{{Short description|Australian locomotive manufacturer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox company | name = Walkers Limited | logo = Queensland's first steam locomotive.jpg | logo_size = | logo_caption = Queensland’s first steam locomotive, {{ca}}1873 | image = | image_size = 220px | image_caption = | romanized = | former type = | type = | traded_as = | industry = Engineering | fate = Acquired by [[Downer Rail]] | predecessor = | successor = [[Downer Rail]] | foundation = 1863 | founder = John Walker | defunct = 12 January 2020 | location_city = [[Maryborough, Queensland|Maryborough]]<br/>{{coord|-25.5439|152.7067|type:landmark_region:AU-QLD|name=Walkers Limited}} | location_country = | locations = | area_served = | key_people = | products = Railway locomotives<br>Railway rolling stock<br>Ships | production = | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = [[Evans Deakin & Company|Evans Deakin Industries]] | divisions = | subsid = }}
'''Walkers Limited''' was an Australian engineering and shipbuilding company based in [[Maryborough, Queensland]]. It built large vessels and railway locomotives. The Walkers factory still produces locomotives and rolling stock as part of [[Downer Rail]].
==History== [[File:HMAS Toowoomba (AWM 301586).jpg|thumb|{{HMAS|Toowoomba|J157|6}} in 1941]] [[File:RAN-IFR 2013 D3 24.JPG|thumb|Former [[Royal Australian Navy]] {{sclass|Attack|patrol boat|1}} {{HMAS|Advance|P 83|6}} on [[Port Jackson]] in October 2013]] [[File:First steam locomotive built in Queensland the Mary Ann, ca. 1875.tiff|thumb|"Mary Ann", the first steam locomotive built in Queensland, built by John Walker & Co, circa 1875]] [[File:Queensland BB18¼ class locomotive.jpg|thumb|Preserved [[Queensland BB18¼ class locomotive|Queensland BB18¼ class]] at [[Enoggera railway station|Enoggera]] in April 2009]] [[File:Emu Bay Railway Bo-Bo no. 1004.jpg|thumb|Preserved [[Emu Bay Railway 10 class]] on the [[Zig Zag Railway]] in July 2011]] [[File:Candy 7318.jpg|thumb|[[State Rail Authority]] [[New South Wales 73 class locomotive|73 class]] at [[Grafton railway station, New South Wales|Grafton station]] in January 1986]] In 1863 John Walker and three friends set up the ''Union Foundry'' of '''John Walker & Co''' in [[Ballarat]]. In 1867 a branch was opened in [[Maryborough, Queensland|Maryborough]].<ref name=AMWest>{{cite book|last=West|first=AM|title=Made in Maryborough|year=1994|publisher=[[Australian Railway Historical Society]], Queensland Division|location=Brisbane}}</ref>
The Ballarat assets were disposed of in 1879 and in 1884, the business became a [[limited company]] under the title ''John Walker & Co Limited'', being renamed ''Walkers Limited'' in 1888. The company produced most of the parts for machinery at sugar mills.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://queenslandplaces.com.au/node/553|title=Maryborough|work=Queensland Places|publisher=Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland|access-date=26 June 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010160304/http://queenslandplaces.com.au/node/553|archive-date=10 October 2012}}</ref>
In 1980 Walkers Limited was sold to [[Evans Deakin & Company|Evans Deakin Industries]]. It was included in the purchase of Evans Deakin by [[Downer Group]] in March 2001 and today the Maryborough factory continues to operate as part of [[Downer Rail]].<ref>[http://www.delisted.com.au/company/evans-deakin-industries-limited Evans Deakin Industries Limited] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106164648/http://www.delisted.com.au/company/evans-deakin-industries-limited |date=6 January 2014 }} delisted.com.au</ref><ref>[http://www.downergroup.com/Documents/Investors/AGM,-Financial-Results--Reports/200001/Annual-Report/2001_ANNUAL_REPORT_20080811044448.pdf Annual Report 30 June 2001] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106170546/http://www.downergroup.com/Documents/Investors/AGM,-Financial-Results--Reports/200001/Annual-Report/2001_ANNUAL_REPORT_20080811044448.pdf |date=6 January 2014 }} Downer EDI</ref>
In 2003 Bundaberg Foundry Engineers completed the acquisition of the Walkers Sugar Business and moved to change the operating name to Bundaberg Walkers Engineering in January 2008.<ref>[http://www.bundabergwalkers.com.au/?page_id=2 History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222100548/http://www.bundabergwalkers.com.au/?page_id=2 |date=22 December 2015 }} Bundaberg Walters</ref>
==Ships== In 1884, the firm began work on five [[Barge|hopper barges]] for the Queensland Department of Harbours & Rivers. During construction the decision was taken to convert them to also serve as [[Gunboat|auxiliary gunboat]]s, which made them the largest warships built in Australia before federation. During World War II, Walkers constructed two {{sclass2|River|frigate}}s, a {{sclass2|Bay|frigate|2}} and seven {{sclass|Bathurst|corvette}}s, in addition to other smaller vessels. Post war naval contracts included seven {{sclass|Attack|patrol boat}}s in the late 1960s and eight {{sclass|Balikpapan|landing craft heavy}} in the early 1970s. After the completion of the latter, Walker's Maryborough shipyard closed in 1974.
===Royal Australian Navy ships=== *1 Bay-class frigate: {{HMAS|Shoalhaven|K535|6}} *2 River-class frigates: {{HMAS|Burdekin|K376|6}} and {{HMAS|Diamantina|K377|2}} *7 ''Bathurst''-class corvettes: {{HMAS|Bowen}}, {{HMAS|Cairns|J183|2}}, {{HMAS|Gladstone|J324|2}}, {{HMAS|Maryborough|J195|2}}, {{HMAS|Rockhampton||2}}, {{HMAS|Tamworth||2}} and {{HMAS|Toowoomba|J157|2}} *7 ''Attack''-class patrol boats: {{HMAS|Advance|P 83|6}}, {{HMAS|Aitape|P 84|2}}, {{HMAS|Arrow|P 88|2}}, {{HMAS|Bandolier|P 95|2}}, {{HMAS|Barbette|P 97|2}}, {{HMAS|Ladava|P 92|2}} and {{HMAS|Lae|P 93|2}} *8 ''Balikpapan''-class landing craft heavy: {{HMAS|Balikpapan|L 126|6}}, {{HMAS|Brunei|L 127|2}}, {{HMAS|Labuan|L 128|2}}, {{HMAS|Tarakan|L 129|2}}, {{HMAS|Wewak|L 130|2}}, {{HMAS|Salamaua|L 131|2}}, {{HMAS|Buna|L 132|2}} and {{HMAS|Betano|L 133|2}} *9 ''Koala''-class boom defence vessel: [[HMAS Kimbla|HMAS ''Kimbla'']] *2 '' Explorer class general-purpose vessels'': [[HMAS Bass|HMAS ''Bass'']], [[HMAS Banks|HMAS ''Banks'']]
==Trains==
The company's first locomotive was built at Maryborough in 1873 for [[William Pettigrew (politician)|William Pettigrew's]] (now heritage-listed) [[Cooloola Tramway]]; it was called "Mary Ann" as it was the name of the daughter of William Pettigrew and also the name of the daughter of his business partner William Sim.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27278329 |title=MESSRS. PETTIGREW AND SIMS' RAILWAY. |newspaper=[[The Queenslander]] |date=8 November 1873 |access-date=31 October 2015 |page=10 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=24 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124044309/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27278329 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150206738 |title=WALKERS BUILD LOCOS. |newspaper=[[Maryborough Chronicle]] |location=Qld. |date=14 August 1952 |access-date=31 October 2015 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=24 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124044322/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/150206738 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=qhr>{{cite QHR|25912|Pettigrew's Cooloola Timber Tramway Complex|602819|access-date=1 August 2014}}</ref> The first major contract for locomotives came in 1896, when an order for thirty B15 class [[steam locomotive]]s was placed by [[Queensland Railways]].<ref name=AMWest/> In the 1960s Walkers offered a diesel-hydraulic unit to Queensland's sugar operators. Although not successful, it did sell six to [[BHP]], [[Whyalla]] from 1962. It had more success with its [[Queensland Railways DH class|DH class]] shunter with over 130 built for [[Queensland Rail]], the [[New South Wales Government Railways]], [[Emu Bay Railway]] and [[Western Australian Government Railways]].
===Steam locomotives=== *46 Queensland B class *122 [[Queensland PB15 class locomotive|Queensland PB15 class]] *45 [[Queensland C16 class locomotive|Queensland C16 class]] *138 [[Queensland C17 class locomotive|Queensland C17 class]] *6 Queensland C19 class *59 [[Queensland B18¼ class locomotive|Queensland B18¼ class]] *20 [[Queensland BB18¼ class locomotive|Queensland BB18¼ class]] *20 [[Victorian Railways Dd class|Victorian D<sup>D</sup> class]] *20 [[Commonwealth Railways KA class]] *8 [[Commonwealth Railways C class]] *40 [[South Australian Railways T class|South Australian T class]] *3 [[Tasmanian Government Railways Q class]]
==Diesel electric locomotives== *12 [[Queensland Railways 1170 class|Queensland 1170 class]]
==Diesel hydraulic locomotives== *6 [[BHP Whyalla DH class]] *3 [[Emu Bay Railway 10 class]] *73 [[Queensland Railways DH class]] *50 [[New South Wales 73 class locomotive|New South Wales 73 class]] *7 [[Emu Bay Railway 11 class]] *5 [[Western Australian Government Railways M class (diesel)|Western Australian Government Railways M class]]
==Electric locomotives== *50 [[Aurizon electric locomotives|Queensland Rail 3500/3600 class]] *30 [[Aurizon electric locomotives|Queensland Rail 3900 class]]
==Electric multiple units== [[File:Kuala Lumpur Star LRT train (four-EMU).jpg|thumb|right|A former Kuala Lumpur Metro rolling stock of [[Adtranz]]-Walkers EMU]] *264 [[Electric Multiple Unit (Queensland Rail)|Queensland Rail EMU]] carriages *36 [[Suburban Multiple Unit (Queensland Rail)#200 series|Queensland Rail SMU200]] carriages *90 [[Suburban Multiple Unit (Queensland Rail)#220 series|Queensland Rail SMU220]] carriages *20 [[InterCity Express (Queensland Rail)|Queensland Rail ICE]] carriages *30 [[Interurban Multiple Unit (Queensland Rail)#100 & 120 series|Queensland Rail IMU100]] carriages *12 [[Interurban Multiple Unit (Queensland Rail)#100 & 120 series|Queensland Rail IMU120]] carriages *96 [[Transperth A-series train|Transperth A series]] carriages *90 [[Ampang Line|Kuala Lumpur Metro Line 3 & 4]] light rail vehicles<ref>EDI Wins Light Rail Order Extension ''[[Railway Digest]]'' June 1995 page 9</ref>
==Tilt Trains== *12 [[Electric Tilt Train|Queensland Rail Tilt Train]] carriages
== Awards == In 2017, Walkers Limited was inducted into the [[Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame]]. Walkers Limited is regarded as being one of Queensland's greatest companies spanning 150 years in the engineering manufacturing sector.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://leaders.slq.qld.gov.au/inductees/walkers-limited/|title=Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame 2017 Inductee Walkers Limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317081821/http://leaders.slq.qld.gov.au/inductees/walkers-limited/|archive-date=17 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://vimeo.com/225935999 Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame – 2017 Inductee digital story – Walkers Limited]
[[Category:Companies based in Queensland]] [[Category:Engineering companies of Australia]] [[Category:Defunct locomotive manufacturers of Australia]] [[Category:Maryborough, Queensland]] [[Category:Defunct rolling stock manufacturers of Australia]] [[Category:Shipbuilding companies of Australia]] [[Category:Shipyards of Australia]] [[Category:Australian companies established in 1863]] [[Category:Queensland in World War II]]