HISTORIC cast iron screens in central Glasgow have been damaged by “botched” construction work.
The ornate metalwork panels at the public toilets at St Vincent Place, between Buchanan Street and George Square, have been smashed “to pieces” despite an order for them to be retained.
The ironwork previously adorned the Glasgow Cross Station, which closed down in 1964.
Contractors have been on site as part of a project to remove the toilets to “declutter” the area and open up the public space. The panels were to be retained for reuse elsewhere.
SNP councillor Ruairi Kelly shared an image of the damage on social media on Tuesday. He wrote: “Finding it difficult to express how utterly furious I am this morning. The instruction was to retain these, not smash to pieces.
“I have stopped all work this morning so that we can preserve what is left.”
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting service, he added: “I have instructed all of the iron works to be recovered and have already spoken to Glasgow City Heritage Trust about finding an organisation that can help restore the panels for future use.”
Finding it difficult to express how utterly furious I am this morning. The instruction was to retain these, not smash to pieces. I have stopped all work this morning so that we can preserve what is left pic.twitter.com/H73kF0EZrl
— Cllr Ruairi Kelly (@RuairiKelly_) September 1, 2026
Paul Sweeney, the Labour MSP for Glasgow, said: “Depressing to see the Caledonian Railway cast iron screens from the old Glasgow Cross Station damaged in this botched demolition.
"There is enough left to restore them.
“With one architectural iron foundry left in Scotland, it could help to sustain the trade.”
Advocate Jonathan Brown responded: “It appears that instructions were given to the contractor that they were to be retained. If so it should be a relatively straightforward breach of contract situation requiring the contractor to reinstate.
“There should not be any difficulty in [Glasgow City Council] insisting on like for like.”
Two weeks ago, the history-focused website Past Glasgow wrote about the cast-iron screens.
Past Glasgow said: “I'm not prone to hanging around public toilets taking photos, but here's a rare exception. These St Vincent Place cludgies are surrounded by some very special railings that once adorned Glasgow Cross Station.
“The CR monogram indicates that they were manufactured for the Caledonian Railway.”
The website added: “The surface structures are currently surrounded by fencing as they're being dismantled and the subterranean toilets bricked up. I've also seen the suggestion that the ornamental cast iron will be sold off.”
A council report in June had stated officials were “aware of strong market interest to develop the existing public toilet site at St Vincent Place for an alternative use”.
It added options were being investigated with Healthmatic Ltd, the council’s public toilet provider, to “exit this location by March 31, 2027, and make the land available for future development”.
