the un dredged harbour has become mud ridden and now a home to unused vessels which lie partially submerged and in a decaying state. Though this to the passing Photographer is a boon with a tide change every 12 hour’s and creating an echoing of industrious times gone bye.

Shipbuilding at Bowling began around 1800 when McGill brothers established a yard at the Forth and Clyde Canal basin.By the late 1840’s the McGill’s joined forces with James Scott to form Scott & McGill, which became Scott and Sons in 1851. Between 1851 and 1979 Scott’s built in excess of 450 vessels. Shipbuilding at Scott’s ended in 1979 and this slipway and jetty is really all that remains of the original yard