Transport by water

Canals provided a cheap way of transporting bulky or heavy raw materials, although after the railways came they struggled to compete. The Forth and Clyde Canal opened in 1790, allowing ships to sail from coast to coast and to dock in Glasgow. It stimulated the growth of heavy industry in the Falkirk area. This shows a barge on the Forth and Clyde Canal being drawn by a pair of horses. The barge is laden with logs. A horse could pull a load of 50 tonnes on the canal, but only 2 tonnes on a good road.

The Passenger Steamer S.S. Highlander sailed regularly between Aberdeen and Newcastle/ Hull. Even eighty years after the introduction of rail travel between the cities concerned, there was still demand for passenger travel by sea as well as for the transport of cargo.

This steam-powered ferry was built at Alloa in 1905. It had no turntable, requiring drivers to manoeuvre carefully during loading and unloading. It ran from South Alloa to North Alloa.
The lowest road bridge over the River Forth at this time was at Stirling. There was another car ferry between South and North Queensferry. The South Alloa ferry was replaced by the road bridge at Kincardine in 1936.

Travel over land: At this time, cars were owned mainly by the well-off and certain occupations like doctors, businessmen and commercial travellers. Most local travel was by walking, bicycle, bus or tramcar and the train and bus were used for longer journeys.

Buses operated on local journeys from about 1900. They were soon cheap enough for ordinary people. In 1930 the speed limit on buses was raised to 30 mph. Drivers now had to be over 21 years old and pass a test.The bus has electric lights, pneumatic tyres and a folding door. The windscreen slopes in, a popular style of the time. The body comes fully forward only at the driver's side, a style that continued into the 1960s.David Lawson's company operated from Kirkintilloch It was acquired by SMT in 1936 but continued under its own name until 1961.

Trams became common in the late 19th century. Falkirk's tramway was built in 1905 and trams ran both ways round a circular route from Falkirk through Bainsford, Stenhousemuir, Larbert and Camelon. In 1935 it was bought by a bus company and closed the following year.This 'Pullman' was one of ten trams introduced in 1929-30. They replaced the open-top double-deck original stock. They were completely enclosed with electric heating and seating for 30 with red upholstered (rather than wooden) seats.

Railways were important for longer journeys and for transporting freight.St Enoch was built as part of the Glasgow District Subway Co's circular cable-worked underground system, opened in 1896. The Subway Company was taken over by Glasgow Corporation in 1923. The system was electrified in 1935.This shows the surface building from the south-east, seen from the elevated carriageway in front of St Enoch Railway Station. The entrance to the underground platform is at the right-hand end of the building, under the awning.

The transport infrastructure of Scotland is highly dependent on its bridges.The Kincardine Bridge was opened in 1936. Until the building of the Forth Road Bridge, it provided the last crossing of the estuary before it widens. It is of a swing bridge design to allow the passage of ships and boats further up the Firth of Forth towards Stirling.

Private car ownership was very restricted before World War II.This is a view of a large four-door hard-topped car with running board and fold down steps. The box on the running board probably held the battery. The uniformed chauffeur is wearing skipped cap, double-breasted jacket, leather gloves and boots.The Willys-Knight was a luxury car, manufactured in the United States. This one was owned by the manager of the Scottish General Omnibus Company.

Air travel was still unusual at this time.

The Scottish Flying Club was formed in 1927. As well as training pilots and providing private flying facilities, it encouraged public interest in flying by running air shows at Renfrew Aerodrome.This Airspeed Ferry airliner was filmed at the Scottish Flying Club pageant at Renfrew in 1933. It was used to take members of the public on sightseeing flights around the local area.The Airspeed Ferry was built for short-range pleasure flying at the National Aviation Day displays. Two more were later built for John Sword of Midland & Scottish Air Ferries for use as passenger airliners and operated from 1933 to 1934. It had 10 seats, 3 engines and a top speed of 112 mph.