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Where We All Grew Up


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So when you were born I was only about 200yds. away across the railway in Greenbank Drive. Wonder what I was doing that night? Do you remember the wee swing park on Langcraigs Drive? There used to be some old building there-- it might have been part of the dye works-- and we all got real excited when they knocked it down and opened the swings. Archie lived at 45 Langcraigs Drive just up the road so we spent a lot of time there. Do you remember him living there? He didn't move away until 1967 when he signed for Preston. That swing park must have been almost outside your back door.

I actually think Glenburn is more upmarket in some ways nowadays but it was a great place to grow up. I still have a walk round when I'm over and on Paddy's day last year I bloody near knackered myself walking up the Braes. I could have sworn the tenements were still there that day. I was damn near too buggered to go to Hampden. What a mistake that would have been.

Rick, I'm 57. Swing Park backed onto our drying green so it was over the fence and in. Great fun in there on many a day. Used to take pot shots at the old dye works building with my air rifle ohmy.png My bad....Don't remember Archie much but new he was a big deal. When I was a teenager Cowboy McCormick boxing.gif lived round the corner in Bardrain Road.....ended up working beside him Offshore in 1980..

Fishing was my passion for a good few years,when I lived in Glenburn, the two Linns, the Reservoir up past the Rocks (St.Mirren Angling Club thumbup2.gif it was then.) Stanely Dam,Neilston burn which I would pick up way over the Braes and follow it till the pieces ran oot....Cheap as well, just maggots and hooks from Pitchers in Moss Street that were any cost.

Not that I am hankering for a return to my youth but can you buy a Tardis on E-Bay.....If I get one I'll give you a shout.Three and in .....Me ,You and Archie lol.gif

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Rick, I'm 57. Swing Park backed onto our drying green so it was over the fence and in. Great fun in there on many a day. Used to take pot shots at the old dye works building with my air rifle ohmy.png My bad....Don't remember Archie much but new he was a big deal. When I was a teenager Cowboy McCormick boxing.gif lived round the corner in Bardrain Road.....ended up working beside him Offshore in 1980..

Fishing was my passion for a good few years,when I lived in Glenburn, the two Linns, the Reservoir up past the Rocks (St.Mirren Angling Club thumbup2.gif it was then.) Stanely Dam,Neilston burn which I would pick up way over the Braes and follow it till the pieces ran oot....Cheap as well, just maggots and hooks from Pitchers in Moss Street that were any cost.

Not that I am hankering for a return to my youth but can you buy a Tardis on E-Bay.....If I get one I'll give you a shout.Three and in .....Me ,You and Archie lol.gif

Anybody remember seeing the 'gun siege' on the news at Pitchers sports ?

Some guy broke in and police surrounded the place and it was on the news as the guy was firing a rifle from the first floor I think ?

Oh and can't wait for the draw in the cup :P

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Rick, I'm 57. Swing Park backed onto our drying green so it was over the fence and in. Great fun in there on many a day. Used to take pot shots at the old dye works building with my air rifle ohmy.png My bad....Don't remember Archie much but new he was a big deal. When I was a teenager Cowboy McCormick boxing.gif lived round the corner in Bardrain Road.....ended up working beside him Offshore in 1980..

Fishing was my passion for a good few years,when I lived in Glenburn, the two Linns, the Reservoir up past the Rocks (St.Mirren Angling Club thumbup2.gif it was then.) Stanely Dam,Neilston burn which I would pick up way over the Braes and follow it till the pieces ran oot....Cheap as well, just maggots and hooks from Pitchers in Moss Street that were any cost.

Not that I am hankering for a return to my youth but can you buy a Tardis on E-Bay.....If I get one I'll give you a shout.Three and in .....Me ,You and Archie lol.gif

Oh yes. in some ways i wish I could turn the clock back. I didn't know that Cowboy ever lived In Bardrain road. I know I posted on here before that my Dad was quite friendly with him but that was because they both worked in Roots. A friend of mine, Hugh McCutcheon lived in Bardrain and he and one of his pals who's name I've forgotten both drowned on the same day swimming up in the big dam right up on the top of the Braes. Was it called Glennifer dam? Did the Neilston Burn run the length of the Neilston Pad? We would walk that regularly in summer and it was amazing how big a fish we could guddle in the burn. Nothing like your three pounder but a surprising size from what was no more than a big burn. In some ways it was a magical place to live but I suppose we all look back so very fondly on where we grew up. Even Shull on his bloody Borrheid!

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Living next to Stanely Dam me and the mates used to go swimming there on hot summer day's. When thinking about it now how dangerous was that !

Living next to Stanely Dam me and the mates used to go swimming there on hot summer day's. When thinking about it now how dangerous was that !

One of my class mates drowned in there swimming to bird island

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Oh yes. in some ways i wish I could turn the clock back. I didn't know that Cowboy ever lived In Bardrain road. I know I posted on here before that my Dad was quite friendly with him but that was because they both worked in Roots. A friend of mine, Hugh McCutcheon lived in Bardrain and he and one of his pals who's name I've forgotten both drowned on the same day swimming up in the big dam right up on the top of the Braes. Was it called Glennifer dam? Did the Neilston Burn run the length of the Neilston Pad? We would walk that regularly in summer and it was amazing how big a fish we could guddle in the burn. Nothing like your three pounder but a surprising size from what was no more than a big burn. In some ways it was a magical place to live but I suppose we all look back so very fondly on where we grew up. Even Shull on his bloody Borrheid!

The one you mean is off to the left as you approach Paisley Golf Club.A reservoir we all calledThe Ressy for us locals.I swam in that one a good few times.

The Neilston Burn had some surprisngly good fish in it,always enjoyed fishing that with the wee fibre glass rod.....didnae need much line mind you !!!!

When you followed it for a while you could branch off to Harelaw Dam,bordering Fereneze Golf Club. That dam was stocked with Rainbow Trout ,maybe that's why they took more of a huff if they caught you there.Got chased out of there a few times.

I am due home tomorrow Rick, I will dig out an old photo I have of a fish (and me, although I will be the one wearing the Brown jumper) caught back in '72 I think.

Back when I was a non- baldy....

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Living next to Stanely Dam me and the mates used to go swimming there on hot summer day's. When thinking about it now how dangerous was that !

Ian, have you any idea of how big and just how many big Pike were in that Dam ??? shock1.gifshock1.gifshock1.gif

In fishing parlance, the place was Absolutely Hoachin'...... There were big Perch in there as well.....jaggy backed buggers so they were.

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Living next to Stanely Dam me and the mates used to go swimming there on hot summer day's. When thinking about it now h

I lived in Norway a few years back and it stuck me how different their attitude to swimming in dams and lakes was. There it was normal and encouraged here its positively frowned on and actively discouraged.

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Ian, have you any idea of how big and just how many big Pike were in that Dam ??? shock1.gifshock1.gifshock1.gif

In fishing parlance, the place was Absolutely Hoachin'...... There were big Perch in there as well.....jaggy backed buggers so they were.

One of my favourite pike stories arose when a close pal of mine went fishing for the first time ever at Lochwinnoch. He was about twelve at the time. With his very first cast he hooked a pike and the violence of the tugging on the line frightened the crap out of him so much that he ran like hell. Luckily he didn't let go of the rod so the pike ended up about a hundred yards inside a field when Andy finally stopped! That was Andy Schoffield a good Bud who tragically left us far too early at the age of 50. The pike was about six pounds, a good fish-- but covered in mud.

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I lived in Norway a few years back and it stuck me how different their attitude to swimming in dams and lakes was. There it was normal and encouraged here its positively frowned on and actively discouraged.

I've wondered about that too. I've often heard the deaths here came about from swimming in shallow water then swimming over much deeper water which was a lot colder and can cause instant cramp. Thing is though, surely the water in Norwegian Fjords and dams would be even colder and it doesn't seem to be a problem there.

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I quit fishing at the age of 9.

Got a hook stuck in my thumb , while at the Barrhead dams.

Had to go to R.A.I. to get it cut out.

Never again.

Still get scary flashbacks while devouring a fish supper.

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