Hello all Interested to know if anyone has any historical information about A.E Goodwin as a manufacturer of motor graders? Was there a connection with Adams and later Westinghouse (WABCO)? Did they base their models on other brands or manufacture under licence? Anyone had any experiences with Goodwin equipment, photos? thanks Mark
Goodwin Grader photo Hello again Finally found a poor quality photo of two AE Goodwin graders. These are yet to be delivered and were manufactured by the AE Goodwin subsidiary in Ipswich, Australia. Externally they seem to be patterned on the L-W Wabco's of the time, but were clearly branded front and rear with Goodwin. Comments from others indicate they had mainly had GM 471 or 671 engines although some were powered with Cummins. Other feedback suggested an in-service GM 671 machine with a set of rear rippers and a good operator easily out-performed other new equipment contenders at a perspective buyers field-day. Any comments, further information or clearer photos welcome. thanks Mark
AE Goodwin Goodwin assembled machines in Australia for Letornea-Westinghouse The same way GM Holden built Chev cars I think they just built the chassis, and bolted all the rest on. If you go to old iron, and look at outback earthmovers you will see mine, I think it was built late fifties, has a NH4 cummins Still in use on our property as a spare machine, We did 400km of road with it last year when the galion broke down(again)
Hi Goodwin Wondered what you source is for suggesting AE Goodwin only assembled machines for LW? Do you have photo or some details of the manufacturers plate on yours? Any idea of it's history etc? thanks Mark
My goodwin is the only one ive ever seen,it has adams 550 on the side of the cab, the front of the push block has goodwin cast into it, andthere is a brass plate with ae goodwin ltd on the side, it is identical to later wabcos, just manual transmission, if you can find another model, i would be interested to hear about it PS my operators manual says ADAMS DIVISION, LETOURNAU-WESTINGHOUSE COMPANY
Hi Goodwin Any chance of posting some more photos, the GOODWIN pushblock and brass plate would be of great interest. I am aware AE Goodwin had a formal arrangement with Adams Manufacturing Co starting in 1951 and, at least, in 1970's actually fabricated and built (not just assembled) graders at their subsidiary here in Queensland. They were certainly based on the Adams models. These graders were sold in competition to the LW-Wabco models distributed by Wabco Australia, at the time. Most seem to have been sold to Councils (Local Government) with "farms" as their final resting place. I don't have any current photos. I'm also keen to know the history of your 550, does the brass plate refer to Goodwin's in Sydney? Given your location, you may be interested to know AE Goodwin (under licence from ALCO) built almost 500 locomotives as well as rolling stock over a 27 year period including many for Hamersley and Mt Newman, I wonder if they provided some graders as well? thanks Mark
Mark, I will ask my father if he remembers where the machine came from,we purchased it with no engine in about 1980 from frazier downs station, Thiess bros mechanics did the NH4 cummins installation as a favour one weekend when they were camped nearby while bitumising the Great Northern Highway, We got a heap of parts from a wreck at Camballin Farms, an irrigation project funded by Texan oil millionaire Carey Crutcher(back when bieng a millionaire meant something Next time i go past the Goodwin, i will get some photos, give me at least a week.
Goodwin Assembled Adams Graders for J D Adams, they Also assembled a few cat 12 which were sent to NZ but didnt have cat insigna on them. Ipswich City council had an Adams Goodwin until late 80s it was sold to a Station.. Early Adams Graderss Had International Harvester Motors. Later you could option GM or Cummins. The Adams Graders were more comfortable to operate than Cat graders the controls were lighter while they used to kick back a bit, they were not as rough on a opeator as Cat were tha Adams graders were well balanced unit they would not lside off windrow like a Cat would a 75 hp Adams would out perfrm the Cat 12 every time in windrow moving. Jolly shame they sold them to Wabco, Thewy were one of the best graders in there day
hi Mark, AS far as i can recall Goodwin assembled ADAMS Graders at Ipswich. but only certain models ,they used the one frame for all models{ I was told this i have no confirmation of it} for all Adams graders they assembled , this would account for the Ipswichcouncils Adams have a main frame protruding a fair away beyond the reaR of machine, Goodwin allso Assembled CAt Graders and some of these were sold into new Zealand{ :as Goodwn Cat} to Franklin Council South of Auckland iT did not have the Cat Logo displayed as prominently as USA built Cats it had all Cat features wether there were like the Adams just a few assembled i don't know.{ We worked both the Adams330) which was 75hp along side the Goodwin Cat cat was 112hp , The ADAMs could Skin it{THE CAT} run rings around it} I understood that Goodwin were a large manufacturing company. They had Goodwin crushers and Quarry equipment in NZ, and allso road rollers, Now I do not know if it was all the same Company, i will ask my older brother if he can recall he's under 100 years old. ;{Joking} Cat built loaders in new zealand They were Cat 950 But they were sold as Fieldchief No Cat logo on sold by Cat Dealer COUGH Cough & Hamer as were the Goodwin Cat Graders
Hi lpnt65 Hadn't heard about Goodwin Caterpillers , do you know if these were built or assembled in Ipswich or at AE Goodwin in Sydney and were they only for the NZ market?. Can you give me any idea of the dates or any more details etc? Was the "standard" frame on some models to allow for the different engine options, 4 vs 6 Cummins or GM? I had also heard they were very good preformers, despite this a tender from 1969 showed a Cat 12E win a sale despite the price and engine offerings. Would be good to hear more of you or your brothers experiences with Goodwin graders. thanks Mark
Hi MarkN, The Goodwin Cats and Adams would have been assembled in the Late 50ts Now you have created a doubt in my mind as to where they were assembled according to my brother he only knew about the Cats and he reckoned they were put to gether in Sydney so i see a discrepancy there in the family memory. The reaon that Caterpiller Gained the sale was of there back up etc. Theer are definitely superior Graders on the market even now but no one else{at this point in time] has back up that Caterpillar have so you buy a cat; tThe VOlvO Agents are well respectd for there Back up . there was allso a grader built in new zealand by A&G Price They were very similar to the Adams[THE main frame was same design} Only they had perkins engine they were an ok machine maintaining roads, Back to the Adams the frame that they appear to have used was for a larger 660 190/ 200hp machine, there a few Adam in Victoria there frame was in keeping with other Adam made in States Meandered a bit onite but will see what else i can dig up for you Regards Les
Mark Apologies for taking so long with the photos, my wife says she forwarded them the other day, feel free to post them here if you want. the more i have to do with graders, the more respect i have for builders of the Goodwin, they were built to last! it really should be in a museum,or something, i dont want to see it die, its a symbol of a bygone era. My father says that to the best of his recollection the grader was owned by the shire of Port hedland, so your probrarily right about the rail connection. Regards, Goodwin
Hi Mark, yes you had a choice of motor my Dad didnt like GMs or Cummins he prefered internatiol Harvester motors yhey were petrol start and switch over to diesal when motor warmed up The Adams/Wabco gradesr i owned all had cummins motors in .The graders in your photo's would be Assembled after 1955 the front wheel hub is the heavier hub The Blade lift gear box is heavier than earlier Adams so this will give some indication as to when they were assembled, I have found out that all Adams and Wabco's that were imported to New Zealand came direct from US OF the graders in your photo's are Adams graders like the Adams that Ipswich council owned had the Goodwin plate on front ,How ever it was an Adams Grader thru and thru, I have a photo of Dads Adams ill see if I can get it on line. In regard the front Hubs the stub axles were a lot heavier in later models. The earlier Adams and Cat 12 's used to break the front stub axles we carried a spare axle on the machine most of time. nevertheless the Adams were a great Grader
Here a photo from an old Goodwin grader: https://www.flickr.com/photos/94854784@N06/9891883624