It is with deep regret that I report the passing of Lachie McLean from Duntocher.

Big Lachie was a stalwart of the old Pine Trees darts team and often visited Dalmuir to play in the Clydebank and District darts league.

Everyone liked the big man and I remember the warm welcomes we received in the Mountblow Bar, the old Ace of Clubs, the Learags and the Park Bar.

He will be sorely missed and fondly remembered. I hope all who knew him will raise a glass to his memory. Cheers mate.

There is a big anchor sculpture near the Dalmuir Library, installed as part of the upgrade to the area around the square.

I smiled when I heard someone comment that they could see no reason why an anchor would be placed here in Dalmuir.

They obviously never heard of the Beardmore Naval Shipyard and Engineering Works.

The site was massive and employed up to 13,000 people from 1900 until the 1930s.

They produced naval ships, aircraft, steam locomotives, submarines and car engines on an epic scale.

The site later became home to the Royal Ordnance Factory and then Babcock and Wilcox, building tanks and cranes until its closure in 1969.

The shipbreaking yard Arnott Young also operated at the location of the HCI Park until the 1980s and Post Office cable ships used the large cable depot at the old East yard.

Our esteemed local artist, Tom McKendrick, produced an excellent depiction of HMS Ramilles and this is prominently displayed next to the canal at Beardmore Street.

The industrial history of this area is astonishing and our connection with the River Clyde and its famous ships is well documented.

So next time you hear anyone question Dalmuir’s association with a big anchor just refer them to the library behind it.

Where is our local industry today? There are plenty of small firms beavering away, servicing the local and wider economy, but there are precious few large businesses around.

Aggreko and Chivas in Dumbarton are good employers but here in Clydebank all we have is Asda, the council and the Golden Jubilee Hospital. We don’t make things any more.

It really makes me mad when I hear about skills shortages. We should be training young people for these jobs and getting them into high quality employment. Kids leaving school are really up against it.

You can’t just walk out the school gates and into the factory gates like we used to.

You will see the occasional boat on the river and it’s quite peaceful now but if you listen closely you can still hear the Song of the Clyde.