I find these old Glasgow Corporation Water Works access panels rather beautiful in an industrial design sort of way. Unfortunately, they're gradually disappearing from the city's streets as older infrastructure is replaced by newer versions.
I was intrigued by this sign I spotted on Mitchell Street in Glasgow yesterday, mostly because I'd never heard of Union Court before and couldn't find it on any current map of Glasgow. Looking back at older maps, it seems Union Court was an area betwen the backs of the buildings of Mitchell Street and Union Street with access on to both of these and Argyle Street to the south.
This was around the 1870s, but gradually over time it was nibbled away as new buildings until by the 1940s it was pretty much gone. However, bits of it can still be glimpsed where a building has been demolished at the southern end of Mitchell Street and you can see through to the rears of the buildings on Union Street.
Shipbank Lane in Glasgow. Lined by the brick arches of the embankment for the 1898 City of Glasgow Union Railway Bridge across the Clyde, this entire street is blocked off. I've no idea if any of it is currently in use, but it would be a huge waste of space if it's not.
While I applaud Scottish Water for providing these new water points, it seems a major missed opportunity to create something that's not only function, but that's also beautiful and adds to the local environment where it's placed rather than just being plonked on to the streets with little thought or planning.