Weir Pumps Ltd, Cathcart works, 147-149 Newlands Road – (Offices and amenity block) Wylie, Shanks & Wylie – 1937
Weirs was founded in 1870 and moved to this site in 1886 where they manufactured pumps, boilers and other auxiliary equipment for ships. The factory began to manufacture aeroplanes in 1917 and Weir’s became the largest Clydeside producers of military aircraft. Around that time William Douglas Weir, son of the founder James Weir and former Director of the company, became Secretary of State for the RAF.
No longer the Weir Group’s headquarters, the Cathcart plant is estimated to have had up to one million square feet of factory space at one stage. It is still used for their pump manufacturing division, but is threatened by regular proposals to turn the site into residential housing – originally a greenfield site, the residential tenements around it grew up subsequently.
It is still a massive complex, and you can read more about it in the book Greater Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide
You can also get some more information about the production of the Weir autogiro aircraft on the Hidden Glasgow forum and see some good pictures of the site, including aerial photos here.
Wondered if anyone knows the whereabouts of a David Anderson who worked in Weirs as a draughsman around 1956 think he lived in Moss road govan any information would be appreciated