Museums

People who collect and restore trucks, taking them to shows, starting museums, deserve great credit for enabling the public, more so young people, to get the feel of goods carrying vehicles close up and personal with people who drove them.
It seems to me that the evolvement of road transport in Australia was spread across the Southern and Eastern states, drivers with skill and ingenuity having to cope with poor roads, narrow bridges and blind curves, a hostile Government placing their henchmen along the road to harrass drivers with the smallest of law infractions, where was Ned Kelly when we needed him!!! Anyone who endured the Hume Highway deserves a medal, I wonder what the total death toll is so far, dealing with suicide overnight drivers, I clearly remember one trying to pass me on a hill and over comes a car, an MGA, man threw it into a spin in front of me facing the other way, can't imagine a family car, man knew how to drive!!
So many people adapted their vehicles to suit their needs bringing new idea's to the industry, more inginuity in Australian road transport than any other country in the world, neccesity being the mother of invention. Tarcutta is a must for a central museum as it is in reach of most people and the area where most of the history took place. The Northern territory contributed virtually nothing to the developement of road transport and the last place for a main museum, a few ex-army trucks trundling up a straight open road with no laws, regulations or traffic to bother drivers, a few trucks geared so low to be able to pull several trailers.

road trains were tried with trial and error in other states in the '30's, the Government self tracking road train in the N.T. was developed and built in England, the "B" double system is an old Canadian method been used for yonks, I saw one in Ontario in 1960 and examined it, the driver said it was for one man operation, thought it was great. The only thing that changed in the N.T. was when les O'Neil of ABM came up and saw the oportunity to take over the freight industry, the territory was always a place to attract shonky people ready to take advantage of the local people, he conned the small carriers into buying his refurbished old quarry trucks "as new" and eventually taking over the whole freight industry. A local man named Ted Smith and a few mates floated the idea of starting a small museum for territory vehicles, the idea took wings and people started contributing vehicles and equiptment, unfortunately other people saw the potential of making big bucks and eased the original steering committee out, as it grew many people all over Australia contributed their little treasures to it only to have them discarded as the "commitee" were chasing big money from the Government and truck manufacturers, Len Tuit's son sent all his memoribilia only to have it "lost" I paid $30 to have a brick for my brother, never happened, a manager told me they were not interested in anything before 1970 as the truck makers wanted later gear. SO, the Tarcutta museum must be helped, even if people are a bit gunshy after Alice, this needs to become the trucking centre of road transport in Australia. And that's my personal biased opinion

Tarcutta must happen ,no matter what, bring it on
Chappo

G'day 'Horse..

Good to here from ya Ol mate!
I thought we might have seen you over this way somewhere..
I heard you had packed a swag and hit the wallaby..

Can't agree more mate, Tarcutta WILL happen..
The process is well under way..just not happening fast enough for many of us..

There were certainly some hard miles made in every state of Australia, but the Hume sure did see some fast miles..
Probably too many risks taken at times, but a lot of good times and memories to be held there..

Tarcutta is the place where it all will happen..

Any and every support is appreciated by any and every one..

chocs

" Len Tuit's son sent all his memoribilia only to have it "lost" I paid $30 to have a brick for my brother, never happened, a manager told me they were not interested in anything before 1970 as the truck makers wanted later gear. SO, the Tarcutta museum must be helped, even if people are a bit gunshy after Alice, this needs to become the trucking centre of road transport in Australia. And that's my personal biased opinion ".


I know there were quite a few old truckies (including myself) who donated photos and other memorabilia to the RTHOF. No acknowledgment was ever received from them. Enquiries reveal that "about 20" albums " were there but they didnt know to whom they belonged! Efforts to get my photos returned failed.But all is not lost as I now can view them on the Facebook page of the RTHOF where some of my photos and others peoples are displayed with no acknowledgment of their source. What a well run organisation-NOT.
Cheers sailorV