James Martin & Co

James Martin & Co was an Australian engineering company which progressed from making agricultural equipment to making railway locomotives.

James Martin & Co. was founded in Gawler, South Australia in around 1848 by James Martin as a blacksmith and wheelright business. It soon began to manufacture reapers. The opening of the Gawler railway line in 1857 allowed Adelaide to be accessed more easily. In 1858, Thomas Flett Loutit joined the business as a shareholder and steam power was introduced to the workshop. In 1868 Loutit retired due to ill health. In the 1870s, a new foundry was built on Calton Road.

During this period James Martin’s nephew, John Felix Martin (1844–1916) and Fred May joined him in partnership, with the business now trading as James Martin & Co. The company moved into the production of large pumping equipment, heavy ore crushing plant and winch drums. In 1885, May left the company and founded May Brothers & Co. with his brother Alfred. By 1888 James Martin had acquired more land to the south of the foundry having secured a contract for the manufacture of 52 locomotives for the South Australian Railways This was followed two years later by a contract for a further 92 engines. Employee numbers had grown to 420 by 1888 and by the early 1890s had reached 700.

On 11 April 1890, the first locomotive produced in South Australia was unveiled. The Governor of South Australia and other dignitaries were in attendance. By December 1894, the 100th locomotive had been completed. By 1898, the company had built 170 locomotives for several customers including the South Australian Railways, Tarrawingee Flux & Tramway Company and the Western Australian Government Railways.

Towards the end of the 1890s, business began to decline as the South Australian Railways commenced building its own rolling stock at Islington Railway Workshops and orders for boilers ceased. James Martin died on 27 December 1899. New government contracts were secured in the first few years of the 20th century for bridges, boilers and valve castings. Increasing competition, particularly from May Brothers, together with a heavy debt burden, led to the company entering voluntary administration in August 1907. The works were divided into two separate companies. Some local farmers and businesses formed the Gawler Implement Manufacturing Co to carry on the agricultural part of the business. The major part of the former James Martin & Co. was acquired by Henry Dutton, son-in-law of John F. Martin. He took over the debts and injected capital into the engineering section and foundry, which he continued to operate under the name of James Martin & Co.