was still there in the 1990s, albeit with 20- to 30-year-old trees growing between the sleepers and rails. There was also a link from the ROF railway line to the Inverclyde line. The factory had transfer sidings connected to both the up and down lines. The ROF line, which was never electrified, ran on to the transfer sidings a few yards west from the Bishopton station. It crossed Ingleston Road via a gated level crossing, entering the ROF site from the north. The link remained in-situ up until closure of the factory, but was little used after the early 1990s. There was about of standard gauge railway line within the perimeter fence. The factory had its own fleet of nitric acid wagons and diesel shunting locomotives. The latter were used to move wagons between the transfer sidings and various locations within the site. In addition, ROF Bishopton had some of narrow gauge railway lines for transporting explosives around the site. There was a large fleet of rolling stock and a specialist workshop for maintenance of the locomotives, which were kept in excellent mechanical condition. Much of Bishopton's narrow gauge railway equipment still exists, and can be seen at locations such as the Almond Valley Light Railway (six assorted locomotives) and the Amberley Museum Railway (locomotive No. 12 and several wagons). Housing Housing to accommodate the Ministry of Defence Police was provided locally in Bishopton. Two streets were built to provide housing for married police officers - Holmpark and Rossland Crescent. For unmarried police, accommodation was built adjacent to Holmpark; it was used from the 1970s onwards as the MOD Police social club. Some prefabricated houses were also built in Rossland Crescent, but these have since been demolished. Houses for essential staff, such as managers who needed to be on call, were provided on Poplar Avenue. Ingleston Drive may possibly have been built for ROF workers also. A hostel for single women workers was built in Oakshaw Street, Paisley, by the Ministry of Labour. Privatisation The workforce fell from about 3,000 in the late 1970s to 2,000 at the time of privatisation in 1984. British Aerospace in 1987 bought the Royal Ordnance Factories. During the 1990s, significant investment was made to the site automating its nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose and nitroguanidine manufacturing plants which improved manufacturing capabilities and process safety. Prior to its closure the site was producing gun and rocket propellant for