Yesteryear yarns

In February 2023, Features•6 Minutes•By Alison Verran•March 10, 2023

After attending the funerals of four legendary Hawke’s Bay truckers in a year, Rex Holden realised most get-togethers were at times of bereavement. “These were guys I looked up to, who were passing away far too young.” Rex decided a trucker’s reunion was needed, and the Last of the Manual Labour Drivers Reunion was born. After more than a year of organisation, the event happened in Hastings last November.

An estimated 1,000,000,000km travelled by those in attendance and not a new truck in sight…

More than 140 drivers (and their wives) gathered, more than 20 bringing their vintage vehicles. Truckies came from as far as Thames in the north and Otago in the south, with Laurie Bousfield, Kevin Coffin, Perry Black and Darren and Margaret Powell travelling from Australia to attend.

We were chuffed to receive an invitation and were constantly entertained with great stories of “those were the days”.

John Remus and Marty Greaves are great mates who recall working together in the early 1960s for Harrisons in Waiouru. John drove a 1949 Ford V8, and Marty, a Super Poise Commer, carting wool, fertiliser, stock or “anything that would fit on a truck”, says John. Their day would start at 5am, arriving at the railway to stack cement bags onto pallets by hand. A forklift would load the pallets onto the truck to take to the store, where they would block-stack the bags in the shed – again, by hand. “The stacks were above our head height,” Marty says.

Breakfast would follow, at 8am, before their day continued. John remembers: “At about the same time, we would load 15 ton of 112lb (50kg) bags of cement onto a truck and trailer. I had to load mine by hand, on my own, to deliver to the Moawhango Dam. We had to unload by hand, so I would take my time to take off my covers and ropes. By then, there would be 20 or so Ministry of Works guys to help me unload. We did this twice a day, often unloading 14 or 15 ton of bagged product on our own.”

Dean Pearson (right) is proud to own this 550hp, 1991 Kenworth T900, still with its original registration plate. Dean purchased it as a restoration project and has converted it to a tractor unit and added a sleeper cab. Bill Brown (left) drove this truck from new for Paeroa- based Clarrie Peterson, carting logs.

‘Pig Pen’ has been proudly owned by John Douglas (JD) for 25 years. One of five the same, this ex-army truck initially pulled tanks at Waiouru and Linton army camps. JD has completed restorations twice on his 1967 International F230D. Still used as a working truck, Pig Pen now has a 380 Cummins electronic engine. It acquired its unique name because it was always grubby.

In 30 years of ownership, Dave Bockman has restored his 1960 International R200 twice. Sporting a Detroit 6V92 and Spicer gearbox, this truck is ex-US military, out of Germany. Dave’s red beauty was a working truck, carting machinery, until retirement 10 years ago.

While driving home in his 1939 Ford V8 pickup from Joe Skudder’s funeral, Rex Holden had the idea of a “bit of a get-together with some old truckies for a few beers”. It turned into a much-talked-about reunion, far more significant than Rex ever imagined. Parked next to Rex’s pickup is Joe Skudder’s 1939 Pontiac, owned by Joe for more than 60 years, now in the possession of his daughter, Deb.

Father and son team, Ned (pictured) and Tony Kelly, restored this 1984 R-model Mack. “We’ve owned it for eight years,” says Ned. “We found it as a total wreck... no bumpers, no guards, no mufflers... in fact, not very much at all. We use it as a show truck. I like that it still has its original number plate and number on the bonnet from when it was new at Freightways.”

For eight years, father and son truckers, Ian (left) and Gerry Storey, have together owned this blue 1967 International F1800. Gerry says: “It’s just our toy and a show truck.” Ian describes the truck’s specs, “It’s a Detroit 6V53 that leaks a lot of oil!” Gerry owns the red 1965 International R190 with a Detroit 6V71 engine. “I bought it when I was 18 and spent 10 years restoring it. It’s always been my show truck.”

John and Marty continue their story together. “While at Harrisons, we had a six-wheeler flat-deck GMC truck named ‘Baldy’ because it had no cab. There was just a wooden seat, a wooden steering wheel and no brakes! After loading Baldy with 200lb (90kg) bags of barley by hand, we drove from Waiouru Station (farm) to Waiouru Rail Station, about 6km up the Desert Road. The journey included the Waitangi Hill, with a one-way bridge at the bottom. In fact, all the bridges were one-way on the Desert Road back in the day. We would wait near the top while a car went down and stopped the traffic coming over the bridge. After three or four minutes, we would get the go-ahead. We would pull out and go as slow as possible, but of course, Baldy picked up speed heading downhill. As we approached the bridge, you would flick it out of gear, because by then, the motor would be screaming. You would fly across the bridge, pull it back into gear and carry on up the road to the train station.”

Snippets of trucking days gone by came out with every conversation.

Tim Carrington recalls back in his father’s (Eddie Carrington of Wards Transport) day, drivers would all load and travel together. Driving old Leylands and Dodges, the lower horsepower trucks would be sent off first, followed in horsepower order, with all the drivers stopping together on the journey to enjoy smoko.

Eric Murfitt drove trucks from 1960 until his retirement in 2012. His favourite job was logging in his Thames Trader back in the 1960s.

Peter Richmond has been driving for 50 years, with his favourite truck being his 1986 eight-wheeler K-series Kenworth Aerodyne. It was the first one in New Zealand. Peter’s best memories come from working at Produce Freighters in Hastings.

A group of ex-Graham Manson/TD Haulage drivers voted long-nose Kenworths their favourite trucks, including T900, T950 and T909.

The consensus among those there to reminisce about the old days of truck driving is the industry is not what it used to be. However, there was plenty of chat about current driving, with still an abundance of enthusiasm in the room.

The weekend was such a success that Rex and his team are planning the next event in a couple of years. Rex has a Facebook page – The Last of the Manual Labour Drivers Reunion – for anyone wanting to follow.

Rex would like to acknowledge the Reunion organisers: Rex and Tina Holden, Ian Emmerson, Tracy Murfitt, Deb Hay (Skudder), Ned Kelly, Jim and Marie Ramsay, and Bill Nimmon.

After a six-year restoration, Wayne Osgood reintroduced this 1976 Kenworth LW924 to the roads. It was initially owned by Panpac and Percy Campbell was the first company driver. He went on to purchase it as an owner-driver. Wayne calls this restoration his “labour of love. I did all the work myself, apart from the painting. It’s my show truck, and I like to take it on classic truck runs. This thing has travelled a few million kilometres in its life.”

Around the start of the new millennium, a group of truckies with restored trucks decided to form a group and travel around New Zealand on weekend jaunts. Dave Bockman, John Douglas, Ian and Gerry Storey, Gary Woodwood, Robbie Caulfield, Tommy Kiernan and Bobby Ellis were among the original group. Bobby named the group ‘Thunderbirds’. John’s wife, Shona, says: “It was just a group of mates with stupid ideas of restoring trucks!” The group had great fun, and on one trip to the South Island, a group of the wives decided to climb up and have their photo taken on ‘Steptoe’ (Ian Storey’s Kenworth) while on the Seddon Road/rail bridge. As the men were taking the photos, the women spontaneously lifted their shirts to give the guys a laugh. That photo was not offered for publication. But this one shows the group at a get-together at Duck Creek Cedar Bar in Pauanui.

Bill Nimon has been in the industry all of his life. “My dad was in the industry, and I’ve been driving trucks since 1973.” Bill’s 1977 Kenworth C500 was purchased new by New Zealand Forest Products. “It was driveable when I bought it, but it was in pretty bad condition. I’ve had it about seven years and have added a sleeper cab. I just always wanted a truck with a Detroit engine in it!” Bill has owned the 1993 Volvo F16 for seven years. “I wanted to renovate an F16, and this one needed preserving. I have 22 old trucks in different stages of restoration, including Leylands, Bedfords, Reos, Volvos and Scammells. I have to live to 120 to get them all done! I am also a keeper of a 1912 Leyland X-type, owned by the Mills Family Trust, born out of J Mills Carriers, Hastings. Trucks have just been a lifelong interest for me. I get satisfaction seeing them preserved properly.”

Mike and Raewyn Richardson are passionate about the “work in progress” restoration of their 1976 Kenworth LW924C. They are only the third owners of this ex-Panpac beast. Three years into the project, it is a part-time working truck, carting machinery, as well as their show truck and toy. This Kenworth and Wayne Osgood’s LW924 are two serial numbers and two fleet numbers apart.

A great turnout for the first Last of the Manual Labour Drivers Reunion.

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