PRINCE ANDREW could open a rail firm's new multi-million pound factory once it is completed next year.

A spokesman for Westinghouse Brakes confirmed the Duke of York would be approached to open the firm's building in Hampton Park East, Bowerhill, Melksham, in early 2005.

The Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sir Maurice Johnston, said he was so impressed with plans for the new facility he would not be surprised if its grand opening attracted royal attention.

Mr Johnston was one of 30 guests invited to the official launch of work on Friday, where he heard a progress report on the £10m factory.

He said: "I'm thrilled to bits with this proposal it is a staggering success story and I expect a royal opening of the factory."

Westinghouse's managing director Paul Johnson said the engineering firm decided to move out of Langley Park, Chippenham, following a hunt to find land to build more modern facilities, but always wanted to stay in Wiltshire.

He said: "Today marks a real milestone in the development and progress of Westinghouse Brakes.

"The company will soon have a facility which will provide the right environment for our people to work in, a facility that our workforce deserves and will make us even more competitive in the new global market place of the 21st century.

"We look forward to becoming a fully integrated part of the Melksham community."

Mr Johnson described designs for the new building, which covers 6.2 acres and 8,500 square metres of floor space, as stunning and would ensure the company's 330 employees would have the best possible working environment.

But despite all the positive progress, Mr Johnson did not ignore stories of the 50 workers who threatened to walk out last October when news of the move broke.

One worker, Mike Thatcher, of Ashfield Road, Chippenham, said he was not prepared to make the 10-mile journey every day to Melksham.

Responding to the threats to quit, Mr Johnson said: "I was not surprised. Three generations of people have walked or cycled to work so we knew some employees would choose not to make the move with us.

"We can fully accommodate all the employees we have and we have taken on 25 people this year 25 per cent of those are from Melksham."

Melksham mayor Terri Welch welcomed the factory's move to the town.

She said: "We are really delighted Melksham is gaining such a major employer."

Planning permission for the new building was granted last November. Ground work has started and a new access road, called Westinghouse Way, off the Semington bypass, is built but the factory will not be finished until the end of this year.

Bosses say it will be fully operational by March 2005.