Subbie wannabe

Hello Ron , thank you for your stories . Great memories and history which just build character and make you the person you are today . Many thanks ol' mate - you old timers sure did it hard compared to what the young blokes like myself went through . Cheers Clarke .

I couldn't agree with Choc's more Ron. keep finding those photos and stories please....They are truly wonderful, and if nothing else, should make us realise just how easy we have it today... makes you wonder hey.
Cheers and thanks again,
Richard

Our pollies keep using the phrase "Aussie Battler" . People these days think they are battling if they haven't got 2 cars & a flat screen TV. A credit to you Ron & many more before & after you. Dave

A chill went up my spine when you mentioned "Honest John", I was thoroughly enjoying your post till then Ron.

Gidday Horse, I drove interstate for John Kennelly in 1959 & 1960 and he actually treated (and paid) his drivers very well .It was only the subbies that he sometimes didn't pay!
26 tons payload on a TS3 Commer Knocker with a 32 foot trailer,Adelaide to Port Kembla and return. 90 pounds a week,was good money in those days.
cheers, Pete

Hi Ronhorse,

Good to hear the stories and love the photos. Love to hear more. Keep em coming.

Cheers.

Jon

Jeez BK, I feel really bad about ruining your day (or worse, night) I promise you you-know-who will never pass this keyboard again. Pedro, I have heard guys talking amazed at the load his little Commers pulled, 90 quid a week was BIG money back then, was that to dodge the scales?? I contracted with Ringwood brothers dad, who ran Leyland Company in Adelaide to drive an Austin semi 50 pound to Sydney, 25 to Melbourne, truck was too light for the work, I was going over the Pentland range, dropped the diff into low to go down when it stuck in neutral, didn't know it could do that, before I knew it I was flying, 12 ton of cement, low load and COE. At the bottom was a sharp s bend over a creek. I think the road builders were encouraged by the Government to build in hazzards to kill off truck drivers!! The little brakes faded right out and I knew I would not make the bend at the bottom,things looked grim, The angel appeared again and put a farmer with a load of hay in front of me, survival mode kicked in and I lined him up and hit him dead centre, slowed me up, a little rise before the final decent and I hit him again slowing me enough to run up a small watercourse and stop. I walked back to him, standing by his truck in a bit of a shock, told him what happened, we lifted the side bonnet and there was a gap of about 4 inches in the top radiator hose! that's how far the engine went into the cab, can't remember what happened to him but I managed to get to the next town and some radiator sealer. Note that there is no number plate on the truck, this was right after the Hughes and vale case, drove the police nuts untill we were issued IS plates.

Gidday Horse, I drove interstate for John Kennelly in 1959 & 1960 and he actually treated (and paid) his drivers very well .It was only the subbies that he sometimes didn't pay!
26 tons payload on a TS3 Commer Knocker with a 32 foot trailer,Adelaide to Port Kembla and return. 90 pounds a week,was good money in those days.
cheers, Pete

G'day Pete.

Just Curious. (I know It killed the cat). But seeing as you had to dodge marulan. :-X

Did you go down/up the Clyde mountain from braidwood to Batemans bay??

Whatever way you went?
I'd reckon you spent a LOT of time in low gear :'(

PS: C'mon all you old(er) Blokes. Let the Stories rip .
Before It's too late.

or Mt Vic with the Blitz pusher ready to fall in line?

A great story Ron, you write the history of road transport in Australia how it is and I read it with the greatest admiration and respect for you and your colleges who made a living "when the world was wide" cheers Rob