Rail workers rally as historic yard closes

Workers at the historic St Rollox railway yard in Glasgow were piped out as it closed for the final day of operations.

Union members then rallied at the gates of "The Caley".

Gemini Rail Services announced its intention to close Springburn rail depot in December last year and repeated attempts to save the site have failed.

A gradual closure will see the depot completely shut by next year, however ceased at the St Rollox site on today.

The Springburn depot carries out service, maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrades on much of ScotRail's fleet - but work is now being transferred to England.

Local MP Paul Sweeney's described that as an act of "industrial vandalism".

RMT is calling for widespread "political and public support" on the final day of operations.

Unite the union are holding a rally at the main gate after a piper lead the workforce out for the last time.

Les Ashton has worked there for 40 years and says it's been a strange atmosphere in the lastfew days:

"It's sad, but there are there are the usual jokers, life goes on. I wouldn't have expected anything less from this group of people. They're top drawer.

"While there will be a great deal of sadness, there's also a pride in what we've achieved over the many years we've worked here."

Pat McIlvogue's from Unite the Union says the workers at Caley have been let down by the Scottish Government:

"They have sacrificed the jobs in Springburn - it's unacceptable, it's a betrayal of the workers, it's a betrayal of Scotland.

"Our workers will be piped out with their heads held high and with pride in the work that they have done at that depot for decades.

"Unite has pressed the Scottish Government for an intervention. The site in Springburn, at a twenty million pound turnover, makes a gross four million pound profit; there's work in the Scottish railways for that site to do.

"The complete irony in this is that there's a skills shortage in the sector".

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