We're up at the Blackhill Locks on the old Monkland Canal.

Built between 1771 and 1794, the idea of famed inventor James Watt, the canal was designed to bring Lanarkshire coal to the furnaces and hearths of Glasgow.

Maintaining an adequate water supply in the canal was a problem, and later an inclined plane was built at Blackhill, in which barges were let down and hauled up floating in giant, water-filled iron caissons that ran on rails The local kids at the time christened the caissons the 'gazoonz'. You can see the steep incline they followed, right, just below the old Riddrie School.

Sadly, as the railways improved, so the canal traffic declined, with navigation rights being removed in 1952. After that, it became a favourite fishing spot and a watery playground for local kids.

Much of the old canal now lies beneath the M8 motorway which was constructed along its path in the early 1970s; the motorway was originally called "the Monkland Motorway".

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The Herald Picture Store is proud to present these images in their actual condition. We haven't manipulated these photographs and are proud of their character.

Please be aware that due to their age some images may show imperfections. This is as a result of the technology available at the time they were captured and/or scanned and saved for our records.