Trade unions are mobilising for a protest at a historic depot in Glasgow this week as the 160-year-old Caley railyard looks set to close.

Rail union RMT have called for widespread political and public support to mark the final day of operation of Glasgow's Springburn Rail Depot at St Rollox.

In December last year, Gemini announced its intention to close the depot, axing nearly 200 highly-skilled jobs.

The Springburn depot carries out service, maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrades on all of the ScotRail fleet.

READ MORE: Scottish Government criticised over imminent closure of historic Caley railyard

The closure means that the repairs and maintenance of Scotland’s rail stock will be carried out in England in what RMT calls an insult to the rail industry in Scotland and "a wanton act of industrial vandalism".

The workforce and their supporters are meeting at the sheds inside the Springburn and will march to the gates for a rally to mark the completion of the final project at the site.

The group are preparing to walk out of the site for the final time with "banners and flags held high".

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “The closure of the Springburn Rail Depot in Glasgow is an act of industrial vandalism that will not be forgotten and RMT is mobilising for the broadest possible support for Friday’s demonstration.

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"We are calling for a big turn-out to ram home the message that Springburn and its history will never be erased and to demand that the option of nationalisation of our railways to stop this wanton destruction be placed centre stage.

“This is just another example of the fragmentation of the privatised rail industry where prime assets are passed from one speculative owner to another and mean that a proud railway nation like Scotland loses a key engineering resource at the stroke of a pen regardless of the consequences for jobs, training and the local economy.

"It is an absolute disgrace.”

READ MORE: Nationalisation an option to save 180 jobs at Glasgow's St Rollox Railway Works

Earlier this week criticisms were made over the Scottish Government's handling of the Springburn site's closure.

After the announcement that a national bailout of a shipyard in Port Glasgow, Holyrood was accused of a double-standard after insisting the St Rollox site could not be nationalised.

However, the government have said the possibility of nationalisation is misleading, calling for support for Scottish Enterprise in finding new work for the site.