British Steel announced in late December 1984 that the plant would shut down by the end of March 1985.
And despite a fierce battle by workers and locals to save the site, taking the fight all the way to Westminster, the campaign was lost.
But many still believe the loss of the steelworks and all those jobs four decades ago tore a hole through the Garnock Valley communities.
For some families, generations had worked there. Many were forced to leave the area to seek employment elsewhere – if they could.
(Image: Canmore) The blast furnace of the Glengarnock Iron Works was opened in 1841, owned by Merry & Cunninghame, then by David Colville & Sons. Much of the buildings on the site dated back to those days.
But 1951 saw the company taken into public ownership, under the direction of the Labour government of Clement Attlee, as part of the Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain.
Colville’s was subsequently returned to private ownership by the Conservative government of Anthony Eden just four years later. But soon Glengarnock became overshadowed by Colville’s new Ravenscraig steelworks which opened in 1957.
Its fortunes were somewhat revived when it was renationalised as part of the British Steel Corporation in 1967. Soon, the iron and steel produced in the Valley was exported globally, putting Glengarnock on the international map.
But by the 1980s, with Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister, a shadow fell over the steel industry. Plants began to close, and Glengarnock was one of the first to fall.
After the closure was announced, local politicians and union members led the fight to save the steelworks.
MPs David Lambie, left, and John Corrie (Image: Contributed) In January 1985, Cunninghame South Labour MP David Lambie challenged his fellow Ayrshire MP and Scots Secretary George Younger in Parliament to do all he could to retain the plant.
He told him: “I appeal to the Secretary of State to meet the chairman of the British Steel Corporation again to discuss the case for retention.
“It will be supported at a meeting tomorrow with his the Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Eastwood (Mr Stewart), by the steel workers’ acting committee and councillors from Strathclyde and the regional council. It will show that Glengarnock steelworks can be viable, competitive and profitable if given a chance.”
The Conservative MP for Cunninghame North, John Corrie, added: “If my right hon. friend meets the chairman of the British Steel Corporation again, will he point out that it will cost more to close the works than to keep them open?
“If the British Steel Corporation is determined to close these works and get rid of Glengarnock, will he suggest that they should be kept open to give a private buyer a chance to see whether the first class workforce can keep its jobs?”
The Scottish Secretary responded: “The decision to close, which I greatly regret, is one entirely to be made as an operational matter by the British Steel Corporation. There is no doubt about the commitment of the workforce.”
A few months later, the steelworks was closed – to be followed by Ravenscraig seven years later.
Lochshore ParkToday, much of the old Glengarnock Steelworks forms the beautiful Lochshore Park, transformed into a parkland destination by North Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise.
Recently, a new Visitor and Community Hub has opened to encourage a wide range of outdoor activity across the site.
New leisure routes around the loch have opened up and there will be significant habitat improvements and tree planting, as well as new play facilities and a heritage trail.
What are your memories of the old steelworks? Let us know in the comments below.