Doncaster Works (Wabtec) to close

[XCTurbostar]

Wabtec closure: Company confirms its Doncaster site is to be shut down with 300 jobs at risk

Following the Free Press breaking news this morning about the future of Doncaster company Wabtec, its owners have confirmed the site will be shut down, putting 300 jobs at risk.

www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk

Following the Free Press breaking news this morning about the future of Doncaster company Wabtec, its owners have confirmed the site will be shut down, putting 300 jobs at risk.
A Wabtec spokesperson said: "We have made the difficult decision to enter a period of consultation with regards to the future of our Doncaster facility.
"Following a comprehensive review of the product lines and cost challenges at the Doncaster plant, our proposal is to complete our current projects, then withdraw from the vehicle maintenance market in the UK and close the site.


“A formal statutory consultation period will begin in the coming weeks, during which we will actively engage with colleagues. We are currently evaluating several options, including the potential consolidation of remaining component production at another UK location, or relocation to a nearby site.

Clearly a difficult time for the staff at large. Best wishes to everyone involved.

 

[Class15]

Wonder if this is a factor in why 465908 was given its new livery?

 

[brad465]

There was another version of the article that suggested this news was leaked publicly before a formal public announcement (the staff affected knew before this though IIRC). Apparently work based there is transferring to Derby.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Feb 2025 ==

Wonder if this is a factor in why 465908 was given its new livery?

The 465s are near the end of their life anyway, the livery will be more down to that, in the same way a 507, a 455 and various HST power cars received an original livery restoration in their final years.

 

[Meerkat]

So is that it for Doncaster having a railway works? Prime redevelopment site.....

 

[lyndhurst25]

I was rather hoping that they would be having an open day this year for Railway 200.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Wow. So many memories of that place. I hope the people find employment quickly.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Same here with the memories. I first got interested in trains after being taken to the Railex 125 open day as a kid in 1978. Also visited for the 150th anniversary open day in 2003.

Looking into it, is seems that lots of the buildings are Grade II listed, so even if it does close, it shouldn’t be getting flattened to knock up some flats, supermarket or a housing estate. Hopefully some other company can move in and provide employment. Weren’t Eastleigh and Wolverton threatened with closure but instead got taken over? Maybe there is a slim chance of a 175th celebration in 2028…

 

[Ghostbus]

Bit odd to see them citing cost pressures while entertaining the possibility of relocating remaining production to a "nearby site". But with the price of energy, materials and labour these days, even repairing much less replacing an industrial roof can be a prohibitive cost.

 

[JD2168]

End of an era with the closure of Wabtec Doncaster. One feature of going on the train through Doncaster or seeing Trains there is seeing what is currently in at Wabtec.

 

[scotraildriver]

Whilst I feel for the job losses, you have to wonder if this is the result of appalling management. What I can only speak for ScotRail, everything that has come out of Wabtec has been "poor" as a minimum. The Class 318s returned to us were a mess, the converted 321/320s were a shambles and the less said about the HST project the better. Miles behind schedule, terrible design and implementation and seriously shoddy workmanship all round makes you wonder. 10 years after the project was awarded were still trying to sort out Wabtec F-ups both in design and build.Hmmm

 

[Carntyne]

Whilst I feel for the job losses, you have to wonder if this is the result of appalling management. What I can only speak for ScotRail, everything that has come out of Wabtec has been "poor" as a minimum. The Class 318s returned to us were a mess, the converted 321/320s were a shambles and the less said about the HST project the better. Miles behind schedule, terrible design and implementation and seriously shoddy workmanship all round makes you wonder. 10 years after the project was awarded were still trying to sort out Wabtec F-ups both in design and build.Hmmm

It's totally unsurprising. Similar to Glasgow Works towards the end, the quality of the workmanship is appalling. 6 years since the HST fleet came in and it's all still falling to bits.

It's a microcosm of the industry at the moment. We've forgotten what we're here to do and why.

 

[Nym]

Bit odd to see them citing cost pressures while entertaining the possibility of relocating remaining production to a "nearby site". But with the price of energy, materials and labour these days, even repairing much less replacing an industrial roof can be a prohibitive cost.

It’s not just the roof that needs replacing, the site was designed for carriages and locomotives, working on units is challenging at best.

 

[Taunton]

It's totally unsurprising. Similar to Glasgow Works towards the end, the quality of the workmanship is appalling. 6 years since the HST fleet came in and it's all still falling to bits.

It's a microcosm of the industry at the moment. We've forgotten what we're here to do and why.

Nothing unusual in this from times past. The poor reputation of one time world leader North British by 1960 was due to zero investment, but also the good people (who commonly keep the whole show on the road) at all levels seeing the long term future, and leaving for elsewhere.

 

[Meerkat]

Looking into it, is seems that lots of the buildings are Grade II listed, so even if it does close, it shouldn’t be getting flattened to knock up some flats, supermarket or a housing estate. Hopefully some other company can move in and provide employment.

Not much of it is actually listed in floorspace terms

The water tank
The long building you can see from the platforms, but only the bit south of the footbridge not the similar block to the north.
The main engine shop - the one with the staggered plan behind the south end of the above long block (not the large block to the north of it)
The new erecting shop - the relatively small block to the west of the two biggest buildings.

So a clearance of the rest would leave a huge development site right next to the station (and more freedom to build more platforms at the station). Angela Rayner is probably already rubbing her hands!

 

[Carlisle]

Nothing unusual in this from times past. The poor reputation of one time world leader North British by 1960 was due to zero investment, but also the good people (who commonly keep the whole show on the road) at all levels seeing the long term future, and leaving for elsewhere.

You could equally be describing Ferguson Marine & the Cal Mac Ferries fiasco.

 

[6Gman]

Not much of it is actually listed in floorspace terms

The water tank
The long building you can see from the platforms, but only the bit south of the footbridge not the similar block to the north.
The main engine shop - the one with the staggered plan behind the south end of the above long block (not the large block to the north of it)
The new erecting shop - the relatively small block to the west of the two biggest buildings.

So a clearance of the rest would leave a huge development site right next to the station (and more freedom to build more platforms at the station). Angela Rayner is probably already rubbing her hands!

Controversial take incoming ...


Some years ago I was talking with the Chief Executive of a local authority which had a railway works which over the years had seen its workforce reduced, reduced and reduced. The Council was being asked to back a campaign to protect the jobs that remained. The CE pointed out that the workforce was now less than 10% of what it had been but the works still occupied 40% of the site.

In his view total closure and redevelopment would result in far more jobs than trying to hang on to what remained.

But, as he pointed out, neither he nor the councillors would dare say it publicly.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Wonder if this is a factor in why 465908 was given its new livery?

No, there will be no connection between this and the closure - South Eastern hinted on Twitter several months ago that they were going to be putting a Networker back in NSE livery.

 

[Peter0124]

The Class 318s returned to us were a mess, the converted 321/320s were a shambles

As a passenger, I don't really notice this. I would agree though that the 320/4's have some dodgy PA's sometimes, particularly 416.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Controversial take incoming ...

In his view total closure and redevelopment would result in far more jobs than trying to hang on to what remained.

But, as he pointed out, neither he nor the councillors would dare say it publicly.

I prefer controversial and honest/realistic as opposed to non-controversial and dishonest/pie in the sky !

 

[merry]

...What I can only speak for ScotRail, everything that has come out of Wabtec has been "poor" as a minimum. ... 10 years after the project was awarded were still trying to sort out Wabtec F-ups both in design and build.Hmmm

Hmm indeed, if talking about Wabtec UK or even just Doncaster.
Worth noting that globally, Wabtec Group are one of the largest rail component and service suppliers, owners of many rail brands and including Faiveley, Annax and others.
The UK Doncaster operation was AIUI initially a wagon repair centre, and expanded into passenger and traction work relatively recently. Perhaps the perceived quality limitations of that operation are part of why it is closing, with work transferred elsewhere. We can but hope...

 

[SC318250]

Have to say the 318/320 refurbs seem to be good that were done at Kilmarnock Broadies… and going back the 318 refurb where the gangways were removed at Barclays were also good. (Well seemed to be)

With Doncaster works going, leaves Kilmarnock and Wolverton, be interesting to see if Gibsons in the old Glasgow works bid for any contracts.

 

[Nym]

Have to say the 318/320 refurbs seem to be good that were done at Kilmarnock Broadies… and going back the 318 refurb where the gangways were removed at Barclays were also good. (Well seemed to be)

With Doncaster works going, leaves Kilmarnock and Wolverton, be interesting to see if Gibsons in the old Glasgow works bid for any contracts.

And...

ATC Crewe, Eastleigh, Litchurch Lane (Now doing refurbishment work), Swansea, Bristol, UKRL Loughborough, etc etc etc etc.

There are plenty of players in the "Whole Vehicle Refurbishment" world.

 

[SC318250]

Forgot about the other ones. Thanks for adding

 

[swt_passenger]

And...

ATC Crewe, Eastleigh, Litchurch Lane (Now doing refurbishment work), Swansea, Bristol, UKRL Loughborough, etc etc etc etc.

There are plenty of players in the "Whole Vehicle Refurbishment" world.

Eastleigh basically provides rentable space for others. I know most of the SWR Desiro mid life work was done by Siemens at Eastleigh, and oddly enough an earlier Southern 455 work stream was done by Wabtec using space at Eastleigh. I think there have been a few Wabtec projects that were done at Eastleigh going back 15 years or so.

 

[Nym]

For every site there is, there’s another 5 - 10 companies lining up to use day rate labour to run it.

 

[mpthomson]

Controversial take incoming ...


Some years ago I was talking with the Chief Executive of a local authority which had a railway works which over the years had seen its workforce reduced, reduced and reduced. The Council was being asked to back a campaign to protect the jobs that remained. The CE pointed out that the workforce was now less than 10% of what it had been but the works still occupied 40% of the site.

In his view total closure and redevelopment would result in far more jobs than trying to hang on to what remained.

But, as he pointed out, neither he nor the councillors would dare say it publicly.

This also applies to Doncaster airport. It would be far better for the local economy and jobs turned over to industry.

 

[DarloRich]

EDIT - removed - answered above. Sorry.