The Straw Locomotive
The Straw Locomotive
The Straw Locomotive
The Straw Locomotive
The Straw Locomotive

© George Wyllie Estate. Image credit: The George Wyllie Estate

How you can use this image

This image can be used for non-commercial research or private study purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).

Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.

The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.

Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.

Notes

Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.

The 'Straw Locomotive' of 1987 symbolised Glasgow at its energetic best during an era when 18,000 locomotives were exported to 43 countries worldwide. Funded by TSWA–3D for site-specific artworks, it was the first of Wyllie’s ambitious street theatres. Built full-scale, with a steel frame chassis covered with wire mesh and stuffed with straw, it was driven through Glasgow on the back of a low-loader before being suspended from the Finnieston crane where it was suspended for six weeks waiting for a ship that never came.

It had a huge emotional impact on the crowd, many of whom remembered the original locomotives, and it was commented that: 'It’s easier to get straw in Glasgow than to get a locomotive'. Afterwards, to the sound of a piped lament, it was ceremoniously set alight, marking the death of the city’s heavy industry.

The Wyllieum

Edinburgh

Title

The Straw Locomotive

Date

1987

Medium

straw & steel

Measurements

H 12200 x W 400 x D 400 cm (E)

Accession number

gw2112

Work type

Sculpture

Tags

This artwork does not have any tags yet. You can help by tagging artworks on Tagger.

The Wyllieum

Edinburgh, Edinburgh Scotland

This venue is open to the public. Not all artworks are on display. If you want to see a particular artwork, please contact the venue.
View venue