A GLASGOW MP has hit out at what he calls 'misleading claims' over the future of an under-threat railway works in Springburn. 

Paul Sweeney has accused the government of 'inaction' on a lifeline project to save the St Rollox railway engineering works. 

A plan to restore a rusting steam engine had been put forward as a proposal to save the ‘Caley’ rail works from closure and keep the remaining 67 jobs at the site.

The proposal would see workers taking the engine from Summerlee Heritage Museum in North Lanarkshire to as a bridge until the site is taken over and regular maintenance work restarted.

The Garratt “springbok” locomotive, which was built in Springburn 70 years ago for the South African railways, would be moved from the museum in Coatbridge and restored.

It is claimed that North Lanarkshire Council had agreed to the plan. 

READ MORE: Plan to restore rusting engine put forward as proposal to save Caley railworks

However, the Scottish Government have claimed such proposals are 'unfair' on the remaining workforce, who are expected to leave the site when it closes on July 26. 

They say the South African Locomotive is built for a different track gauge and therefore would not even be able to operate anywhere in Britain.

It is understood an engineering company is showing interest in taking over the site but not in time to save the workers’ jobs later this month. 

A Scottish Government spokesperson added: "Misinformed claims are unfair on the remaining workforce, as they may raise false expectations at an already difficult time.  

"Heritage funding could only be awarded for the refurbishment work if an open and competitive tender process took place. Any funding granted would be paid directly to Summerlee Heritage Trust who own the train, not to Gemini.

“More generally, no other business in the rail sector has expressed solid interest in the site in its current form, that is why Scottish Enterprise is doing all it can to look at the potential of repurposing the site to ensure a sustainable future.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon says Scottish Government can't step in to save the Caley

"We’re also doing everything we can to support affected workers affected through an ‘Employee Assist Programme’.

"A number of staff has already benefitted from this support and taken up employment opportunities at other rail workshops in Scotland.”

Mr Sweeney, however, dubbed the response 'pathetic'. 

He claims the Springbok refurbishment would be exempt from EU state aid rules. 

Mr Sweeney added: "There is sufficient flexibility in EU's General Block Exemption Regulations to make this project happen.

"What is clear is that rather than seeing that flexibility as an opportunity to save hundreds of skilled jobs, they are looking for excuses to sit on their hands.

READ MORE: Union says it has proposed plan that could save St Rollox Caley works in Springburn

"Citing the gauge of the wheels being the wrong size as an excuse for inaction would be laughable if this situation were not so grave. The Springbok's wheels can be adjusted from South African Cape gauge to the wider British Standard during restoration if it is intended to run it as a working steam locomotive rather than a static display. 

"The failure to recognise that possibility sums up their 'can't do' attitude. 

"The proposal has never been to turn the Caley into a steam engine workshop - this is about an innovative idea to keep the flame alive in Springburn while credible options to secure its long-term future as a railway engineering centre are explored.

"This is not a pipe dream, but it is a last throw of the dice. 

"Failure to act is a political choice and as it stands, the Scottish Government is choosing to consign 160 years of engineering excellence to history. 

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"I have written to Nicola Sturgeon asking for her to personally recognise the merits of this proposal and to urgently intervene before the hard closure of the Caley."