Caledonia Works

Location type

Works

Name and dates

Caledonia Works (1847-1990)

Served by the Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co.

Description

This was a locomotive works on the south side of West Langlands Street in Kilmarnock. The works was established by Andrew Barclay and rebuilt several times. The company was Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co.

The works began in 1847 with the acquisition of the site. The first locomotive was built in 1858 for the Portland Iron Works in nearby Hurlford. The two storey red block on West Langlands Street dates from 1906. Other older parts of the works also stand, although completely rebuilt internally, on West Langlands Street, North Hamilton Street and Park Street. An overhead crane stands as a memorial in what is now a car park.

The works was relocated to the north side of West Langlands Street (Caledonia Works [2nd]) to occupy the site of the former Kilmarnock Goods yard in 1990, when the works was awarded the contract to convert Class 155s to 153s.

The works specialised in industrial steam locomotives, fireless locomotives and ultimately diesel locomotives. Well over 2000 locomotives were built here.

Tags

Locomotive works locomotive manufacturer locomotive builder

Aliases

Barclay Works

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67

Facilities

Listing: B




Nearby stations
Kilmarnock [1st]
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock (St Marnocks)
Riccarton and Craigie
Crosshouse
Hurlford
Kilmaurs
Gatehead
Barleith Halt
Springside
Cunninghamhead
Drybridge
Dreghorn
Stewarton
Galston
Vulcan Foundry [Kilmarnock]
Britannia Engineering Works
Portland Forge
Caledonia Works [2nd]
Kilmarnock Junction
Kilmarnock Shed [1st]
Kilmarnock Power Box
Grange Signal Box [Kilmarnock]
Kilmarnock Shed [3rd]
Kilmarnock Workshops
J. Walker Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock Joint Goods
Kilmarnock Carriage Shed [2nd]
Kilmarnock Shed [2nd]
Tourist/other
Caledonia Works Level Crossing
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.


A locomotive builder's hobby


A double dormer window at the top of the oldest building, on the corner of West Langlands Street and North Hamilton Street, may be Andrew Barclay's observatory. Windows face north and south.


A minnow swallows a whale


After closure of the North British Locomotive Company in 1963 the smaller Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co company bought the goodwill and briefly altered its paperwork to read 'Andrew Barclay, Sons & Co incorporating the North British Locomotive Co'.

NBL had been in the habit of passing small orders of shunters to Barclays for years.


Chronology Dates

  /  /1990Hunslet Barclay
Caledonia Works closed and new works opened on the site of the former Kilmarnock Goods yard (used as exchange and other sidings by the works before relocation).

News items

13/06/2022Official opening of the Caledonia Works [Brodie Engineering]
20/08/2020First Arrival at Brodie Engineering's Caledonia Works [Brodie Engineering]