ONE third of the workforce at the Railcare maintenance yard in Springburn have been told they have lost their jobs.

Staff were told were told the grim news yesterday as administrators continue their search for a buyer.

A total of 33 staff at the old 'Caley' site at St Rollox were told they were being made redundant, while another 118 jobs have gone at a sister site in Wolverton near Milton Keynes.

Administrators BDO said job cuts were now necessary.

The company is the last remaining railway firm at the St Rollox site, where once thousands were employed in the Caledonian engineering works, exporting locomotives around the world.

Local politicians Patricia Ferguson MSP and William Bain MP held talks with the administrators to offer support.

Administrators later had a meeting with UK Business Department. The 151 staff were given notice yesterday.

Kim Rayment, from BDO, said: "Regrettably it has been necessary to make a number of redundancies at Railcare's sites in Springburn, Glasgow and Wolverton, Milton Keynes.

"There are a number of interested prospective buyers, and the joint administrators are working to secure a successful future for the business with the support of customers and remaining staff."

Rail Maritime and Transport union leader Bob Crow said the names of those to be made redundant were read out at meetings.

He added: "We were told that the Business Department had intervened to stop the redundancy process, yet 150 skilled and loyal workers have been told that they are finished, despite the fact Railcare has a full order book from the end of the summer."

stewart.paterson@ eveningtimes.co.uk