Springburn Virtual Museum

Railway industry

Caledonian Railway smiths, St Rollox works, 1898

This picture shows some of the many men who would have been involved in the building of the famous 'Dunalastair' class locomotives at St Rollox.

The Caledonian Railway Company built the St Rollox works in 1853 for the repair and maintenance of their engines and rolling stock. The site, occupying 15 acres, was near to the Glasgow and Garnkirk railway line which terminated at Charles Tennant's chemical works. The works produced its first new locomotive in 1854.

At the 1923 Railway Act, the Caledonian Railway was regrouped into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and the building of locomotives ceased five years later. St Rollox reverted to repair and maintenance thereafter. The works became part of British Railways in 1948 and was from 1970 was run by BR's subsidiary engineering companies.

Source: Glasgow City Archives