Walker Brothers (Wigan)

'Walker Brothers Limited' was a railway rolling stock manufacturer based in Wigan, England.

Walker Brothers
Founded1886
FounderJohn Scarisbrick Walker
Headquarters
Wigan
,
England
ProductsSteam locomotives
Diesel locomotives
Railcars

History

In 1886, John Scarisbrick Walker established Globe Foundry in Wigan. He was later joined by brothers Thomas and Edwin and the business renamed Walker Brothers. Initially based in Queen Street, it moved to Pagefield Works in 1874. It initially manufactured steam locomotives before diversifying in the 1930s to produce diesel locomotives and railcars. It closed in the early 1960s.[1][2]

Products

Pagefield Trucks

Walker Brothers started building petrol trucks using the Pagefield name in 1907. At the Manchester Commercial Vehicle show of 1908 their 30-40cwt truck was the only petrol-drven commercial vehicle.[3] In 1911 they announced 3 new models, 40 cwt, 50 cwt and 3 ton.[4] All the trucks had four cylinder petrol engines built by Pagefield, and all had chain drive to the rear axle.[5] In 1913 a Pagefield truck was revealed which had been designed to meet the requirements of the War Office Subsidy Scheme, which required a redesign of the engine, and replacing the chain final drive with a live axle and propshaft.[6] This model was certifed under the scheme and when the war came, this meant Pagefield was one of the makers able to provide the War Office with approved vehicles.

Locomotives

Railcars

Between 1932 and 1953, Walker Brothers produced the following railcars:[2]

References
  1. Walker Articulated Railcars Green over Red March 1969 pages 10/11
  2. Walker Brothers (Wigan) Ltd Newsrail May 2008 pages 136/137
  3. "The Manchester Show". Commercial Motor. 20 February 1908. p. 537.
  4. "Pagefield Commercial Vehicles". Commercial Motor. 2 February 1911. p. 451.
  5. "A Two-Tonner Built in Lancashire". Commercial Motor. 15 February 1912. pp. 503–504.
  6. "The New Pagefield Subvention Model". Commercial Motor. 24 July 1913. pp. 576–578.
  7. English-Built Railcar for Tasmania Diesel Railway Traction 15 March 1940 pages 37-39
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