[1] The company's history can be traced back to the establishment of an engineering workshop in Kilmarnock in 1840 by Andrew Barclay.

Four years later, both Brush Traction and Brush-Barclay were acquired by the multinational railway engineering company Wabtec.

During July 2020, the Kilmarnock works was acquired and reopened by Brodie Engineering Ltd after Wabtec had opted to close down the site.

Born in 1814, Andrew Barclay was only 25 years of age when he set up a partnership with Thomas McCulloch to manufacture mill shafts in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

[citation needed] By 1859, Barclay had recovered from this setback and his newly formed company produced its first steam locomotive.

[citation needed] During 1930, the company purchased a rival engine making business, John Cochrane (Barrhead) Ltd.

[clarification needed][citation needed] In 1972, the company was acquired by the Leeds-based Hunslet Group of companies and its name was changed in 1989 to Hunslet-Barclay Ltd. As such, it operated six ex-British Rail Class 20 diesels to provide motive power for weed-killing trains used on the national rail network.

Its manufacturing output in this period included eight additional centre trailer cars for the Glasgow Subway, which were delivered in 1992.

[1] The company was noted for constructing simple robust locomotives, chiefly for industrial use, and many of its products survive in use on heritage railways, over 100 in Britain.