Bulldog Bulletin

G'day detective, OK, J Moran, better known as "The Ferret".
He drove for Brambles Tanker Division from out of Brisbane and I used to work with his son in law, a Bob Gordon, at Heavy Haulage.

John wrote many poems and other bits for Truckin'Life, you had to be a bit carefull of what you were saying with him with-in earshot, or you got crucified in print.
After he retired from the road, he then sat down and trawled thru everything he had ever written, then put some of the better bits into a small book. I got suckered into buying one of these books at one of the truck shows up here, got it somewhere around here but be blowed if I can find it now.

John would take some part of a TRUE story, and embellish it quite a bit so it sounded real good, he was a good old fashioned story teller and occasionally the truth got a bit bent, when a story was there to be told.
As he was driving around the countryside, he would keep his ear tuned to the CB, and that's where he got most of his stuff for that Ferret column in Truckin'life.

He's still around today, last I heard he was living on the north-side of Brisbane. Nice bloke once you get to know him.

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

BK i've got neville's phone number in my old diary, which i still use a lot.

i'll send a pm and you can all let us know how you went...and hopefully , how he's going.

nifty senior passed away in 2004 R.I.P.

I see the 'Oliver boys' get a mention in this topic.

Rolly worked around Clermont (Cent QLD) for a while in the late 1960' - early 70's.

He arrived in town in a 'hotted up' EH Holden - which the local Sgt took a dislike to - and put it off the road for a while. The Sgt formed the same view about Rolly as he did about his car - a very obvious dislike.

So Rolly used the B Model Mack he was driving as his runabout. He never moved bob tail without first giving the front wheel slack adjusters a nip up - to provide a bit of drag - all to aid his gear changing prowess.

After a while he found himself a woman - who lived with her family on 'acreage' on the edge of town. The home was set back off the main road by about 200yds - and access was via a narrow (car type) fenced driveway - with a small car turnaround at the house end.

Rolly being Rolly - decided to visit her one day - with the Mack and 2 traiilers - straight down her narrow 200 yard long driveway.

Geting in wasnt a problem - but reversing out next morning was a whole different affair. Now Rolly could steer in reverse OK in an open paddock - but the narrow fenced driveway and a rig of all single axles was too much.

So down with another truck and a wide spread trailer - reversed up to him and attached a very short chain ring feeder to ringfeeder.

The wide spread had a better grip of the ground and easily kept the back end of the single axle dog in order and skull dragged the whole out fit back to the main road. All Rolly had to do was to keep the primemover straight.

I remember his 'sleeping kit'. The dirtyist pillow I have ever seen which was clearly branded (under the dirt): 'The Property of the Barcaldine Hospital". I often wondered what the driveway to the Barcaldine nurses quarters was like?

Now for another observation re this topic. The photo of the 7 Wrights F Models lined up at Rocklea is another 'photo shop' job. The only real trucks in that photo are the 3 closest ones.

Oldfulla

Whenever I see a photo like this I wonder what was the full story behind it.
Quite a big shed, about 4.8 at the eaves, bugger-all wall bracing so probably going to stay open sided/ends.
No purlin bundles dumped on the previous bay, yet a rigger has probably walked along the rafter to drop off the slings. Always best to walk a purlin out, bolt it off and then drop the slings.
No need to sling so flat, a centre lift would do that job so guess the crane has run out of hook height.
How did they get the roof sheet bundles up on the previous bit, not with that crane I'm sure.
Can't see any girt cleats so the riggers would have had to walk up the columns, you don't see that anymore.
Hope they blocked the suspension on those trailers.
I'd really love to get the full story.

A few more from a late 1972 issue.
Ray Mantova (VRD Tpt.) with his V8 Maxidyne.



These boxes were "iced" in the Alice for their trip to Darwin.



Then this bloke had these (1972)





And a couple of Cherry pickers, imported in 1962.

Unless I miss my guess,Kevin Langley only owns two B Models.
PhotoShop (1966) Ltd owns the other four.
Great pics though......more.

I don't remember just how many B Models Langley had but it was more than two. One story I heard was that the very last new B Model sold in Oz went to Langley. Apparently it was sitting CKD in two boxes on the docks in Liverpool for sometime, misplaced, before it was found and sent to Australia. True or false, I don't know, but strange things do happen.

I found a stash of these I've had for years, and thought I'd share a few old (grainy) photos.
These are from a 1968 mag.
This is Fitzgeralds new Maxidyne in AFE's yard at Coopers Plains.

Kevin Langley's (Kyogle) B modles.

This is one of J N Nicholsons, I know it was 1966, because I was the "jinker" man on that job.

Who was the driver of Fitzgeralds truck ? Doesn't look like either Vern Chardon or Teddy Lenahan.

A few more from a late 1972 issue.
Ray Mantova (VRD Tpt.) with his V8 Maxidyne.

These boxes were "iced" in the Alice for their trip to Darwin.

Then this bloke had these (1972)

And a couple of Cherry pickers, imported in 1962.

There were only ever two of these H Models ever imported to Oz by Anthill Ranger. The Fleming truck now in Gatton and other was wrecked. It's look alike - imported from the U.S. - is in Rocky.

In have one that I'm restoring. Will be a long project. Hope I live long enough to finish it. As the R and F Model doors were interchangeable, so were the H and L doors. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the only pair of NOS - new old stock - doors in captivity, still in the original boxes from a guy in Maryland.

g'day bk ,all the drivers at the kynuna pub were regulars at mum&dads place in katherine , did many a trip down to bris at christmas time and back home sadly most of the boys are no longer with us steve

I knew some of those blokes too, I subbied for Swires in '72, as did Bunney and Peter Radke, Terry was carting flour up there then, Snow Olds is long gone now. Ray Mantova was VRD tpt. that many names and no idea of where they are now, Billy Cole, Jimmy Oliver, the "Michelin man" from Darwin, and a whole heap of others I'd met at the old 3 Ways.

Swish, I only have a few of the early ones mate.

BK, I thought I'd quoted on the forum, but I actually sent you an email. Dumb.
Anyhow, like I said, I know/knew three of the ten, Bob Wright - who I hope s still around, Sno Ole and Eric Lang who have both passed on.

I remember that one of the Radkes had a wooden leg. He was tough.

As I said in the email, Sno Oles R Model C motor was an ex Buntine body truck that was shortened by us in the shop at Westerns in Anzac Av. We rebuilt it and made it into a prime mover. Sno bought it and used it - a few trips only - pulling doubles to the top end. This was when the 335 Cummins was just making a name for itself. Glynn O'Neil from Ipswich a DCF Inter with a 335 that pulled doubles like a Mack pulled a single. Sno re powered with a 350 running through a 20 speed Spicer. Unfortunately he died on the first trip in Darwin while un hooking the rear trailer. What ever appended to the truck I don't know.
Memories from the past.
Those guys in the photo - others f the time - knew how to get the job done under adverse conditions.