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| While seeking an apprenticeship, he helped
in the bakery, but he had no real interest in the work. At last, in 1898 he became
indentured to Henri Galopin, "Scientific instrument maker to the Observatory,"
in Chancery Lane, Melbourne, for a four year term. Weekly wages were 2/6d (25c), 51-
(50c), 7/6d (75c) and 10/- ($1) respectively for each year. Henri was pleased with him and on completion of the apprenticeship he wrote, "I always found him very steady, trustworthy and very intelligent." Alf left Galopin who had trained him well in both electrical and mechanical engineering, and he worked for J.A. Newton, Electrical Engineers, for about a year. During his spare time he did jobbing work in the shed behind the bakery. At first he made motors for dental drills to replace the treadle. In 1903 the business name A.H. McDonald & Co. was registered, and, with his younger brother Earnest they set up a workshop in a rented room in Flounders St. Melbourne. |
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| They also built their first petrol engine and generator set. Alf knew that the steam age had all but passed. The future lay in the development of electricity and the internal combustion engine. He was especially interested in the engine and planned to go into production of a range of engines as quickly as he could. | |
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| On lst July 1904, having outgrown the city room and backyard shed, they moved into a corrugated iron workshop at 221 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, and called it the Imperial Engine Works. At first the prototype engine and generator provided the only source of power. Alf pursued his plans to build engines, and by 1905 the first production began. About 30 A type engines of 4 HP per cylinder were built that year, including some two, three and four cylinder versions. Next in 1907, the D type engine of 10 HP per cylinder commenced production. This model also was built in two, three and four cylinder versions. The twin cylinder engine was selected for the first tractor in 1908 and many tractors of various types and sizes followed in the years to 1923. |
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| In 1930 the larger models were replaced by a new range of two stroke
engines in horizontal single cylinder units from 10 HP to 75 HP, including the TWB tractor
engine. These engines used a hot plug or hot bowl principle, requiring pre-heating by blow lamp prior to starting. Later, a system using an electric ignition coil, spark plug and petrol was developed to give easier, quicker starting. In 1910 they bought a substantial block of land in Stawell Street, Richmond. There they built a much larger factory and a new foundry capable of pouring castings weighing up to three tons. This was a great advantage, as it enabled them to make greater use of castings in both iron and non-ferrous metals such as brass and phosphor bronze. Here they made a number of special tractors and road rollers for which the Company became famous. The D type engine was replaced by the N type in 1914. This was a similar vertical petrol/ kerosene engine with magneto ignition but with a bore of 8 inches (203mm) it was much more powerful, 20 HP per cylinder. It was the power unit used in the tractors and road rollers of the period. Like its forerunners it was built in one, two, three and four cylinder versions. |
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| The first "Super Diesel" horizontal engine appeared in
1918, and soon the range extended from 2 HP to 25 HP, all using the "Brons"
principle (also known as Hvid) of fuel combustion. They were successful for stationary use
and road rollers but were not suitable for tractors, being too heavy. During the decade of the 1920's, McDonalds imported tractors, firstly the Emmerson - Brantingham (E-B) from U.S.A. later the Avance from Sweden. They recommenced building McDonald Imperial tractors in 1930, the TWB model, and from 1946 to 1955 the T6 series. |
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Click on images to see a larger view |
The Brons system was finally abandoned in 1950 when two smallest
engine types (SPI and CPI) were redesigned to employ a conventional fuel injection system,
using Bosch fuel pumps and injectors. The larger two cycle engines and tractors after a number of changes ceased production in the early 1960's and the last engines, the small SPI and CPI models were phased out in about 1970. By then McDonalds were concentrating on road rollers and construction equipment, powered by engines of other makes such as Ronaldson Tippett, Perkins, I.H.C. Ford and Lister. |
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| Powered by a McDonald D type twin cylinder petrol engine producing 20
horsepower, the first EA model tractor was indeed a very basic machine. It did, however, have some surprising features such as dual ignition, (coil and magneto) and a transmission giving three forward speeds and one reverse. The cooling system was bulky and inefficient, using a water tower principle, the hot water being pumped from the engine to the top of the tower and dribbling down to the bottom receiving tank. To achieve cooling, the exhaust outlet was positioned at the top where it was supposed to create a draught by sucking cool air from holes in the side of the tower. The original tractor was supplied in 1909 to J.H. Dardel, Batesford near Geelong. It was overhauled for him in McDonald's workshop in 1912 so presumably it had a life of about 8 years. With modified cooling systems thirteen tractors of this model were produced to 1910. |
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| The founders were known to all by their initials, A.H.
and E.J. Of the two, A.H. was the senior partner and was more the administrator, the
Governing Director, whilst E.J. was the Works Manager. E.J. died in 1956 and A.H. in 1963.
In 1969 the business was merged with Jaques Bros Ltd. (now Jaques Ltd.) makers of quarry equipment, and the remaining McDonald products, mainly road rollers, continued to be made in their factory and sold by the McDonald Division. The Division was later renamed Jaques McDonald and specialised in the distribution and hire of Road Construction Equipment, including McDonald road rollers. © Kenneth Neal McDonald. Frankston, Victoria. February, 1990. |
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The information on this page was provided with the kind permission of the author KN McDonald and based on his works -"A.H. McDonald, Industrial Pioneer" and "Fifty Years of McDonald Imperial Tractors". Ad Langelaar of Waverveen, Holland has constructed an informative web site devoted to the Brons system and engines which can be found at ' The Brons Motor' Mr. John Touzel, of Kardella, Victoria maintains the official McDonald Register |
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