BRUSH works to close

[Dan Griffin]

Very sad news emerging tonight, the historic BRUSH works at Loughborough is to close. although the closure is only at ‘consultation’ stage. 
 

 

[Dan Griffin]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-56851006.amp

['CHARD]

Saw this earlier.  Very sad times, but possibly inevitable.  

[Philip Jackson]

Sad times. 

[Mike Storey]

Very sad, but given they have three other UK sites, pretty obvious really. There is no longer enough work to sustain all that acreage. I suspect that many of the employees will be offered jobs at Doncaster, where there appears to be an abundance of orders for refurbs.

[BrushVeteran]

Another part of this Country's fine heritage at risk. All that knowledge and experience that has come out of those buildings eh,..... irreplaceable!  Another case of asset stripping I think and our government just lets that happen whilst we buy replacements from abroad..........I don't understand the logic.

 

I'm sure the employees will get looked after but what about the historic buildings..................this was Loughborough. Perhaps as an epitaph to the workforce old and new the old buildings could be turned into a heritage centre that was originally planned at Leicester North. Even better a skills centre where perhaps a few ex. employees could impart their knowledge into our up and coming youngsters so that this country can build trains again and perhaps compete in the world for future business.

 

I doubt if anyone will listen so I'll dismount from my four legged friend and carry on dreaming!  So sad.

[kevinlms]

6 hours ago, BrushVeteran said:

Another part of this Country's fine heritage at risk. All that knowledge and experience that has come out of those buildings eh,..... irreplaceable!  Another case of asset stripping I think and our government just lets that happen whilst we buy replacements from abroad..........I don't understand the logic.

 

I'm sure the employees will get looked after but what about the historic buildings..................this was Loughborough. Perhaps as an epitaph to the workforce old and new the old buildings could be turned into a heritage centre that was originally planned at Leicester North. Even better a skills centre where perhaps a few ex. employees could impart their knowledge into our up and coming youngsters so that this country can build trains again and perhaps compete in the world for future business.

 

I doubt if anyone will listen so I'll dismount from my four legged friend and carry on dreaming!  So sad.

Not just trains, Australia no longer makes cars!

[Mike Bellamy]

8 hours ago, Mike Storey said:

 I suspect that many of the employees will be offered jobs at Doncaster, 

 

The LH site at Barton-under-Needwood near Burton upon Trent is a lot closer for those who do not wish to relocate. Quote below from Wikipedia shows that LH already had more staff than Brush as the BBC report only 300 remain at Loughborough

 

Quote

Wabtec announced the $48 million acquisition of diesel engine, transmission and bogie overhaul and industrial locomotive supplier LH Group on October 1, 2012. Based at Barton under Needwood in Staffordshire, UK. LH has around 400 employees and annual sales of US$65m, about 10% of which are in non-rail markets.

 

Another search shows LH have recently been awarded a £40m contract over five years for Irish Rail

 

Link to news item about LH contract with Irish Rail

 

Still a sad day for those at Brush . . . . . . . . . 

[russ p]

Is it the whole site closing?  As I understood it the traction side which is owned by wabtech is only about a third of the site .

A real shame though 

[Mike Bellamy]

18 minutes ago, russ p said:

Is it the whole site closing?  As I understood it the traction side which is owned by wabtech is only about a third of the site .

A real shame though 

 

Looks like the Brush story is complicated as I found a news report from January last year that said that Brush Electrical Machines (known as Brush UK) was closing and staff would all move to Ashby de la Zouch. The same article also mentions another company Brush Transformers which would remain on the Loughborough site. Another company Brush Generators lost 200 staff back in 2018 and it seems that the Wabtec owned part of Brush (Brush Traction?) is the one that is now closing.

 

Link to news about Brush Electrical Machines

.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Mike Bellamy

[Mike Bellamy]

 

A bit more found on Wikipedia . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

Quote

 

During the last 125 years, various Brush companies (Brush Switchgear, Brush Transformers, Brush Traction and Brush Control Gear) have existed on the Falcon Works site, but throughout this period Brush Electrical Machines Ltd manufacturing generators and motors has always been the largest company. Over 5,000 staff were employed on the site during the 1960s and 70s.
 

In 2018, all production moved to the Czech Republic causing the closure of the Loughborough plant.

 

 

[t-b-g]

Sad news but not unexpected. Those sorts of industries have been moving to other parts of the world for some time now.

 

I wonder if there are either premises or equipment there that would be of any use to a certain preserved line that is conveniently placed right next to it?

 

 

[BrushVeteran]

1 hour ago, t-b-g said:

Sad news but not unexpected. Those sorts of industries have been moving to other parts of the world for some time now.

 

I wonder if there are either premises or equipment there that would be of any use to a certain preserved line that is conveniently placed right next to it?

 

 

That's what I was thinking...........................a connection down from the end of the viaduct and in to the oldest part of the works where the centrepiece could b a heritage centre encompassing some of Loughborough's past industry. Brush used to build trams, bus bodies and then there was Willowbrook which, like Brush, went through all sorts of ownership challenges and finally succumbed in the mid 90's. Another bus builder in the town was Yeates which ended up as a dealership which I believe became part of Volvo Bus, Loughborough.

 

I hope there is no rush to demolish the heritage part of the Meadow Lane site and that some sort of railway/transport based engineering can continue, even if it became a skills centre. We need to revitalise our industry in this country rapidly before we are held to ransom by the rest of the world. There were some quality engineers bred in Loughborough! 

[AMJ]

I read elsewhere that the majority of the site including the famous building next to the station are going to be still operating as that Brush make components for the wind turbine industry.

 

Only Brush Traction which is a small part of site to potentially shut.