Peterbilts

[harrybarbon]

For Whiskymack

Now some pictures of Williams Transport Euston NSW Australia - Peterbilts, this was about 1964 to 1968. One of Williams sleeper cab over units is in a shed here in Melbourne, close to original condition. Williams were one of the early buyers of Peterbilts in Australia, but after Paccar stopped export of Pete's to Aust in favour of Kenworth's for Aust, that was the end of Williams Peterbilt days, then came the White trucks. All the Pete's were Cummins engines and most may have had 2 stick gearboxes. 

My apology for the way I have scanned the pictures that you have to open them, I need to workout how to save as an open picture!

 

 

 

 

Williams - Peterbilt no2.PDF Williams - Peterbilt no3.PDF Williams - Peterbilt no5.PDF

[Whiskymack]

Thank you for the pictures. I saw very few Peterbilts when I was there and the few I saw were generally Left hand drive so weren't built for the Australian market. I do remember seeing a silver 359 running around Robinvale. I'm attaching pictures of the KW W900 and the Diamond Reo I took in 1992. I can't find any pictures of the T600. It looks like the lettering on the trucks is RSTG which I vaguely remember might have been Robinvale to Sydney Transport Group. Did they change names a few times and am I right in thinking they aren't trading now?

No problem with the pictures but I think they may work better if scanned as JPEGS but I'll see what happens with my post!

[harrybarbon]

I can't recall but yes name seems as you have remembered. It was owned as I was told by Wally and his oldest brother Billy, whom started Williams Transport late 1950's. They sold RSTG after 3-4 serious accidents, possibly mid 1990's, that was the last of Williams family as owner operators. Wally came to Melbourne and became a heavy tow truck driver for many years. Maybe about 7 years ago he moved to a caravan park close to the river near Kerang, Victoria - if you remember Kerang is south of Swan Hill. There he spent most of his time on his fishing passion.  

And I recall RSTG had a mix of trucks, KW's, Diamond Reo's. By then Petes were mainly older trucks from the 1960's, there were few imports because of the federal govt restrictions on private imports, compared to now. There are many Pete's running around in Aust now, 1 fleet owner in Kyneton Vic has 7 long hood Petes possibly 1990's that have come into Aust last 15 years and converted locally to right hand drive.

Freestone transport have a number of Petes and a restored B61 with a Cummins L10 engine and I think 13 spd road ranger, that does the occasional highway trip. I understand that Freestone's imported their Pete's and had the conversions done locally or some in USA.

 

[Hayseed]

Robinvale Transport Group (RTG) & I shared a Depot facilities for a while in Sydney back in the early '90s. 

 I have a Feeling that the Cordoma family  took over the remnants of RTG, They ran It for a few Years & sold out to Lindsay Brothers..  But happy to be Corrected..

[Whiskymack]

The KW's and Diamond Reo's were the only ones I saw at RSTG apart from an International straight truck they used for picking up from the local farms. I don't know how many trucks they had at this time but they seemed like a relatively small family outfit. I seem to remember that Wally had at least one son involved in the business and it was he who took us to Melbourne in the T600A after we moved on from Robinvale.

I don't think I ever went to Kerang or Snow Hill. 

 

 

 

 

[harrybarbon]

I think you are correct with the name RTG.

And sale sounds correct to Cordoma and then Lindsay's but if not Cordoma, maybe Bunkers. Also when Billy sold his business it may have been to Bunkers, possible Williams did lot of work for Bunkers or work shared.

RTG and Williams earlier carted produce from Adelaide to Sydney and then White Wings product back to Adelaide, when the grape season ended. Back then it was a short season for grapes not like now. I would say that Collins now has the bulk of the produce from Adel to Sydney