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"The Origins Of Clyde Engineering"
Clyde Engineering Company Ltd, later known as Clyde Industries Ltd, came to be a leader in Australian railways, producing the first steam locomotive by a private sector firm in Australia and the first diesel electric locomotive.
The company had its origins in 1855 at Redfern close to the then new Sydney-Parramatta rail line at Redfern, when William Henry Hudson, his son Robert and another apprentice, opened a large workshop to undertake construction work. The relationship between the new company and the new rail industry occurred early when in 1857 the company built a railway bridge on the Liverpool-Campbelltown Line.
In 1863, the company came to be known as Hudson and Sons, and in 1866 William Henry handed over his business to his sons: Henry, Robert, William and George. The company grew rapidly under their leadership. The company re-entered the rail industry deciding to tender to supply wagons for the NSW Government Railways. They secured the contract and were required to quickly learn and adapt to the new skills of iron working and engineering. They quickly acquired these skills and supplied 200 D class wagons in 1874 well ahead of schedule. This was the start of the company's taste of new and challenging contracts requiring diversification and expertise that was to become the foundation of the company's future success.
By 1879, Hudson and Sons had constructed 700 D wagons, 1000 cattle wagons, 20 coal wagons, 100 coal skips, 12 passenger cars and four sheep cars. Hudson and Sons added tram construction to their railway rolling stock profile with the construction of a tram line from Redfern Station (now Sydney terminal) down Pitt Street to Circular Quay, and the double-decker trams for the service.
Success in rail saw Robert and William search for new premises in 1881. They found land near the Sydney-Parramatta rail line at Duck Creek, near Granville. The area was locally known as New Glasgow but that name was thought unsuitable and the name "Clyde" was adopted after the heavy industrial town in Scotland. The foundation stone of Hudson and Sons' new rail workshop was laid on 26 July 1883. Henry had a dream for the new rail workshop to become a great privately owned locomotive workshop. However, the economic decline of the 1890s hit Hudson and Sons hard, and the failure of the company to secure a locomotive contract saw the company put into voluntary liquidation in 1897. This marked the end of the company's first era of operations, but it was far from the end of the business.
"The Birth And Growth Of Clyde Engineering"
Like the great Phoenix, Hudson and Sons re-emerged in September 1898 when a syndicate, including Henry Hudson, acquired Hudson's Clyde operations. The new company was called Clyde Engineering Company Ltd, and the very first action of the board of the new company was to approve the Phoenix as the company's seal. This was to signify the rebirth of Hudson and Sons, and the start of the company's second era, albeit under a different name. Clyde Engineering Company took up from where Hudson's left off, focusing on developing Clyde operations as a great locomotive workshop.
Clyde tenaciously pursued a locomotive contract and it nearly cost the company dearly, coming very close to liquidation in 1905, when a reprieve came in the form of a locomotive contract to supply the NSW Railways with 60 locomotives, later increased to 75.The first locomotive was delivered in 1907. The Clyde Engineering Company's 1905 contract was a first for Australia. It was the first private company to build a steam locomotive and by the end of 1923, Clyde had manufactured a total of 323 locomotives for the Commonwealth and NSW Railways, and for industrial customers.
Clyde survived the Great Depression by working on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and by making lawn mowers and lead-acid batteries. During World War II, it joined the war effort by expanding its skill base in aviation. Diversification again became the company's saviour.
But it was not until immediately after World War II that Clyde's tenacious leadership saw the rapid growth of the company acquiring other firms, entering partnerships and exporting. By the 1950's, Clyde was producing the first diesel electric locomotives, servicing Royal Australian Airforce planes, Royal Australian Navy vessels, producing mining equipment, automobile parts, accessories, bulldozers, cranes, structural steel and air cargo. Not only had Clyde expanded in Australia, Clyde was exporting diesel electric locomotives to Pakistan and Hong Kong through its acquired companies. Clyde became the leader of Australia's heavy engineering industry, as it is to-day.
"Clyde Engineering's Record In Australia"
