Swindon Works – The Final Years

When Harry Roberts was appointed as Swindon Works Manager in the early 1970’s many feared that this may be the end of Swindon Works.  However Harry was impressed with the capacity and skills available in the works, and set about finding new work for the works to undertake.  This included building small cabin cruiser boats, overhauling Bristol Buses, and manufacture of cooling groups for Class 56 locos.  Swindon Works was awarded the contract for the refurbishment and rebuilding of the Kent Coast EMUs, as well as maintenance work on DMUs, and Class 03 and 08 diesel locos. During this time Harry also managed to increase the workforce from 2,000 to over 4,000 staff.  Swindon Works even built (under licence from Hunslet) 0-8-0 diesel hydraulic shunters for Kenya Railways.  Swindon Works finally closed in 1987 when Tarmac took over the site for redevelopment.  However some of the works buildings still remain today as part of the “Designer Outlet Village” and the Swindon Steam GWR Museum.