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  • Barassie Works, also known as Barassie Wagon Works, has a fascinating history rooted in railway maintenance and repair. Let’s explore its past:

  • Origins and Purpose:

  • Transition and Focus:

  • After the amalgamation of various railways in 1923, it was decided to transfer all carriage repairs to St. Rollox and retain Barassie as a main factory for wagon repairs in the Northern Division. This change-over occurred in 1929.

  • During wartime, the Paint Shop was repurposed as an Aircraft Repair Depot. Spitfires were even repaired here, and a runway was constructed to allow the repaired aircraft to depart immediately. Barassie Works closed around 1972. However, a portion of the site remained open as the Barassie PW Depot.  

  • The staff employed at Barassie Works (1945) consisted of 492 males and 65 females, totaling 557 individuals

  • Wagon Repair Process:

  • The workshops handled repairs to various types of wagons, including:

  • Standard Open Goods and Mineral Wagons

  • Standard and Non-Standard Covered Goods Wagons

  • Non-Standard Open Goods and Mineral Wagons

  • The Repair Process involved progressive stages:

  • Removal of floor and examination.

  • Stripping top frame (and roof for Covered Stock).

  • Stripping underframe.

  • Re-assembly of underframe.

  • Replacing the floor.

  • Re-assembly of top frame (and roof covering for Covered Stock).

  • Lift for attention to wheels and axleboxes.

  • Circular saws were used to convert recovered timber from wagons into re-usable items.

  • Completed wagons pass through spray painting sections 1.

  • Other Sections:

  • Goods Brakevans and Special Class Stock were handled in the Special Wagon Shop.

  • The Sawmill converted second-hand and scrap timber for re-use.

  • The Machine Shop dealt with axlebox machining, bolt and nut work, and axle box bearing whitemetalling.

  • Wheel lathes and a journal grinding machine are part of the activities in the Machine Shop 1.

  • The legacy of Barassie Works lives on, connecting the past with the present in the intricate tapestry of railway history

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