Springburn is a large area in Glasgow's north side. It is bounded to the east by Robroyston, to the south by Royston, to the west by Possilpark and to the north by the East Dunbartonshire town of Bishopbriggs. Springburn includes Barmulloch, Sighthill, Balornock and Red Road.
Springburn was formerly a strong working-class neighbourhood supported by the Rail industry with the North British Railway Co., St Rollox Railyards and Cowlairs all located in the area. Springburn produced almost half of the worlds locomotives by the 1950s and some are still working today in places like South Africa and China. Housing prior to the war was almost entirely 4 storey Victorian tenements that made Springburn one of the highest density communities in Europe. There were a also a few detached villas located near Springburn park.
After the war was over, Springburn was earmarked for comprehensive redevelopment as the tenements were ill-maintained and many still had outdoor toilets. By 1980 Springburn was completely unrecognisable from the close-knit community that once stood there. Almost all of the tenements had been demolished, the rail yards had all closed (with the exception of St Rollox which was reduced to a shadow of it's former self) and the people lost to New Towns and housing estates. In their place was:
- Four 18 storey tower blocks at Fernbank
- Four 26 storey tower blocks at Balgrayhill
- Ten 20 storey tower blocks at Sighthill (demolished)
- Two 26 storey tower blocks built at 250 Edgefauld Road and 15 Croftbank Street
- Six 31 storey tower blocks and two 28 storey slab blocks built at Red Road (demolished)
- A vast maisonette scheme was built at Fernhill
- A housing estate built on farmland at Barmulloch
- More housing was built in Balornock
Today, Springburn is still recovering from it's reinvention. Unemployment is extremely high and 40% live in poverty. It is recognised as one of the most deprived areas in western Europe.