Fox Walker commenced building steam locomotives in 1864 and catered for industrial users with a variety of four and six-coupled saddle tanks. The company was at one time a specialist in tram engines. A number of British main line railways were also supplied, including the Midland and the Somerset and Dorset.

In 1880 Fox Walker were taken over by Thomas Peckett and the firm became known as Peckett and Sons, Atlas Engine Works, Bristol. The date on which Peckett became a limited company is not known, but at the same time the name was shortened to Peckett and Sons Ltd. Peckett followed the Fox Walker tradition with a range of saddle tank locomotives for both the home and overseas markets, eventually becoming famous for their policy of standardisations. All locos, with a few notable exceptions, are from a range of standard designs. Among these exceptions were Quainton's famous 'Flying Bufferbeam' No. 1900, the smallest standard gauge steam locomotive in the British Isles, and a 0-8-0 tender loco built for the Christmas Island Phosphate Company. The latter machine was the largest turned out from the Atlas Works and weighed in at 73 tons.

Peckett fortunes took a turn for the worse after the Second World War and orders dwindled. In 1956 the company attempted to enter the diesel market, but as with North British, an unsatisfactory engine / gearbox / final drive choice was made. Thus in 1958 they were taken over by Reed Crane and Hoist Co. Ltd. Reed supplied Peckett spares for a time until they too went out of business.

Further Reading: Jux, F. - Peckett & Sons, Atlas Works, Bristol, Locomotive Works List - Author / Industrial Locomotive Society - 1988

Examples at Quainton

Examples Previously at Quainton