Wabtec’s Works in Doncaster, known simply as “The Plant”, is to close. Tim Bentley, Group Managing Director UK and Regional Vice President announced the news to all staff this morning.
The closure will result in the loss of around 400 specialist railway engineering jobs. The plant opened in 1853 and has been central to British railway history, being the birthplace of icons such as the Flying Scotsman locomotive in 1923.
Wabtec has confirmed that it will enter a formal consultation period on the facility’s future. The company plans to complete current projects and withdraw from the UK vehicle maintenance market.
Options such as consolidating component production at another country’s location or relocating to a nearby site are being evaluated.
The closure marks the end of an era for Doncaster, a town with a deep railway heritage. Although the plant is only a shadow of its former glory, its closure represents a significant loss for the British railway industry and the local community.
