Dixon’s Dynamite Magazine Store

1980’s Dixons Magazine Store by G Cook

About halfway up Sydes Brae, before you reach Auchentibber, on the right hand side, sits in a field, a hidden little brick and stone building. Easily missed, it sits in a dip in the field, quite hidden and inconspicuous. It was situated as such for a very good reason. This was Dixon Collieries Dynamite Magazine Store!

Built of brick and stone with a vaulted roof, the building had no windows and just one entrance in and out. The entrance was of course fortified with visible evidence of considerable blast doors still there today.

Dating likely back to the early 1880’s the store most probably served Dixons 2 and 3 pits in High Blantyre, which were not a great distance away. The building must have been well built, not just to withstand any accident, but to prevent ingress from thieves and the elements.

Gordon Cook sent me the photo above taken in the early 1980’s. His other photos, more modern show how nature is slowly reclaiming the building back. The inside photo dates from 2011 and was captured by Jim Brown. The store is still there today and worth a little visit next time you’re in the vicinity.

2011 Inside Dixons Store. By J Brown

2005 Dixons Magazine Vaulted roof by G Cook

2005 Dixons Store entranceway. Fortified to keep intruders out. By G Cook

2005 Dixon’s Magazine Store by G Cook

2005 Dixon’s Magazine Store entrance. By G Cook