MY final Wednesday Extra pictorial page of 2023 carried images showing the pollution once caused by coal fires.

Steam trains were another source of pollution.

Belching smoke, the steam train featured today is seen crossing Port Glasgow’s former Devol Viaduct, popularly known as the Nine Arches.

The line ran from Greenock’s Princes Pier and passed through Kilmacolm on its way to St Enoch Station, Glasgow.

Retired teacher Joe Gurney has written several highly informative local history books including one titled Greenock Princes Pier.

Joe believes the viaduct image may date to 1963 when the line was reduced to a single track and it shows one of around 20 special trains carrying participants returning from a huge Orange rally in Battery Park that year.

The trains had taken passengers to Princes Pier Station from where they marched to the park.

Devol Viaduct was demolished in 1970.

My other image dates to 1987 and shows a United Molasses train at the James Watt Dock.

Greenock Telegraph:

It was taken by the late Robin Wilson, who was a former Greenock Telegraph driver. Robin had a great knowledge of Greenock’s sugar industry and the ships which brought molasses and raw sugar to the town.

United Molasses closed its Greenock operation in 2005.