Walkers Limited
Walkers started out in Ballarat in 1863 as John Walker & Co's Union Foundry and opened its Maryborough branch in 1867, becoming Walkers Limited in 1888. Maryborough went on to build steam locos, the DH shunters and the 1170s, the 3500/3600 and 3900 electrics, and many of Brisbane's suburban and interurban trains.
Evans Deakin Industries bought Walkers in 1980, and the Maryborough works came to Downer when it bought EDI in 2001.
Based in Maryborough, Qld.
Became part of
History
- 1863
John Walker and three friends set up the Union Foundry of John Walker & Co in Ballarat.
- 1867
Branch opened at Maryborough.
- 1879
Ballarat assets disposed of, leaving Maryborough.
- 1884
Became a limited company, John Walker & Co Limited.
- 1888
Renamed Walkers Limited.
- 1974
Maryborough shipyard closed.
- 1980
Sold to Evans Deakin Industries. The Maryborough factory carries on today as part of Downer Rail. See Downer (EDI Rail).
Wikipedia's infobox also lists Walkers as defunct on 12 January 2020, with no explanation.Source
Locomotives by model
| Model | Class | Built at | Number | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U67T/U6 | Walkers/IGE 1170 Class | Maryborough | 12 | 1956 | Built under licence from IGE |
| GH500 | Walkers/Caterpillar DH Class | Maryborough | 73 | 1966 | |
| JAE29-B | Walkers/ABB 3500/3600 Class | Maryborough, with Clyde Engineering | 50 | 1986 | |
| JAE39-3B | Walkers/ABB 3900 Class | Maryborough, with Clyde Engineering | 30 | 1988 | |
| Not recorded | QGR/Stephenson-Hawthorns/Walkers - DL Class | Maryborough | DL3-DL4 | 1961 | |
| Walkers 11 Class | Maryborough | 7 | 1969-71 | Built for the Emu Bay Railway to the DH class design |
Multiple units and railmotors
| Class | Built at | Number | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walkers/Adtranz Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) | Maryborough, with ABB | 88 | 1979 | |
| Walkers/Adtranz InterCity Express (ICE) | Maryborough, with ABB | 20 | 1988 | |
| EDI/Bombardier Interurban Multiple Unit 100 series (IMU100) | Maryborough, with Adtranz | 10 | 1996 | |
| Walkers/Hitachi Electric Tilt Train (300 series) | Maryborough, with Hitachi | 2 | 1998 | Two 6-car trains |
| EDI/Bombardier Suburban Multiple Unit 220 series (SMU220) | Maryborough, with Adtranz | 30 | 1999-2001 | |
| EDI/Bombardier Interurban Multiple Unit 120 series (IMU120) | Maryborough, with Adtranz | 4 | 2001 | |
| Walkers/MTU Diesel Tilt Train | Maryborough | 2 | 2003 | Two trains |
| Walkers/Adtranz Suburban Multiple Unit 200 series (SMU200) | Maryborough, with Adtranz | 12 |
Steam locomotives
Counted from the class rosters, so only engines that ran in Queensland are included.
| Class | Number | Years |
|---|---|---|
| B15 Class | 52 | 1897–1909 |
| Engines acquired from Chillagoe Railway & Mining Company | 6 | 1899–1909 |
| PB15 Class | 92 | 1899–1911 |
| 6D16 Class | 20 | 1901–1902 |
| C16 Class | 45 | 1912–1917 |
| C17 Class | 138 | 1920–1953 |
| 6D17 later D17 Class | 10 | 1924 |
| PB15 (1924) Class | 30 | 1925–1926 |
| C19 Class | 6 | 1935 |
| B18¼ Class | 24 | 1936–1947 |
| BB18¼ Class | 20 | 1955–1958 |
References
'Walkers Limited', Wikipedia (accessed October 2026)
'Evans Deakin and Company', Wikipedia (accessed October 2026)