Drained and broken

"Too long at work" seems to be something of a refrain for this particular blipjournal.  In the end I went for a walk after finishing, musing on advice from other Pan European owners who were more blunt than I'd've liked about my bike's malaise, and which didn't much improve my mood.

While out, I came across this cover, under which I think will be some sort of valve or stop cock.  What caught my eye was the manufacturer, Cameron & Roberton of Kirkintilloch.

When I was in the town, I was in search of a forging hammer that was formerly used in Cameron & Roberton's iron works.  The facility was set up in 1861 and was originally called the Star Foundry or the Star Works, and it was bought by C&R in 1867.  They promptly renamed it the South Bank Iron Works, because it was on Southbank Road (literally, the south bank of the Forth and Clyde Canal), but it was forever called the Star Foundry.  And indeed, C&R incorporated a star logo into its products like this cover.  Judging by the catalogue I saw, they mostly made rather fine drain pipes, but clearly did some other water related things too.  In 1981 the foundry closed its doors for the last time, and the huge site gradually became flats, a police station, an early learning centre and Sainsbury's' car park.

What to do about Madame Fidra I don't know but there sure won't be any motion for the foreseeable.