Australian Truck Collection

Here is a random selection of Australian vehicles.
Aveling Porter




Brsbane Council




Caldwell Vale




Durkopp






Durkopp

A few more
Hippo



Jundah Taxi



Tom Kruse







Mareeba





Winton

Beautiful pictures!
But not oldiest truck with sleeper cab!

2nd picture down of the Brisbane Council shows a Garrett wagon. One of these with the early engine with Joy valve gear has been renovated and is up and running here in Yorkshire, UK

Edit:- Have found a bit more info on this wagon. It is Works No. 34246 completed on March 17th, 1923 as a 6 ton 3-way tipper. This would also have had Joy valve gear.

In the 2nd posting re the 4th photo down of the Mareeba wagon, I'll hazard a guess that it is a Leyland of the early 1920s. Probably converted to pneumatics in Australia judging by the US type wheels.

The thing that always gets me with the early steam vehicles is the pathetic chain steering system which seemed to last a long time. Why would a vehicle that had many quite precise casting and engineering features of construction be burdened with a kids billy cart string steering set-up?

I know they did not often have to counter steer as the tail broke away on a fast corner but they did often require precise front wheel placement in roadworks (particularly rollers), plowing and crossing very narrow bridges and tracks of the period. You see the drivers spinning the wheel like men possessed as they attempt to keep to a winding course.

Lang

Apparently the steering was very vague. Something like 20 or more turns lock to lock. It is a good thing that they could not travel at high speed!

If you check Derby on Google earth, go right down to the end approaching the jetty there's an old dragline and a crane.
The crane was used in the 60's when the jetty was modified, according to pictures in the town museum.
Must have been too slow to walk any further, reckon they get wet feet at the really big tides.

There are a number of claims for the first car in Australia. Shearer was 1898 and Thompson 1896???

Shearer's car (two photos)






Thompson's machine



And an Australian Oldsmobile.