Wigan Album

Ted; When was the first and last railcar built in Wigan? When did the Railcar Shop come into being and finally end?

Worked with Kingsley at Heinz Ted, top lad, i still see him occasionally.

Ernie. When I started in the Railcar shop at Walkers as an apprentice fitter in Feb. 1953 there was a Railcar full length of the shop being got ready for weighing, which was done over the weekend.I think this was the last one for Northern Ireland. The first and last ones I worked on were Central Power Bogies for Peru,after that it was Emergency Winders for the NCB.
Roy. Kingsley was the very first person I met on my first day,and we became good friends,as you said a top guy,if you see him again remember me to him (Ted P).

Will do Ted, i see him now and again, he lives in Coppull and i live in Standish, i also see him at the DW watching the Warriors.

Roy, Thanks, maybe I will bump into him one day at "Langtree Park". I believe we may have mutual friends, past and present. Ted P.

http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/ROD_Universal%20Works_British%20steam.html Extract:-
Atkinson-Walker Wagons Ltd was an amalgamation of Atkinson Wagons Ltd (who had absorbed the Leyland Steam Wagon Company of Chorley and was based at Frenchwood Works, Preston) and Walker Bros (Wigan) Ltd. of Pagefield Ironworks, Wigan.
Walker Bros. (Wigan) Ltd. was founded in the 1890s as Walker J. Scarisbrick and Brothers -the name being changed about 1880 - and produced some twenty five conventional steam shunting engines from 1872 to 1883 with diesel passenger railcars being manufactured for the 3' gauge West Clare Railway in Eire in the late 1930s. By this time too, Walker Brothers were a general engineering firm, repairing locally based locomotives and also building heavy road cranes, some of which were owned by the LMS railway.
http://www.colinduff.com/ireland/narrowgauge/irc_cdr01.html
Shows County Donegal Railways Stock in the Irish Railway Collection A photo shows Railcar number 10 was built in 1932 by Walker Brothers of Wigan for the Clogher Valley Railway. It was the first articulated railcar in Ireland. No. 10 operated the last train on the CVR in December 1941, thence being sold to the CDRJC. It was still in service when the CDR closed in 1959, having clocked up over 700,000 miles in service.

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/County_Donegal_Railways_Joint_Committee
Extract - During the 1930s the County Donegal Railways became pioneers in the use of diesel traction. The first diesel railway was built in 1930 (the first diesel railcar anywhere in either Ireland or Britain), although two further petrol-engineed railcars were built before standardisation on diesel traction in 1934. Eight articulated diesel railcars were constructed by Walker Brothers of Wigan between 1934 and 1951, by which time virtually all passenger services were operated by diesel railcar. The railcars were capable of hauling trailers or freight waggons. A diesel locomotive named Phoenix (converted from a steam locomotive) was also used.
Upon closure at the end of 1959, the two most modern diesel railcars were sold to the Isle of Man Railway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Clare_Railway
Extract
In the early 1950s, under CIÉ management, the West Clare Railway became a pioneer in the use of diesel traction. Passenger services were largely operated by four new articulated diesel railcars, built by Walker Brothers of Wigan, England (almost identical to units built for the County Donegal Railways). These were followed by three 107bhp diesel locomotives (also built by Walkers in 1955)
Futher to my comment on photo ` Walker Bros railcar in Walkers Engineering, Local Chronology for Wigan gives:-
30 Jan. 1949 - Two diesel rail cars built for Peruvian Railway Company by Messrs. Walker Bros., successfully completed trial run between Wigan and Golborne prior to shipment abroad.

According to E.D. Brant in his book "Railways of North Africa" Walkers also built a railcar in 1953 for service in Libya. It was basically similar to the later Co. Donegal ones, but was unique in having a half cab at the rear of the saloon to permit operation in both directions without turning,, so presumably the gearbox and transmission must also have been unique as well.

Walkers also built mechanicals for the Victorian Railways in Australia. These were in the form of 102hp, 153hp, and 280 horse power units. Carriage under frames (steel), bodies (wooden) were build in Melbourne. There were also also trailers.