UNION members filled the gallery at the Scottish Parliament yesterday as MSPs debated the future of a closure-threatened rail works.

The Rally Roon The Caley campaign, by the Unite union, aims to save 200 jobs at the St Rollox Railway Works. Owners Gemini Rail said the 160-year-old site, which carries out all servicing and upgrades for ScotRail, is losing money and a drop in work triggered by the introduction of maintenance-light trains means it can no longer meet operational costs.

The current programme of work lasts until June and a 45-day consultation period ends next month.

Employees in high-vis vests held placards outside Holyrood with RMT union members yesterday before Glasgow Labour MSP James Kelly held the first of two debates scheduled on the issue.

A second will be held today in what the SNP’s Alex Neil told the chamber marked the “first time in 20 years” that Holyrood business bosses had allowed two debates on the same matter on consecutive days.

Kelly, whose uncle worked at the Springburn site – the largest train repair and maintenance operation in the country – championed the “history and tradition” of the plant.

Urging the Scottish Government to consider public ownership, he said: “We can’t allow the clock simply to run down to March 4 with nothing happening, because that would be catastrophic.”

The plant was established in 1865 by the Caledonian Railway, which built networks from Glasgow to Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

The Rally Roon the Caley campaign says the plant deserves the same treatment as Prestwick Airport, which was taken into public hands in 2013.

Unite says the city works is an “asset of strategic importance” to the country’s transport infrastructure.

Arguing for the possibility of establishing a dedicated company with private and public sector funding, Neil told the chamber: “We must do, not just as a government but as a parliament, everything we can do in the limited time left to try to save this facility, not for yesteryear, although that’s important, but for tomorrow, for tomorrow’s jobs, for tomorrow’s economy.”

Yesterday Labour leader Richard Leonard said current workers deserve an “innovative government” which will consider bringing the site into public ownership, and doing the same with the entire rail network.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Transport Secretary has expressed his disappointment that Gemini Rail continue to pursue the closure of the railway workshops at Springburn despite continually asking them to reconsider their position and find another solution. However, Gemini has refused to postpone the consultation having made a business decision to close the workshops. Constructive conversations continue with the owners and the unions in the interests of staff affected, and the Scottish economy.

“We remain committed to supporting rail services in Scotland and has made record investment in the sector in recent years, including new rolling stock and improved infrastructure.

“The re-purposing of the site and discussions with interested parties are all being assessed, as is the cost of providing an electric line connection to the yard, but the timescale that Gemini has set as part of the statutory process is making the exploration of any options extremely challenging.

“A new group (Scottish Rail Industry Forum) has been formed to investigate potential options which may allow continued use of the site. Ministers are clear that all avenues must be explored while remaining mindful of ensuring value for Scottish taxpayers.”