A short walk around the former Andrew Barclay works in Kilmarnock.
Close to Kilmarnock station was once the Caledonia Works of Andrew Barclay & Sons. The firm went back to the 1840s as general engineers noted for gas lighting, mill machinery and winding engines for collieries, venturing in to locomotive production in 1859. It became a limited company in 1892 and Andrew Barclay himself was soon ousted. The firm continued until 1972 when it was acquired by the Hunslet Engine Co of Leeds. Subsequent owners included Brush and Wabtec. Under threat of closure by Wabtec the site was purchased by Brodie Engineering who continue to use the works for train refurbishment.
The Brodie works today is a more modern building than the original works best known for it's little industrial saddle tank steam locomotives. This was built in 1990 when the works operated under the Hunslet - Barclay name. Hunslet planned on concentrating on building narrow gauge locos at its Leeds works and standard gauge locos at the Barclay works along with undertaking more work for the mainline railways. Work at Kilmarnock included chassis for the class 143 pacer units, though some of these were made in kit form in Leeds. The later Hunslet - Barclay works occupies the former railway goods yard site. More about Andrew Barclay can be found in the Wikipedia page
Below - The modern works when it was still operated by Wabtec.
Below - The Hunslet - Barclay lettering could still be seen on the side of the building.
The old map above shows the tracks crossing West Langlands Street to enter the Caledonia Works from parts of the complex on the north of the street and the connection to the main line goods yard. The buildings on the north of the street were known as the Titchfield Foundry but were also part of Andrew Barclay's.The tracks can still be seen in the road. A window is now installed in the former office building where the railway in to the works passed under the corner of the building and a wooden gate would once be opened to allow locomotives to pass.
Below - Looking in the window one of Barclay's sadddle tank locomotives has been displayed.
Below - On the roof of the office building the name of the company is still displayed.
Below - Walking along West Langlands Road much of the block of buildings on the corner of West Langlands Road and North Hamilton Street survive in other uses.
The Britannia Engineering Works on the old map above was the works of Dick Kerr and Co whose former site in Preston I also visited. This site and that of Barclay's Titchfield Foundry are now occupied by a Morrisons supermarket.
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