Editing River Clyde (section)

=== Shipbuilding and marine engineering ===
[[File:Glasgow Shipyard- Shipbuilding in Wartime, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK, 1944 D20847.jpg|thumbnail|A Glasgow shipyard in 1944]]
The completion of the dredging was well-timed, because the channel finally became navigable all the way from Greenock to Glasgow just when the steelwork industry had begun to grow in the city.   Shipbuilding replaced trade as the major activity on the river, and shipbuilding companies started rapidly establishing themselves there.  The Clyde soon gained a reputation for being the best location for shipbuilding in the [[British Empire]], and grew to become the world's pre-eminent shipbuilding centre. The term ''Clydebuilt'' became an industry symbol of high quality, and the river's shipyards were given contracts to build prestigious ocean-going liners, as well as warships. The [[RMS Queen Mary|''Queen Mary'']] and, in later years, the ''[[Queen Elizabeth 2]]'' were built in the town of [[Clydebank]].

Between 1712, when the [[Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company|Scott family's]] shipyard was built at Greenock, and the present day, over 25,000 ships have been built on the River Clyde, its firth, and its [[tributary|tributaries]], the [[River Kelvin]] and the [[River Cart]], by many boatyards, including those at [[Maryhill]] and [[Kirkintilloch]] on the [[Forth & Clyde Canal]], and [[Blackhill, Glasgow|Blackhill]] on the [[Monkland Canal]]. Over the same time period, it is estimated that more than 300 firms have engaged in shipbuilding on Clydeside, although probably at most 30 to 40 firms were operating at any given time.

The shipbuilding firms became household names on Clydeside, and even around the world to some extent. These included, among many others, [[John Brown & Company]] of Clydebank, [[William Denny and Brothers|Denny]] of Dumbarton, Scott of Greenock, [[Lithgows]] of Port Glasgow, Simon and [[Lobnitz]] of Renfrew, [[Alexander Stephen & Sons]] of Linthouse, [[Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company|Fairfield]] of Govan, [[A. & J. Inglis|Inglis]] of Pointhouse, [[Barclay Curle]] of Whiteinch, [[Charles Connell and Company|Connell]] and [[Yarrow Shipbuilders|Yarrow]] of Scotstoun. Almost as famous were the engineering firms that supplied the machinery needed to drive these vessels, including the boilers, pumps, and steering gear, including [[Rankin & Blackmore]], Hastie's and [[John G. Kincaid & Company|Kincaid]]'s of Greenock, Rowan's of Finnieston, [[Weir Group|Weir's]] of Cathcart, Howden's of Tradeston, and [[Doosan Babcock|Babcock & Wilcox]] of Renfrew.

One shipyard that was known as a 'Clyde' shipyard was not actually located on any of the Clyde's waterways: [[Alley & MacLellan]]'s Sentinel Works in Jessie Street at [[Polmadie]] is around half a mile distant from the Clyde. It is said to have constructed over 500 vessels, many of which were assembled and then 'knocked down' to kit form for despatch to a remote location, such as [[MV Chauncy Maples|''Chauncy Maples'']]. Clyde shipbuilding reached its peak in the years just before World War I: It is estimated that, in the year 1913 alone, over 370 ships were completed.