Dundee - City of Discovery

 
The Discovery Centre at Discovery Point - formerly Craig Pier and the northern terminal of the Tay Ferries - "the Fifies" - PHOTO Malcolm McCrow
Approaches to Dundee Airport taken about 1978 not long after the new tarmac runway replaced the grass strip.  The white building bottom right is HMS CAMPERDOWN - Tay Division Royal Naval Reserve.  Tayside House dominates the waterfront and RSS DISCOVERY has yet to be moved to its berth at Craig Pier next to the old Olympia.  The goods sheds of both Dundee Tay Bridge and Dundee West are still to be demolished and there is a considerable amount of rolling stock in the railway yards - PHOTO Leo Nichols
Built in the long defunct Dundee's Panmure Shipbuilding Yard, the Royal Research Ship DISCOVERY (left) at Discovery Point. The Frigate UNICORN (right) in Dundee's Victoria Dock surrounded by retail units in the former sheds, an hotel (centre foreground) and new residential accommodation.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
A Cessna 152 (above) on base leg for Dundee's Runway 28 parallels the Tay Bridge with the piers of the ill-fated first bridge which collapsed on 28 December 1879 clearly visible.  A late running sleeper train (right) is about to leave the Tay Bridge and make its steep decent into Dundee Train Station.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
As at October 2007 the toll plaza is still in operation, but charges on the Tay Road Bridge are scheduled to disappear by 2008.  Extensive redevelopment in the former docks area has swept away HMS CAMPERDOWN, the building which was occupied by Tay Division, Royal Naval Reserve.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Riverside Drive showing Tay Bridge station with its platforms built below road level.  The railways yards and goods depots have been swept away and new buildings have sprung up on the waterfront forcing the road inland.  The walkway leading from Greenmarket to Magdalene Green is clearly visible in the photo on the right.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Dock Street has been totally transformed in recent years, with a retail park encroaching well into the grounds of the former Dundee Corporation (later Tayside Bus) depot:  the Customs House remains, but the gas works have disappeared except for the gas holder.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
DISCOVERY was acquired by Dundee on long term loan - hence City of DISCOVERY.  DISCOVERY  - "pride of the Panmure Yard" - was built in Dundee.    PHOTOs  Malcolm McCrow
". . . Old Ship come home to stay . . ." (Lowland Folk)  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Before DISCOVERY, the Tay Ferries operated from the site then known as Craig Pier.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow 1963

Modern waterfront  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

In the 70s the ss UGANDA was a regular, if not frequent, visitor to the River Tay.  Originally operated with the ss KENYA between London and East Africa via Suez, she had been converted to accommodate school pupils in RN-like messdecks.  But the fare-paying passengers had roomy cabins and access to the original lounges and first class dining room.  Several school cruises originated and/or terminated at Dundee.  PHOTO Malcolm McCrow

Mercury and Mayo composite - the epic record-breaking 1930s flight to South Africa originated at Dundee.  The flying boat was used to launch the sea-plane in the air in order to conserve the seaplane's fuel.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Something seems to be missing . . . ?   Malcolm McCrow

Spires . . . . . . towers viewed from Riverside Drive         PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Edinburgh and Glasgow lines viewed from Tesco's Car Park New lamp - March 2005  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Riverside Drive  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

A sight which is scheduled to disappear by 2009 with the demolition of Dundee City Council's Tayside House (left).    Observation mast on Marine Parade    (right) PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

The Frigate UNICORN, formerly HMS UNICORN which was the one time headquarters of Tay Division Royal Naval Reserve.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

UNICORN did not always boast a figurehead. It had to move berth before the Tay Road Bridge was built . The photograph above right, and the following two below show UNICORN being towed out.  PHOTOs (left) Malcolm McCrow (right) Scott W Gault

Changing places.  PHOTOs Scott W Gault

An RAF Whirlwind flies over HMS UNICORN as it is towed to its berth in Victoria Dock prior to the construction of the Tay Road Bridge -  Photograph courtesy and © D.C.Thomson & Co.,Ltd reproduced with kind permission

Tanks . . .  Flats . . .  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Victoria Dock, Apex Hotel and Tayside House (above).  By 2010 the disused dockside cranes had been demolished  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Camperdown Dock                                             

 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

City Quay 

Victoria Dock                                              PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Sheds and Tracks

PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Dundee Law (above) and Maxwelltown (right) viewed from the port

PHOTOs  Malcolm McCrow

Dundee Harbour by night  

City Quay, February 2006  - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Restoration work has begun on the roof of  the Frigate UNICORN (left).  City Quay, February 2006  (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

NORTH CARR light vessel (left) and the Apex Hotel (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

NORTH CARR and RRS DISCOVERY - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Foggy Day on the Tay
Signs of the times Tay Bridge Fog Warning                             PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Abandoned Customs House City Quay and Apex Hotel                          PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Apex Hotel                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Apex Hotel and Tayside House Frigate UNICORN and harbour flats.            PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

NORTH CARR Lightship awaiting preservation - W R Stewart's hackleworks (left) awaiting redevelopment in 2006 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

City Quay shops and Oasis Cafe                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Hilton Hotel SEAWAY DISCOVERY support vessel - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Fife - nowhere to be seen                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Tay Road Bridge Memorial                                                                PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Camouflaged to be seen Reflections on Che Gevara                          PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Lennon's reflections                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
The real thing . . . . Dundee Perth & London Shipping Company   PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Entrance to Tayside House - Dundee City Council Headquarters Grand designs?                                         PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Tayside House from Dock Street (left) and from Marine Parade (right)                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Tayside House and Caird Hall, the latter apparently built to resemble a jute mill.                                                         PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Flumes at Olympia                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
RSS DISCOVERY from Olympia                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Dundee built, Falklands registered                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Dundee Railway station - originally Dundee Tay Bridge.  The East and West stations have long since gone.                  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Discovering the City of Discovery                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Penguins on Riverside Drive                                                                 PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Old school . . . new houses.  Glebelands Primary School                                    Camperdown Junction                PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
The Changing Waterfront  
September 2007  
RSS DISCOVERY (above left) in its dedicated berth at Dundee, contrasts with the Koninklijke Marine's L801 HNLMS JOHAN DE WITT  (above right) which visited Dundee during the weekend of September 22-23, 2007.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

TSS DUNCAN, appropriately  in Camperdown Street, (above left) is Dundee Sea Cadet Corps' Headquarters at Camperdown Dock. SCC Cadets sailing in Camperdown Dock (right) overshadowed by the mass of the Royal Netherlands Navy's  JOHAN DE WITT berthed in the Tay.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Marine Parade with fashionable flats leading up to Victoria Dock. PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Marine Parade - an old crane has been retained as a reminder, perhaps, to a once thriving dockside.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Not all the flats are new builds - the ones above leading down to the waterfront once formed part of an industrial complex.  PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
While Victoria Dock looks much the same, new office blocks have been constructed west of Discovery Point and separate the walkway from the busy Riverside Drive. PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Looking west (above) and east (right) from Compass House in Riverside Drive, west of Discovery Point. PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Compass House reflexions - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Hard to believe that this building has been carefully demolished and moved from the foot of East Whale Lane and re-built at a cleared site at the top of East Whale Lane.  Unfortunately this splendid bookstore closed in 2009 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Dock Street, 2007 (left).  Wishart Arch (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Wishart Arch (left).  Many old mills are being converted into flats.  - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Dundee - Dock Street and Ferry Road  

Classic LNER style foot bridge (left) over the Dundee and Arbroath Joint line which was operated by both the LNER and LMS prior to nationalization in 1948.  Looking north up Market Street (right) with the site of the former slaughter house on the east side of the road  - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Gas tank (left) and oil tanks (right) in Dock Street seen from the foorbridge above - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

NYNAS refinery - originally William Briggs - (left).  Unsightly scrap heap with redundant dock cranes in the background (right) - PHOTOs - Malcolm McCrow
Flats behind Camperdown Dock (left).  Tay Road Bridge (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Ferry Road - north side - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Terraces to the north of Ferry Road - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

Ferry Road Post Office (left).  Semi-derelict Halley's mill (right) - Malcolm McCrow
Melville Lane (left) runs from the eastern boundary of the former Dundee Gasworks.  Melville Lane Steps (right) leading to Ferry Road - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Ferry Road - Going Up (left)                                                                            Ferry Road - Going Down (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Peep O' Day Lane (left) and Wallace Street (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Former Dundee Corporation Transport bus depot with modern flats south of the Dundee-Arbroath-Aberdeen railway line (left). The all but cleared site of the former Dundee Corporation Gasworks (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Dock Street leading to Ferry Road (left).  Old jute mill buildings awaiting renovation (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
South Victoria Dock Road in May 2010 - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
West Victoria Dock Road and site of former Tay Division Royal Naval Reserve (HMS CAMPERDOWN) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
West Victoria Dock Road (left);  City Quay (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Tay Road Bridge (left); one of the Northern Lighthouse Board vessels departing Dundee, summer 2010 (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Marine Parade - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Cyprian registered tanker NORDBAY of Limassol at Dundee - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
New residences between South Victoria Dock Road and Marine Parade - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Flats and retail outlets at Victoria Dock - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Newly built housing forms the backdrop to the NORTH CARR lightship preserved in Victoria Dock - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
Memorial to Submariners (left);  Victoria Dock (right) - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow
The Frigate UNICORN, Victoria Dock, Dundee - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

 

Recreation on and over the Tay - PHOTOs Malcolm McCrow

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