Best place I ever skated

I just remembered the best place I ever skated.

It was the late 70's and a gang of us from Bellshill (where I grew up) headed to Motherwell and into the storage yard of the Motherwell Bridge Works.

In the massive yard, amongst the 2-3 foot diameter tubes, there was a skater's paradise.

First up were about 6 metal full pipes - around 15 feet diameter. These were around 5 feet wide and the surface was perfectly smooth, with perfect transitions. Any drawbacks? Yup, the pipes had an overlap at the bottom which meant we'd have to create some sort of way to smooth out the bump to allow for easy skating.

Normally you'd think "okay, half an hour's work and it'll be sorted", right? Well, that would be true, however there was an alternative for us to skate.

20 feet away there were four stacks of metal half pipes! These were piles of 6 half inch thick half pipes stacked one inside each other. They were around 10-12 feet wide and around 15 feet diameter. Because they were stacked inside other half pipes, there wasn't very much flex. The surface was totally smooth with perfect transirions. The pipes were only there for about 4 weeks, presumably they were then shipped out to whatever fabrication project they were made for.

Anyone else skate these, or something similar?

yep around 9 years ago was passing through the docks and seen a steel fullpipe that was huge !! skated it for a full day the amount of surface rust was unreal , board and clothes were bright orange .. was sketchy as it was right next to the docks my mate almost lost his board in the water.

one of the best skate related memories i have

I remember that orange rust effect on my wheels and clothes too! When I headed home I looked like I'd been Tango-Ed !! Hahaha

I just remembered the best place I ever skated.

It was the late 70's and a gang of us from Bellshill (where I grew up) headed to Motherwell and into the storage yard of the Motherwell Bridge Works.

In the massive yard, amongst the 2-3 foot diameter tubes, there was a skater's paradise.

First up were about 6 metal full pipes - around 15 feet diameter. These were around 5 feet wide and the surface was perfectly smooth, with perfect transitions. Any drawbacks? Yup, the pipes had an overlap at the bottom which meant we'd have to create some sort of way to smooth out the bump to allow for easy skating.

Normally you'd think "okay, half an hour's work and it'll be sorted", right? Well, that would be true, however there was an alternative for us to skate.

20 feet away there were four stacks of metal half pipes! These were piles of 6 half inch thick half pipes stacked one inside each other. They were around 10-12 feet wide and around 15 feet diameter. Because they were stacked inside other half pipes, there wasn't very much flex. The surface was totally smooth with perfect transirions. The pipes were only there for about 4 weeks, presumably they were then shipped out to whatever fabrication project they were made for.

Anyone else skate these, or something similar?

Yeah, me! and with you more than likely,.... and Plug Mckay, Tenpole Tony, Denny and any others I cant think of.
Fuckin´rad halfpipes they were too!! wish I still had the photos. So you moved out of "Grem City" then??