Seven railings
Seven railings, I hear you ask – why? Well why not? Some of us have weird obsessions. Even before lockdown I used to look for themes on my walks round Glasgow, and in April 2019 I decided to see how many different patterns of cast iron railings I could spot in the West End. Quite a lot, as it turns out, and here are seven of the best.
Linked to Becky’s Squares challenge, SevenForSeptember. I’m posting collections of seven every seven days, on the seventh day of the week. See you next Sunday!
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Such workmanship went into those railings. If I lived somewhere that had interesting stuff like that I would have dozens of photos as well! The extra 7’s hiding are icing on the cake.
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They are certainly very fine!
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Hard to find stuff this well made now.
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To be honest they are very nice 🙂.
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Thanks, they are!
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What intricate designs of these case iron railings!
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They are – much more interesting than today’s fences.
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These are great, I particularly like the one with the bird.
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Thanks, that’s an unusual one – I haven’t seen it anywhere else.
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Those are gorgeous! Makes me think I need some in my yard, or outside my house.
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We replaced a wooden fence at the back of our house last year – maybe we should have been more adventurous!
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Hi Anabel – the Partickhill ones are attractive – but also the others … very inventive theme .. looking forward to more anon … Margaret’s comment is ‘good’ … cussed – excellent word and aren’t we all at times … cheers Hilary
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Thanks Hilary – but cussed, moi? Speak for yourself 😄😉!
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On occasions I can be awkward and a pain … might have a frothy this pm … but c’est la vie … moi can be cussed! Sadly …. Cheers H
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Surely not! Ok, I admit – I can be too.
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Ha ha … ‘great people’ think alike … cheers H
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I love these! Quite creative minds behind them, I think.
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Yes, the iron works clearly had talented designers.
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There certainly seems to be elaborate railings in Glasgow! X
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Definitely!
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How fun! And, a walk with a purpose. The last design is my favorite. With or without the lights! 🙂
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It’s quite intricate, that one – I like them all!
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I do like a nice set of fancy railings, love the first ones and the Partick ones look quite ornate.
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They are fabulous, aren’t they?
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Those are wonderful railings, Anabel. What a fun thing to observe and count! ❤
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I had lapsed, but writing this post is prompting me to look for more patterns!
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Reminds me of New York and I always visualised us living in an apartment with grand steps with decorative wrought iron. We got the apartment, just not the historic wrought iron. I do like a person with weird obsessions 😉
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Well, I might have a few more! Glasgow has posed as New York in several films.
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I didn’t know that and I can see why it would.
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It has also been San Francisco and Philadelphia!
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Hilarious. Might have something to do with historical places being in abundance.
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And a grid road system with hills and, as you’ve noted, tenements which can double for brownstones.
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The designs used for wrought iron are so beautiful and elegant. Here it is often seen on old hotels on their top floor verandas and also on garden gates. Your collection is lovely.
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Thanks, I was surprised when I started looking how many designs there were.
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I have noticed the habit of putting a little gilding on cast iron railings these days. Delusions of grandeur or just a nice touch?
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Just a nice touch I think! It makes them pop out.
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Such beautiful artistry. I need to start paying more attention to railings when I’m out and about.
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It’s amazing what you find!
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What beautiful railings! They remind me of the fancy ones we’ve seen in New Orleans in the French Quarter.
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It’s so long since I’ve been to New Orleans that I can’t remember – but it does sound right!
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A brilliant idea to collect all these different cast iron railing patterns. Love all of them.
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They are very attractive, aren’t they? Even the triffid has its charm.
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You have a very observant eye. Excellent railings.
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Ah well, I do believe it was you who gave me the idea for themed walls in the first place!
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Proof that if you take the time for a closer look you’ll see things other people won’t notice, such as the variety in these railings 🙂 I love the little bird – well spotted!
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Thanks – I know, there were whole catalogues of these to choose from at one time. I have more examples but either they weren’t as pretty or they didn’t look right square. Most are fairly similar, but the bird one is very unusual. I’ve not seen it anywhere else.
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These are exactly the kind of pictures I enjoy taking – a real treat!
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Thanks – and possibly a little familiar to you from visiting your son?
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Absolutely 🙂
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I was also wondering how they managed to avoid the WW2 railing cull!. Nice, though 🙂
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I expect the West End of Glasgow would always find a way!
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Can’t beat a good obsession, Anabel, and my son-in-law would love these. He has a forge but makes much smaller items xx
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Interesting! But yes, these railings were mass produced on an industrial scale. Quite a few foundries in Glasgow at the time.
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Did I miss your post yesterday? Having enormous trouble keeping up!
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No, I’m just posting every seven days so this is only my second squares!
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Oh, good! X
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Not at all strange. I find myself photographing railings – usually for the patterns, sometimes for the shadows they form. I think your triffid is rather lovely – some kind of daisy-like flower.
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Maybe! A row of them definitely looked sinister though. I haven’t yet come across this design elsewhere.
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I would recognise those as Glasgow railings which are different from Edinburgh ones. Hoping we can get across next year.
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Yes, two quite different cities in every way!
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well aren’t these fabulous, and so glad you have been out finding them all. Although like you I am a bit worried about the triffid. The TV adaptation of that terrified me
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oh and I meant to say I love your bit of seVendipity
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It looked even more scary before squaring when there was a whole row of them! And yes, the seVendipity was a bit of luck which I didn’t notice until loading the photo into WordPress.
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yikes!
and love it 😀
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Not weird at all. I’m still sad that so many railings were uprooted – unnecessarily as it turned out – at the beginning of WWII. Many of the remainder are works of art in their own right. As you so ably demonstrate.
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Indeed, one set of railings that didn’t make the cut has a plaque proudly proclaiming that residents got together in the 1990s to replicate the ones removed in WW2. It just wasn’t quite pretty enough!
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What a shame. But good on them!
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I suspect most of the rest are original and that Westenders were not the types to comply readily to these kind of requests!
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Well indeed. It often pays to be cussed.
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