CHAMBERLAIN 45KA – c. 1951

The Museum’s Chamberlain 45KA began its life as a 40KA but was upgraded to the later model. It was built at the Welshpool, WA factory of Chamberlain Tractors. Only 108 tractors were manufactured of this model built in 1954 -1955, compared to the 40KA, of which 1484 were built (Source: Bruce Lindsay).  

Technical Specifications: 2-cylinder, 4-stroke petrol/kerosene engine. Bore 6⅛” and stroke 6.25” producing 44hp at drawbar and 47hp at the belt at 1,300rpm. Gears: 9 forward and 3 reverse. Weight 8500 lbs.                                                                                

History: This tractor was donated to the Museum by Mr Ross Wales of Darkan.

The tractor had completed a busy life and was quite weathered. The manifolds and heads had to be replaced and the fuel tanks needed repair. The clutch housing had been full of water for several years and the ring gear had rusted away. A new radiator was required and proved to be the biggest expense of the restoration.

Today, this tractor is in excellent condition. The 40 KA, on which it is based, was designed around 1937. Chamberlain engineers decided that a simple twin-cylinder, horizontally opposed kerosene engine was the most suitable. Final design was completed in 1938 and tooling up commenced soon afterwards. With the outbreak of World War II, the companies controlled by Chamberlain were shifted to the production of war materials and the tractor project was put to one side.

By the middle of 1943 the War was at a critical stage and labour for farm work was very limited. Mechanisation was the only answer. The Australian Government granted Chamberlain a sponsorship for the production of pilot model tractors. Two completed tractors were produced and satisfactory field trials were carried out in November 1945.

Having established that the tractor was satisfactory, arrangements were made to build a factory in Welshpool, Western Australia (on the south-eastern side of Perth) to commence mass-production of tractors. By January 1951 the factory was producing eight tractors a day. The Chamberlain tractors proved to be very robust and performed very well, but the times of kerosene-powered tractors was passing…