Ritchie Brothers was an Australian railway rolling stock and tram manufacturer based in the Sydney suburb of Auburn.
History
Robert Adam Ritchie. Born 1836 in Scotland. Died 1891. Company Director and retired manufacturer. Freemason Became a director of Mason Brothers Limited, merchants and importers in Sydney. President of Central Cumberland Agricultural and Horticultural Association Chairman of Auburn Progress Association Original member of Parramatta volunteers. Connected with many benevolent and social movements.. RA Ritchie and Sons Robert Ritchie arrived in Sydney with family joining elder brother in 1848. Worked With his brother as a ship and engine smith. Journeyed to Turon diggings for 18 months then apprenticed to Joseph Whiting, engineer and blacksmith in Parramatta. In 1857, Robert Ritchie took over the blacksmith business of Joseph Whiting. In the 1860s Ritchie moved to George Street, Parramatta. He started making agricultural equipment and then rolling rock carriages. In 1876, Ritchie was awarded a contract by the Government of New South Wales for 150 wagons worth £70 each and next year successfully tendered for the construction of first-class carriages. Ritchie opened a branch at Wickham, near Newcastle in 1879. By June 1880 Ritchie employed sixty men and was one of the biggest contractors for government rolling stock: his works could make 200-300 railway wagons a year and produced 300 ploughs. They also made loader wagons for railway and coal mining companies and a wide variety of general engineering and smithing annually. In 1882, the business relocated to Auburn. in 1883 Ritchie Brothers merged with Hudson Brothers and Robert Ritchie became managing director of their Clyde works. In 1884 Robert Ritchie retired from the firm and became a director of Mason Bros Ltd, merchants and importers, of Kent Street, Sydney. Ritchie Brothers 1890-1950 Robert Fergus Ritchie started the business at Auburn in 1890. By 1893 it was managed by the Ritchie Brothers and prospered until the late 1950s as a manufacturer of railway rolling stock and agricultural implements, farming machinery & implements including ploughs, harrows, wool and hide presses. Also army hospital wagons In the 1940s Ritchie Brothers built carriages, for the New South Wales Government Railways including American suburban carriages, Bradfield suburban, Silver City Comet, 500 class trailers and 72 foot carriages. It also built D and N class trams for the Sydney tram network. Engines, wagons, vans and trucks. Also US Army stationary boilers; Sub-contractors' gathering for the 25 pounder gun project dinner at General Motors-Holden's Ltd, Pagewood, It closed in the 1950s.
