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| Walker Railmotors | |
|---|---|
 102hp Walker railmotor soon after delivery | |
| Stock type | Diesel railmotor |
| In service | 1948-1981 |
| Manufacturer | Walker Brothers (power units) Martin & King (bodies) Thompsons (underframes) |
| Designer | Walker Brothers |
| Assembly | Victorian Railways |
| Replaced | Steam locomotives and carriges AEC railmotors Leyland railmotors |
| Constructed | 1948-1955 (102/153hp power units) 1948-1953 (102/153hp passenger units) 1950-1953 (280hp sets) |
| Entered service | 15 March 1948 (102hp) 16 July 1948 (153hp) 6 June 1950 (280hp) 18 October 1948 (trailers) |
| Scrapped | 1970-1981 |
| Number built | 102hp power units: 13 153hp power units: 16 102/153hp passenger units: 27 280hp: 12 (+ 1 spare power unit) Trailers: 16 |
| Number preserved | 102hp: 1 153hp: 3 280hp: 3 Trailers: 3 |
| Fleet numbers | 1-13RM (102hp power units) 20-35RM (153hp power units) 100-101, 220-234 (102/153hp passenger units) 80-92RM (280hp units) 50-64MT (Trailers) |
| Operators | Victorian Railways (trading as Vicrail from 1974) |
| Lines served | Various |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 102hp: 12.6 m (41 ft 4 in) 153hp: 13.2 m (43 ft 4 in) 280hp: 37 m (121 ft 5 in) |
| Car length | 102hp power unit: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) 153hp power unit: 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) 102/153hp passenger units and trailers: 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| Maximum speed | 1-13RM: 45 mph (72 km/h) 20-13RM: 50 mph (80 km/h) 280hp sets: 60 mph (97 km/h) |
| Weight | 1-13RM: 18 t (18 long tons; 20 short tons) 20-35RM: 20 t (20 long tons; 22 short tons) 280hp (whole): 55 t (54 long tons; 61 short tons) Trailers: 17 t (17 long tons; 19 short tons) |
| Prime mover(s) | 1-13RM: Gardner 6LW 20-35RM: Gardner 6L3 80-92RM: 2x Gardner 8LW (140 hp (100 kW) |
| Power output | 1-13RM: 102 hp (76 kW) 20-35RM: 153 hp (114 kW) 80-92RM: 280 hp (210 kW) |
| Tractive effort | 1-13RM: 13.21 kN (2,970 lbf) 20-35RM: 18.4 kN (4,100 lbf) 80-92RM: 27.96 kN (6,290 lbf) |
| Track gauge | 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) |
| Notes/references | |
Fuel capacity:
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The family of Walker railmotors were a type of diesel railcar operated by the Victorian Railways in Australia.
After World War II, 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 twelve 102 hp (76 kW) railcars, six 153 hp (114 kW) railcars with trailers, and twelve 280 hp (210 kW) railcars was placed with Walker Brothers, Wigan, England. It was then extended to include a further ten 153 hp (110 kW) railmotors and trailers. The first was delivered in 1948, with additions to the fleet running through to 1955.[1][2]
- ^ "Railmotors: 102 hp Walker". VICSIG. www.vicsig.net. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
- ^ "Railmotors: 280 hp Walker". VICSIG. www.vicsig.net. Retrieved 24 March 2008.