Walkers Limited is an Australian engineering company, based in Maryborough, Queensland, which built ships and locomotives.[1] It is still in the locomotive-building business as part of Downer Rail.
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John Walker and three friends set up the Union Foundry of John Walker & Co. at Ballarat, Victoria, Australia in 1863. In 1867, a branch was opened in Maryborough, Queensland.
The Ballarat assets were disposed of in 1879 and, in 1884, the business became a limited company under the title John Walker & Co. Limited. The name was changed to Walkers Limited in 1888.
In 1884 the firm began work on 5 hopper barges for the Queensland Department of Harbours and Rivers. During construction the decision was taken to convert them to also serve as Auxiliary Gunboats, which made them the largest warships built in Australia before federation. During World War II, Walkers constructed 2 River class frigates, a Modified River (Bay) class frigate and 7 Bathurst class corvettes in addition to other smaller vessels. Post war naval projects included the 8 Balikpapan class landing craft heavy and 10 of the 20 Attack class patrol boats. The other 10 Attack class patrol boats were built by Evans Deakin Industries (EDI) which was taken over by Downer holdings in 2001 to form the parent company; Downer EDi. Evans Deakin's Brisbane yard closed in 1971, and Walker's Maryborough yard closed in 1974.
The company's first locomotive was built at Maryborough in 1873. The first major contract for locomotives came in 1896, when an order for thirty B15 class steam locomotives arrived from Queensland Railways.
Other steam locomotives built for Queensland Railways include classes C17, B18¼ and BB18¼. For diesel locomotives, see Downer Rail.