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:

• The workshops were built in 1901 by the Glasgow and South Western Railway specifically for the repair of carriages and wagons.

• Covering an impressive area of 22 acres, these workshops played a crucial role in maintaining railway rolling stock.

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