Power type Diesel Build date 1948-54 Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) | Designer Walker Bros. Total produced 15 + spare power unit | |
Builder Walker Bros. (Power Unit),
Martin & King (Body),
Victorian Railways (Assemble). | ||
The 153hp Walker railmotor were a diesel railcar operated by the Victorian Railways in Australia.
After the Second World War, the Victorian Railways undertook a major rebuilding program known as "Operation Phoenix". One of the first tasks was the upgrading of passenger services on country branch lines, through the replacement of 23 wooden bodied railmotors built in the 1920s, and the withdrawal of steam locomotive hauled mixed trains.
An initial order of six 153hp railcars, twelve 102hp railcars and twelve 280hp railcars from Walker Brothers in Wigan, England was placed. This was extended to include a further nine 153hp railmotors which were delivered into revenue service by 1953. Sixteen 153hp units were built in total.
The power units and controls were shipped out from England and the car bodies built locally by Martin & King in Malvern, with the finished units assembled at Newport Workshops. Each railmotor had a total seating capacity of 58. The last 153hp Walker railmotor ran until 1981. The intended life of the Walker railmotors was only 10 years. However, most remained in service for up to 30 years.
HO scale
Weico has produced whitemetal kits for the 102hp and 153hp Walker Railmotors and trailers.
Trainbuilder announced a series of brass 153hp Walker railmotors, to retail at $1175 per Railmotor, or $1695 each for Railmotor plus trailer. Numbers include 21RM+50MT with silver roof; 22RM+52MT, 25RM, 29RM, 31RM, 32RM+56MT with yellow roof, and 23RM+61MT, 27RM, 30RM, 30RM+62MT, 32RM, 33RM, 34RM with blue roof. The range does not include motors 20, 24, 26, 28, 35RM or trailers 51, 53-55, 57-60, 63 or 64MT.