The Nullarbor Kid: Stories from my trucking lifeHe was a pioneer trucker in postwar Australia--a time when outback roads were little more than corrugated dirt goat tracks. This is a story of vast distances, ill-equipped machines, heat and dust, humor, and good mates. If you had worked with them, if you had driven with them, if you had had a drink with them, if you helped them when broken down, you would have been proud to be one of them and called them mates. Meet Ray Gilleland, pioneer trucker in postwar Australia, a time when trucks were viewed as an "upstart industry" that threatened existing railway systems. Ray was part of the new breed, determined not to be chained to the old ways. The Nullarbor Kid tells of the true adventures Ray and his mates had when the trucking industry was born, and the battle lines between government and truckers. Ray tells stories of trucks not suited for blistering Australian heat, long mountain climbs in low gear, and the vast distances that sapped the strength of driver and truck. Of tolls, inspectors, and regulations set to strangle the new industry, and drivers who fought back with every trick in the book, of incredible near misses that could have killed them, and through it all, the smell and noise and romance of long-haul driving. In this world, when the chips were down, indeed at all times, humor loomed large and real life adventure abounded. |
Contents
1 | |
5 | |
15 | |
21 | |
4 Memory lane
| 29 |
5 Puncture problems
| 37 |
6 Christmas refrigerators
| 43 |
7 Ken Grey
| 85 |
17 A moving truck
| 151 |
18 A comet came to Earth
| 157 |
19 Bank run
| 167 |
20 A night for guns
| 171 |
21 Fast and furious in the USA
| 181 |
22 Static
| 193 |
23 Boomerang
| 195 |
24 The ringing of the bell
| 205 |
8 Yesterday
| 88 |
9 A wet step on a wet night
| 91 |
10 Trees and needles
| 97 |
11 Gypsies
| 113 |
12 Stubble trouble
| 117 |
13 Ron Castell
| 121 |
14 Just a phone call away
| 133 |
15 The Tea and Sugar train
| 137 |
16 The Lame Duck
| 143 |
25 The rabbit
| 213 |
26 Terracotta warrior
| 219 |
27 Homer Simpson country
| 223 |
28 Yatala Prison
| 233 |
29 Before Underbelly
| 241 |
30 Border crossing
| 245 |
31 The edge of darkness
| 255 |
Back cover
| 266 |
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Common terms and phrases
AEC Matador ahead arrived asked Australia axle boomerang boss cabin Ceduna Charley climbed couldn’t couple darkness decided desert didn’t driver’s door dust Ethel Eucla everything eyes face front fuel gear going grabbed hand happened head headlights highway Hume Highway Irish stew kids knew load looked mate Melbourne miles Mittagong motor moved needed night Norseman Nullarbor Plain okay Perth pistol Port Augusta problem pulled quick quickly rabbit rail rain refrigerators Saab sealed road seat side sleep slipped slowly smile South South Australia started station steering wheel stop Sydney Tarcutta Taronga Park Zoo Terry thing thought took town track trailer brakes transport inspectors travelling tree trip trouble truck trying turned tyres Wagga waiting walked wanted wasn’t weighbridge What’s window wondered Yeah yelled