Martin & King

Martin & King was a manufacturing company based in Clayton, Victoria, Australia. The company originally specialised in making motor vehicle bodies^[1] and railway locomotives and rolling stock.^[2]

Martin & King

V/Line N class locomotive at Southern Cross station, August 2006
Industry	Motor body manufacturer Railway locomotive & rolling stock manufacturer
Headquarters	Somerton
Parent	Clyde Engineering

History

The company was initially based in the Melbourne suburb of Armadale from at least 1948,^[3] later opening a plant to manufacture railway rolling stock at Clayton in the 1950s. In 1959, a new plant was opened at Somerton, which was provided with its own railway siding. Clyde Engineering acquired a controlling interest in the company in 1954.^[4] The Somerton plant is today occupied by Downer Rail.

Products

Hitachi suburban train in Middle Footscray, September 2006

• Bodywork for Buick cars (late 1930s)^[1]
• Body for the Reo Speed Tanker trucks (1937)
• Assembly of Jowett Javelins (1952)^[5]
• Assembly of Volkswagen Beetles (1954)^[6]
• Ford 103E utility (1955)^[7]
• Melbourne's Harris suburban trains ('T' car bodies) (1950s)^[8]
• Victorian Railways 102hp Walker railmotors (1948)^[9]
• Victorian Railways 153hp Walker railmotors (1948)^[10]
• Victorian Railways 280hp Walker railmotors (1950)^[11]
• Melbourne's Hitachi suburban trains (fitting out of 'M' and 'D' cars) (1970s)^[12]
• V/Line N class diesel locomotives (1985)^[13]
• V/Line P class diesel locomotive rebuilds (from flat top T classes) (1980s)^[14]