SPECIAL FEATURE

TK 4X4 Bedford R Series Mack 6x4 aka ‘The Flintstone’

he Transport Museum Frontier trucking history Cyril also started a truck manufacturing is in the Lockyer Valley Cultural One of the main displays is dedicated to company, Leader Trucks, and from 1972 to Centre located in Gatton, an hour’s the history of Western Transport, which was 1984, nearly 2000 four- to 250-tonne trucks Transport back in time Tdrive west of . The current one of ’s largest transport were built for the heavy transport market. WORDS AND IMAGES BY VIVIENNE HALDANE exhibition contains 90 years of road transport companies. It experienced its heyday through Notable firsts for Leader were: the first history and is well worth checking out. the 1950s to 1970s before being sold to Bells manufacturer to fit Caterpillar engines to A trip to Brisbane wouldn’t have been complete It’s also a good place to linger and get the Brothers in Western Australia in 1972. trucks, to fit automatic transmissions to diesel without a visit to the Queensland Transport Museum feel of the Lockyer Valley, renowned for its Cyril Anderson kick-started his trucking trucks, and to offer disc brakes. horticulture (it’s known as Queensland’s salad empire with a two-tonne Studebaker truck in bowl) and relaxed, rural lifestyle. 1934, running grocery supplies from Gatton to The trucks that got the job done I’d forgotten how much I liked Australia. Brisbane. It soon grew into a general carrying Western Transport operated 14 The good vibe begins with the cheery business. During WWII, Cyril’s brother Curly Leyland Comets in Prime Mover and flat volunteer at immigration who greets us with ran the business, and in 1950, they acquired top configurations. These trucks proved a hearty smile and a teasing nod to my | rival company, Maranoa Transport, and extremely reliable and were used to haul 1.8-metre son about how we must have became Western Maranoa Transport. general freight to and from South Western raised him in compost, to another friendly Ten years later, they had 500 trucks and Queensland. volunteer at the Transport Museum who as depots in all mainland capitals and 53 Leyland 14 was purchased by Western soon as we open our mouths recognises that Queensland towns and had become one of Transport in 1953 and was coupled to a we are from ‘across the dutch.’ Australia’s largest road haulage companies. single axle trailer that when loaded carried The museum is crammed full of Western Oilfields Trucking forged a 12 tonnes of freight. These trucks were a well-restored trucks—24 in total plus path throughout Australia to open up oil common sight around the Lockyer valley and informative videos and 200 display models. and gas fields. were joined in the fleet by a range of other

Nolan’s powerful Mack A rare model belonging to McIntyre Freight Lines—a­ 1964 352 COE Peterbilt

This 1942 Chevrolet Desert Raider has an NZ connection

160 dealsonwheels.co.nz dealsonwheels.co.nz 161 SPECIAL FEATURE More info • The Queensland Transport Museum operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 4.30pm • From Brisbane, travel 90km and take the Gatton exit off Highway A2

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Leader trucks were a business initiative of Cyril Anderson who started Western Transport One of Western Transport’s Macks

British tucks, including Scammell, Dennis, status symbol for the drivers who operated could take a week to cover a distance in the world—was used in WWII in the desert patrol had a green Tiki with a red tongue is the largest family-owned and operated Bedford, and Austin. Eventually, American them. Western Oilfields Trucking and Western normally covered in a day. Back then, sealed in North Africa and had an interesting New painted on the right side of the bonnet transport business in Queensland. Macks that had a greater tolerance to heat Heavy Haulage carried equipment to open up roads were few and far between and drivers Zealand connection. The truck was the and a Maori place name beginning with ‘R’ All trucks are on loan from their owners and the rough outback conditions replaced the Jackson oil and gas fields in Western faced challenges every day that most modern vehicle for the Long Range Desert Group on the left. and from time to time. The museum rotates the British trucks. Generally coupled to either Australia as well as at Karumba and transport operations cannot even (LRDG), a reconnaissance and raiding group The LRDG vehicles were the lighter exhibitions in this area, so check before single axle or tandem trailers, they were often Innamincka. Power station turbines and contemplate. Stories are told of drivers of the British army. two-wheel drive ones pared down to the visiting to see what’s on. used to bring four tiers in height of wool equipment were transported to Gladstone having to camp beside a bogged truck for We were chuffed to read that it was thought basics and fitted with a bigger radiator. Metal For more details, visit from Western properties. and to Callide power stations from Brisbane days while digging the truck out with jacks that New Zealand farmers, who were part of mats (not hanging on the sides of the truck) lockyervalleyculturalcentre.com.au. Western Transport owned and operated and the Gladstone wharf. and shovels. All this on top of having to load the second division possessed, the attributes were apparently used for helping get the Thanks to the Queensland Transport hundreds of B-model Macks through the During the wool boom, Maranaoa and unload the vehicle by hand! needed for such an operation since they truck out of soft terrain when stuck. Museum for the above information. 1950s and ’60s before graduating to the Transport carried a great amount of wool needed men who were ‘energetic, innovative, famous R Series, famously known in Australia from Dalby, St George, and other wool Other museum highlights physically and mentally tough to be able to live Nolan Interstate Transport as ‘The Flintstone.’ The Macks were thought producing areas. Maranoa drivers had to A cream Chevrolet a 1942 Desert Raider— in seclusion in the Libyan Desert’. It was The -based trucking business, to be the best money could buy and were a contend with black soil tracks, which, if wet, one of the only 200 built and one of two left interesting to note the New Zealand armed started in 1908, is still going strong today and

1985 Volvo Globetrotter (left) and 1974 N1015 Volvo 6x4 tipper International AACO 4x2 Ford 6x4 8000 series diesel tractor unit 1981 Mack Cruise liner

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