Alexandria
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 Smollett Fountain, Alexandria | |
  Alexandria Location withinWest Dunbartonshire | |
| Population | 6,710 (2022)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NS3980 |
| Council area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ALEXANDRIA |
| Postcode district | G83 |
| Dialling code | 01389 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
| 55°59′N4°35′W / 55.98°N 04.58°W /55.98; -04.58 | |
Alexandria (Scots:The Vale,[2]Scottish Gaelic:Alexandria[3]) is a town inWest Dunbartonshire,Scotland. The town is on theRiver Leven, three miles (five kilometres) north ofDumbarton and 15 mi (24 km) north-west ofGlasgow.
In 2016, the estimated population of the town was 6,860. It is one of five towns in theVale of Leven, the others beingBalloch,Bonhill,Jamestown andRenton; their combined population is over 20,000.
The town's traditional industries, most importantlycotton 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[4] and theCategory B listed Smollett Fountain in the town centre.[5] 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 theArgyll Motor Works, forArgyll 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 theAdmiralty for the manufacture oftorpedoes, which were test-fired inLoch Long, and in the early 1970s was the scene of thePlessey sit-in.[6] The building now hosts a shopping mall but has retained many of its striking architectural features.[7]
Major employers in the area wereWestclox andPolaroid, both based in the Leven Industrial Estate;Aggreko based a major purpose-built factory in the estate from 2000 to 2010. TheBallantine's whisky distillery continues to operate in the estate.
Alexandria sits on the formerA82 main road betweenGlasgow andLoch Lomond. There are regular bus services on the route, and the town has arailway station on the rail line betweenBalloch andGlasgow 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 apub in the middle of a roundabout.A. J. Cronin's uncle owned a pub in Bridge Street. Alexandria Library is located on Gilmour Street.[8]
The town is home toVale of Leven football club, who play atMillburn Park. The club was a dominant force in early Scottish football history, winning theScottish Cup in1877,1878 and1879, and were founder members of theScottish Football League.
Gordon Reid, born in Alexandria, has won theWimbledon Tennis Men's Wheelchair Doubles, with his partnerAlfie Hewett, three times.
Between 1961 and 1991, the village was the location of aRoyal Observer Corps Master bunker, to be used in the event of a nuclear attack. It remains mostly intact.[9]
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