Clydebank

Clydebank: Titan Crane

Clydebank, industrial town, West Dunbartonshire council area, historic county of Dunbartonshire, west-central Scotland. It lies on the northern bank of the River Clyde northwest of Glasgow. The town thrived during the 19th and early 20th centuries as a shipbuilding and heavy engineering centre. It suffered heavily from German bombing during World War II, and the collapse of its shipbuilding and other heavy industries in the decades after the war caused economic hardship. A partial economic revival began toward the end of the 20th century. The shipyard responsible for the great Cunard liners, culminating with the Queen Elizabeth II (1967), transitioned to manufacturing offshore oil-drilling rigs and related equipment before operations ceased completely in 2001. The Titan Crane, a remnant of the town’s shipbuilding history, is now a distinctive tourist attraction. Clydebank is also home to a prominent hospital. Pop. (2001) 27,750; (2011) 26,740.