Retro Reels at Riverside – Doctor Who Connections

I forgot about this Glasgow plaque next to the Doctor Who display at the Riverside Retro Reels display.

Good job it’s easy to go back 🙂

Reminder.

Dredgers and failures at Riverside

I made the threatened revisit to Riverside, and paid a little more attention as I wandered around looking for dredgers.

I think I found all on show, although I can’t claim to be able to offer nice pics of all.

Weirdness warning

If you think your eyes are spotting oddness in some areas of these pics, I should confess I was letting the camera be ‘clever’, due to the low light in Riverside. In some cases it seemed to take multiple images in a fraction of a second, presumably combining them to create a final image – and I can see evident of multiple exposure in some areas.

The Ship Conveyor – two new finds

Down for maintenance on most of my recent visits, I thought it was working, but found the upper section was still dead. However, I was in luck, and it had stopped with its dredger visible.

The lower section was running which, ironically, made the job of taking a pic harder since the subject was moving 🙄

From the info panel:

The model, as found on the static upper conveyor:

From the info panel:

The model, as found on the moving lower conveyor (which is surprisingly harder to take pics of):

Four dredgers in the static display case

I’ve tried taking pics of the dredger models in the large static display case – this was so problematic I never forgot the effort. There should be link to that effort in the Related Posts section at the end of this post. The main issue is reflection of the museum’s lighting in the case glazing, mainly caused by the dredger models being mounted near the top of the case. Unfortunately, it seems that the passing of time has added more (see later).

I’ve caught some of these during a previous visit, and found the views just as problematic on this occasion.

I collected their info panels as well, but none seemed to be described as having worked on the River Clyde. I also hadn’t realised how dim the lighting was, as I took pics of those black info panels.

It’s a shame some of the model are mounted so high in the case.

While it’s nice to see their undersides, it’s not so good if that’s ALL you can see.

Stepping back to add the third one on the right, although a local light did its best to try to spoil the pic.

This fourth one was new (to me, because it had been all but hidden before) and, unlike the next, DID respond to processing.

I’d missed it on previous visits for good reason, its positioning relative to the model below.

Unfortunately, the location means its bucket chain is all but hidden by that lower model, and can only be seen if you’re lucky enough to spot it, and move back from the case to improve what limited view there is.

Failures all round

I’m still willing to spend silly amounts of time fettling pics if I can recover something useful from an otherwise disastrous or useless shot.

But this display case in Riverside wasn’t even worth starting on.

From the reflections of surrounding lights on the glass enclosure.

To the years of muck that appear to have been allowed to accumulate on it.

This one was a non-starter.

I tried for an individual shot of Sir Thomas Price, but it was a waste of time.

As shot on the left, tentative filtering on the right – usually a guide to what might help.

But not this time.

😩

An alternative view appeared

Later, I chanced upon an alternative viewpoint for this display, not noticed before because of where you have to stand, but will have to try some test shots to find out if it offers anything better.

There will (probably) be another post about this discovery, if only to give its location.

Riverside Walkway/Cycle Path closed and dug up

I had a slightly irritating day today, as I swung between being ticked off about NOT getting on my bike, and then being glad I didn’t, as I was supposed to get to Riverside (museum).

This started last night, as it looked like it would be a decent day.

Then I had lost all enthusiasm when presented with a cold, wet scene outside my window.

Then it all got blue sky and sunny.

Then I lost all enthusiasm again.

Then I go the bus instead, and was irritated as the blue sky and sun returned.

Then I was glad I was on the bus as the rain arrived, and never really stopped.

I thought that was my run of ups and downs done with – but there was MORE.

As I left Riverside, I happened to look towards the usual walkway and cycle path, only to find if I HAD taken that route, I would have been even MORE ticked off than I already was.

It’s currently CLOSED, and even been dug up.

And people try to tell me that just because I’m paranoid, it doesn’t mean anyone is trying to get me!

😩

I’ve no idea how far back they would have posted a diversion, but if you know this path/route, then you’ll also know that this is a single path that you need to turn off quite a way back to follow the alternate. Actually, back at the Pump House, the sandstone building/tower seen just to the right of the bright white building standing tall on the left.

I would have been EXTREMELY ticked off to have come across this today, given how cold and wet it turned after the blue sky and sunshine I might have set off in at the start.

🤯 😠 😡

Have you been caught by this Partick trail cam?

If you wander down Partick’s Ferry Road, towards the rail bridge at the end where cycle route 7 joins the path leading under the expressway and on to Riverside, then when you reach the arches where the graffiti lives, you’ll currently have been caught by a trail cam.

There may have been a board nearby explaining its presence, but when I first noticed it a few days ago the weather was wet and windy (and cold), so I wasn’t about to stop.

When I was back there a few days later, the board I hadn’t stopped to read appeared to be gone – oh well ☹

While I was there, I avoided it – unless it has a long zoom lens and hi-res sensor, as used to catch this view from a distance.

The real reason I stopped was to catch a pic of what I have come to regard as a sadly amusing, yet often found scene – since I took up a hobby involving locks.

I’m sure those who wrap up their goodies with long cable locks think all those turns make their items more secure. They make NO difference.

Obviously, securing any item value to any sort of wooden post is largely pointless – they take only seconds to saw through, also a fairly quiet job.

However, that lock can famously be defeated with no skill in less than a second.

Retro Reels at Riverside – Gremlins

Runs from Saturday 10th Jan – Sunday 29th Mar 2026

Described as a collection of replica props from the unforgettable world of 1980s cinema, that really needs expanding a little, to include TV, and the 1970s.

Gremlins, got to love them just for their origin:

Gremlins are mischievous creatures invented in the 20th century to explain technical problems in aircraft and other machinery.

Although the films developed along another theme, with cute little Gizmo exhibiting a bit of a split personality if fed after midnight, or encounters water or sunlight, they were fun.

Here we have the kitchen scene from the film.

I wonder if the person responsible for the ‘weathering’ on those kitchen units was still in that job after this. It reminds me of the fake ageing on fake antiques, where all the edges are still sharp, yet are supposed to have been caused by decades of handling and abuse of an item.

And a closer look at the gremlins.

Retro Reels at Riverside – ET

Runs from Saturday 10th Jan – Sunday 29th Mar 2026

Described as a collection of replica props from the unforgettable world of 1980s cinema, that really needs expanding a little, to include TV, and the 1970s.

ET about to ‘Phone Home’.

Almost hidden under Riverside’s ‘Rest and be Thankful’ display, I almost walked past the little guy for a SECOND time, after making a return visit just to discover just where they had hidden him, after failing to notice him during my first visit.

To make up for that, I thought he deserved a close-up.

Nice looking day at the beach

A little on the chilly and windy side on Ayr’s beach this time.

However, the wind was strong enough to be bringing all the driftwood in and dump it on the beach – there was a bigger pile just out of sight on the left, but I couldn’t include that with the pic of the pier I was taking.

Pity you can’t see wind in a pic, but it was handy that I was able to take this wide pic, rather than take a walk out to the lights at the end of the pier. I’ve done that in similar weather, and it’s definitely something you have to be in the mood for – because it gets even windier (and colder) out there!

I wish I could predict which long views would come out well, as I believe this one has.

I probably can, and just choose to wilfully ignore how rotten the lighting is as I try the same thing in dull and gloomy conditions – so the result are not so good.

😇

It’s creepy Valentine’s Day “I’m being watched” time again

Not sure if it’s real or not, but I’m sure I had the ‘Being watched’ feeling on the bus.

Looking around, spotted a pair of eyes that had popped out of a bag.

Was I being stalked?

Apparently the phrase “Little Old Lady” was applicable, and this one seemed to be infatuated with me.

💘 😇

Shock find – actual new graffiti/murals in Partick

While walking from Dumbarton Road to Riverside, I was amazed to find actual, new graffiti and murals on the arches near the river, and the railway.

This was more than a little unexpected, since previous visits had only found increasing amounts of moronic, illegible ‘word graffiti’ being plastered over the good stuff.

The wall of smily faces is now all but gone, along with almost everything that used to be on the underpass walls below the expressway.

This used to be a view with some fun graffiti and murals – now it’s just a mass of largely illegible words.

Carry on through the underpasses (nothing worth looking at there at the moment, although there used to be), and you arrive at the railway arches/supports for the track.

This was a surprise, as my last pass of those supports was almost 100% moronic word graffiti, sprayed over the existing art graffiti and murals – now, there’s a good selection of interesting material to be seen there.

An electrical box completely covered in weirdness.

Is someone in love?

Oops 😳 Didn’t notice what that said until I saw the enlargement 🥱

A bit of variety.

There’s more to come.

But I think a max of four or five pics is enough for one post, especially for me, as I have to fettle the pics, especially if there’s something I have to obscure (like mindless word graffiti).

I love the smell of fresh graffiti – Tom and Jerry’s birthday

Although it was cold and wet yesterday, I was lucky enough to find myself below the expressway underpass at Partick, heading home from Riverside.

I’d only been there the day before, but this time there was the unmistakable smell of fresh graffiti down there

Sure enough, this new piece was on the wall.

And it was right, as Tom and Jerry are 86 years old, and celebrate on February 10th.

Sadly, and I may be wrong, but I think the characters depicted are based on the modern versions of our heroes, not the originals.

That said, it has to be noted they did evolve in the early years too, and their appearance changed.

Regardless – a big Thank You to the artist.

😃

A rivalry that raised us: Celebrating 86 years of Tom and Jerry

I have to admit to being a bit of a purist, and greatly prefer the original, Academy Award wining animations, rather than the present day watered down kids’ version of our heroes.

The originals were produced for adults in cinema theatres of the 1940s, and I think can now even be found with ‘Parental Guidance’ warnings regarding their suitability for children.

The cute modern versions just don’t cut it, especially if seen on channels for ‘Younger Viewers’. I can’t watch them.

Retro Reels at Riverside – Back to the future DeLorean

Runs from Saturday 10th Jan – Sunday 29th Mar 2026

Described as a collection of replica props from the unforgettable world of 1980s cinema, that really needs expanding a little, to include TV, and the 1970s.

While it may not have saved the car, it did make it a star, and ensured the lasting fame and popularity of the DeLorean.

I think that also means we got to see how bad many of its features were, while its demise mean we never had the opportunity to see if a MK2, or development could have fixed or improved it.