putty road

i went for a drive down the putty road for the first time in about 25 years on friday night.its the road time has forgotten,as you approach howes valley you start remembering all those guys that done it tough in 3070's and lnt's powered by 903's,in the bottom half of the box,dragging 30 tonne up some of them hills,and around them narrow blind corners only to greet an high speed express freight truck,green 892 pulling 2300 rpm in whatever gear it was in.they all had reasons for being on that road,these guys had balls of steel as far as im concerned,it has taken alot of lives.i dont think the putty road memorial doesnt even scratch the surface,please a moment of silence for the real truck drivers.r.i.p

Hat tipped Ol Mate..


chocs

yep....i'm hearing ya,

spent the early hours of one morning back in the late 70's putting a gearbox back up behind a V903 in a louisville that had come adrift...(common back then with the stupid ford rear gearbox mount)...you could hear them coming!!!!....all sorts of engines.....and they just kept coming......for hour after hour in both directions.....all night....it was a little un-nerving trying to work on the side of the road and not get cleaned up 'cause those guys were all on a mission!!!!
i understand where you coming from 352rhd.....i've been in the thick of them....r.i.p. the real pioneer drivers on the putty.
newto

I have been up and down that road hundreds of times ,but the first time I ever did it in daylight,(in a car),it scared the sh*t out of me !

I started running the putty late 60's, probably once or twice a week, first time (B61 mack) took 6 hrs from Singelton to Windsor. I got that down to 3 hrs from McGraths hill pub to Bulga for a camp and brecky.
I liked the road, it was a challenge every trip and it was an eye opener the first time in daylight, some beautiful scenery.
It was a challenge when we were carting 60 foot pipes from Kembla Grange to Roma (for the gas pipeline) and the permit stated to use the Putty road, going around a lefthander with the primemover on the wrong side of the road and no CB's then was bloody scarey.
Colo was just a caravan park then, Ma ran the greasy spoon and was the only place open after dark, I was down there about 10 years ago, it hasn't changed that much, a few passing lanes here and there, it seemed smoother but was probably the air suspension on the seat, cab and drive wheels.
A lot of overnighters came to grief in the putty and a few semis didn't make it around the lefthander to line up Colo bridge.

yep the putty road is like stepping back in time ...also the princess highway from melb to sydney ... on the rare occasion i have to do that run ... theres only about one 24 hour servo/roadhouse & after a million gearchanges & many hours of peddling its a blessing !

It would take a long time for me to remember all of the incidents that I have either encountered or have seen on the Putty. My experience started in 1966 driving a AA 151 International and it was not long after that time I took a little rest break driving past the Caravan Park at Colo. When I hit the Bridge at close to 60 MPH the Inter bounced twice before clearing the chain railing by then I was very much awake and given I had just completed my Pilots Licence I pulled back on the steering wheel with little success. The Inter landed nose first into the bank as for me I removed the ignition keys with my right knee and started to try and climb out of the truck. With the help of a number of people (who I found out later were having a picnic on the edge of the river) helped me to safety. When I came out of Windsor Hospital and realised how close I came to crashing into these people it changed my approach to our industry and to this day I insist no deadline is worth a life you get there when you can not when someone says you should.
As for the Truck stops Singleton to Windsor
Bulga first one closer to the Country Hall still going been there a long time
Bulga a second one arrived just a little closer to the Bridge lasted a while not sure what it is now.
Howes Valley noticed it has burnt down recently operated from earlier than 1966 until recently.
Fleetwing only operated for about 10 years
Colo Heights first on the left still operating
Colo Heights second on the left started up in opposition to the Spoon lasted I think less than 5 years
Colo Heights The Spoon on your right would have operated for close to 20 years could be more.
Colo first on the left was a Caravan Park and operated for a while.
Colo second on the left operated for at least 15 to 20 Years probably more it was called Mandalay.
The last if you could call it a Truck Stop was Simpson's top of Wilberforce it was a small BP.

Rex

yeah rex,when u say howes valley do you mean the halfway roadhouse?if so it has opened again beleive it or not.ive heard some crazy story's like an ex kwikasair driver from the very early 70's that reckons that if you could keep it on the ground around the left hander,you could achive 65mph over the old colo bridge in one of them rigids!on the other end of the spectrum,a current well known fleet whom in the late 70's early 80's would reguarly load 2x 35 tonne mine chocks on a tri axle haulmark behind a kt powered sar,destined for mt thorely.those who dont understand the mystique,obviously havent driven the road!

I have been up and down that road hundreds of times ,but the first time I ever did it in daylight,(in a car),it scared the sh*t out of me !

olddon 'ol mate .. if that isn't a comment i've heard somewhere else before...it'll stay with me forever, for the laconic irony of that simple, straight forward quote

hey detecto ill be down there wednsday,ill drop by for a cuppa if i get time.i got derrimut 8 a.m then load one steel by 2 o clock