[[File:Z3.168PrestonWorkshops.jpg|thumb|[[Z class Melbourne tram]] 168 at [[Preston Workshops]] in August 2007]]
[[File:LRT 761P Ping Shan.jpg|thumb|[[Hong Kong Light Rail]] Phase I LRV in February 2009]]
Smith and Waddington, the predecessor to Commonwealth Engineering, was founded in 1921 as '''Smith & Waddington''', in the [[Sydney]] suburb of [[Camperdown, New South Wales|Camperdown]], buildingas bodiesa body builder for motorcarscustom andmotor busescars.<ref>[http://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/archives.htm History of Prewar and War Single Deck Vehicles] DGT Archives</ref> It waswent reformedbankrupt afterin the [[Great Depression in Australia|Depression]], and was reformed as Waddingtons Body Works and moved to [[Granville, New South Wales|Granville]], after a fire in the main workshop. The [[Government of Australia]] took control of the company during [[World War II]] toas producethe materialscompany was in theserious Granvillefinancial difficulties but had many government orders in it's factorybooks. The government purchased a controlling stake in the company in 1946 and changed the name to Commonwealth Engineering <ref name=Dunn-1>{{cite book|first=John|last=Dunn|title=Comeng: A history of Commonwealth Engineering: Volume 1: 1921-1955|year=2006|isbn=1877058424|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yJXEiRvswoIC&printsec=frontcover|publisher=Rosenberg Publishing}}</ref>.
In 1949 a factory was established in [[Rocklea, Queensland]]. This was followed in 1952 a plant in [[Bassendean, Western Australia]] and in 1954 by another in [[Dandenong, Victoria]]. In June 1957, the government sold its shares. In November 1982 Comeng was taken over by [[Australian National Industries]].