Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire

2025-06-16T10:04:36Z

2A00:23C7:CFAF:D201:FDF9:DDF9:5DAC:F451: /* Notable natives and residents */

{{Short description|Town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Alexandria
| country = Scotland
| region =
| static_image_name = Alexandria, Smollett Fountain - geograph.org.uk - 141466.jpg
| static_image_caption = Smollett Fountain, Alexandria
| population = {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Alexandria}}
| population_ref = ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref>{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
| os_grid_reference = NS3980
| coordinates = {{coord|55.98|-04.58|display=it|format=dms}}
| post_town = ALEXANDRIA
| postcode_area = G
| postcode_district = G83
| dial_code = 01389
| constituency_westminster = [[West Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|West Dunbartonshire]]
| gaelic_name = Alexandria
| scots_name = The Vale
| unitary_scotland = [[West Dunbartonshire]]
| constituency_scottish_parliament = [[Dumbarton (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Dumbarton]]
| shire_district =
}}

'''Alexandria''' ({{langx|sco|The Vale}},<ref name=lang>[http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/component/content/article/2999-list-of-railway-station-names.html List of railway station names in English, Scots and Gaelic] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122064223/http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/component/content/article/2999-list-of-railway-station-names.html |date=22 January 2013 }}</ref> {{langx|gd|Alexandria}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gaelicplacenames.org/databasedetails.php?id=1751|title=Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba – Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland – Database|website=gaelicplacenames.org|access-date=24 March 2017|archive-date=25 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325025749/http://gaelicplacenames.org/databasedetails.php?id=1751|url-status=dead}}</ref>) is a town in [[West Dunbartonshire]], [[Scotland]]. The town is on the [[River Leven, Dunbartonshire|River Leven]], {{convert|3|mi|km|0|spell=on|abbr=off}} north of [[Dumbarton]] and {{cvt|15|mi}} north-west of [[Glasgow]].

==Demographics==
In 2016, the estimated population of the town was 6,860. It is one of five towns in the [[Vale of Leven]], the others being [[Balloch, Dunbartonshire|Balloch]], [[Bonhill]], [[Jamestown, Dunbartonshire|Jamestown]] and [[Renton, Scotland|Renton]]; their combined population is over 20,000.

==Economy==
The town's traditional industries, most importantly [[Cotton mill|cotton manufacturing]], bleaching and printing, have been phased out. In the 1970s Alexandria was redeveloped, with a new town centre layout and traffic system. Local landmarks include Christie Park<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/leisure-parks-events/parks-and-greenspaces/parks/christie-park/|title=Christie Park|publisher=West Dunbartonshire Council|access-date=22 June 2020}}</ref> and the [[Listed buildings in Scotland|Category B]] listed Smollett Fountain in the town centre.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB1134|desc=Alexandria, Smollett Fountain with Lamp Standards|access-date=22 June 2020}}</ref> Lomond Galleries on North Main Street is a former car factory with an impressive dome and an even more impressive marble entrance hall and staircase. It was originally built in 1906 as the [[Argyll Motor Works]], for [[Argyll (car)|Argyll Motors Ltd]]. A carving above the entrance shows one of the company's cars. After the car production ceased in 1914, it was used by the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] for the manufacture of [[torpedo]]es, which were test-fired in [[Loch Long]], and in the early 1970s was the scene of the [[Plessey]] sit-in.<ref name=wdc>{{cite web |url=http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/tourism-and-visitor-attractions/museums-and-galleries/collections/industry/argyll-motor-works/ |title=Argyll Works |publisher=West Dunbartonshire Council |access-date=28 August 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130828140953/http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/tourism-and-visitor-attractions/museums-and-galleries/collections/industry/argyll-motor-works/ |archive-date=28 August 2013 |url-status = dead}}</ref> The building now hosts a shopping mall but has retained many of its striking architectural features.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.visit-lochlomond.com/content/lomond-galleries-0|title=Lomond Galleries {{!}} Visit loch lomond|website=visit-lochlomond.com|access-date=18 January 2019}}</ref>

Major employers in the area were [[Westclox]] and [[Polaroid Corporation|Polaroid]], both based in the Leven Industrial Estate; [[Aggreko]] based a major purpose-built factory in the estate from 2000 to 2010. The [[Ballantine's]] whisky distillery continues to operate in the estate.

==Transport==
[[File:The One - Bus to Glasgow in Alexandria.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Bus on Main street]]
Alexandria sits on the former [[A82 road|A82]] main road between [[Glasgow]] and [[Loch Lomond]]. There are regular bus services on the route, and the town has a [[Alexandria railway station|railway station]] on the rail line between [[Balloch railway station|Balloch]] and [[Glasgow Queen Street railway station|Glasgow Queen Street]].

Alexandria is reputed to be the only town in the UK with a railway station, carnival (periodically Codona's travelling fair sets up in the car park) and a [[public house|pub]] in the middle of a roundabout. [[A. J. Cronin|A. J. Cronin's]] uncle owned a pub in Bridge Street. Alexandria Library is located on Gilmour Street.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alexandria Library|url=http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/education-and-learning/libraries/library-branches/alexandria-library/|publisher=West Dunbartonshire Council|access-date=11 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218181856/http://www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/education-and-learning/libraries/library-branches/alexandria-library/|archive-date=18 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Sport==
The town is home to [[Vale of Leven F.C.|Vale of Leven]] football club, who play at [[Millburn Park]]. The club was a dominant force in early Scottish football history, winning the [[Scottish Cup]] in [[1876–77 Scottish Cup|1877]], [[1877–78 Scottish Cup|1878]] and [[1878–79 Scottish Cup|1879]], and were founder members of the [[Scottish Football League]].

[[Gordon Reid (tennis)|Gordon Reid]], born in Alexandria, has won the [[Wimbledon tennis|Wimbledon Tennis]] Men's Wheelchair Doubles, with his partner [[Alfie Hewett]], three times.

== ROC Bunker ==
Between 1961 and 1991, the village was the location of a [[Royal Observer Corps]] Master bunker, to be used in the event of a nuclear attack. It remains mostly intact.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alexandria ROC Post – Subterranea Britannica |url=https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/alexandria-roc-post/ |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=subbrit.org.uk}}</ref>

==Notable natives and residents==
{{see also|:Category:People from Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire}}
*[[Stuart David]], writer and musician ([[Belle and Sebastian]])
*[[Zander Diamond]], Scottish professional footballer
*[[Ian McColl|John Miller "Ian" McColl]], Scottish footballer and manager of the Scotland national team
*[[Morgan McMichaels]], Scottish-American drag queen and reality television personality
*[[Dawn O'Porter]], British writer, director and television presenter
*[[Bobby Kerr (footballer, born 1947)|Bobby Kerr]], Scottish professional footballer, captain of Sunderland A.F.C.'s 1973 FA Cup-winning team

*Malcolm Finlayson (14 June 1930 – 26 November 2014) was a Scottish football goalkeeper who won the Football League Championship and FA Cup with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{West Dunbartonshire Settlements}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in West Dunbartonshire]]
[[Category:Vale of Leven]]

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Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire