<<Rewind 2017: Broadford Truck Show

In-depth

13 Oct

Prologue: Another year has just about passed us by without a truck show. Aside from the opportunity for like-minded folk to get together to let their hair down and show the wider world the best of the industry, those shows have been the source of many a good story for yours truly.

Hopefully it won’t be long before some sort of normality returns and we can once again enjoy the camaraderie that these shows produce. Meanwhile let me take you back to 2017 and the inaugural Broadford (Vic) show, put on by the HCVC and particularly one Archie Baines, a character in his own right.

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The Historic Commercial Vehicle Club of Victoria is a bit of a mouthful so HCVCV will suffice – and that is a tongue twister in itself! For many years the club has held an event late in the year at Sandown raceway and more recently at the Yarra Glen Racecourse. Member, Archie Baines thought it would be good to stage another earlier in the calendar in his home town of Broadford, an hour or so up the Hume from Melbourne. Being the excellent manager he is, Archie handed most of the grunt work to his grandson, Ash Chapman, who managed to obtain final council approval just one day prior to the event.

**Paul Sutcliff and his 1985 Mack R600.**

“There are so many things needed to meet the council requirements,” said Ash. “Emergency management plans, traffic management plans and other permits for camping, food stalls and kids rides. It’s the first time we’ve had an event like this in town. We got there by the skin of our teeth.”

With around 70 vehicles attending and good foot traffic through the gate, Ash and Archie were satisfied with this first attempt. “We’ve got a number of vehicles that you don’t often see at other shows.”

One example was a rare1961 Studebaker Champ Ute which was assembled in Australia.

Archie Baines, ‘The Mayor of Broadford’, is a story within himself and I’ll follow up with a separate piece in the near future. As a teaser, Archie has a garage stocked with 43 ‘toys’. This in addition to the 10 Trucks and dogs the business currently runs in his earthmoving business. He turned up to the show with a B61 Model Mack, an Austin A30, a couple of tractors, an original 1942 army Jeep with trailer and an old Dodge that hadn’t run for years until the weekend of the show.

**The irrepressible Archie Baines with his B61**

Jimmy Harris is the current Treasurer of ATHS but in the spirit of goodwill that exists between that club and the HCVC, turned up that club’s event with his R688 Mack. “We both go to each other’s shows and try to cooperate as much is possible. We are hoping to do a show together. If we can organise it we will have one in 2018 at Albury-Wodonga, maybe in April or May. We would hope to have 6 - 800 trucks eventually. That would be one hell of a show!

Ed note: We’re still waiting for that to happen here in 2021

“There are only two types of trucks in this world, Macks and others,” said Jimmy of his R688, which he’s owned since1993. Jimmy started out driving trucks at 18. From tip trucks to a quarry, into a sawmill and then into logging. On Valentine’s Day 1985 he was checking his truck when a log came off and he lost a leg below the knee. “It hasn’t stopped me, it’s only slowed me down.” After a number of years he went back into sawmilling to go into management where he managed to lose a finger or three in 1989. “Now I’m quicker with the other hand,” he smiles.

At 62, Jimmy is a semi-retired, stay-at-home grandfather, looking after three children. “Your kids grow up and fly the coop and you think that’ll be it. But things happen with life circumstance and here we are with the grandkids. It can be tough at our age but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Gotta look after your own.”

**Helen and Peter Berry's 1954 Albion Chieftain**

Ian Castles is well known in country music circles but played with trucks for some 24 years. He appeared at Broadford with his ex-Toll, K404 Kenworth running a 500 hp 60 series Detroit under the bonnet. On the back of the Kenny was a beautifully restored ‘31 model Chevrolet. “When I bought the Chevy home from the neighbours my wife said, ‘I can understand him wanting to sell it but cannot understand you wanting to buy it!’ She does loves it now though.”

6. Ian Castles keeps his mind occupied with trucks and music. Not a bad combination..JPG

Also on the tray was an early heavy haulage tow truck “It’s a 1946 KB 11 International rated for some 200 tons. When I bought it home it hadn’t run for 11 years. We put some oil, water and fuel in it and fired it up. Two revolutions and away she went as though she had been running yesterday.

“It’s important to keep your mind occupied after you retire so we rebuild trucks. The tow truck is probably one of the first heavy duty tow trucks in Melbourne built up by Ray Miller. The grill is out of a milking machine, the guards are home made by Mick Turrington, as is the bonnet shroud. The bonnet is off a Leyland Super Beaver and the cabin is off a 630 Diamond or an R200 Inter, but it’s all there. Ray was years ahead of his time. What they did with this truck in its day was awesome.”

Ian drove interstate for about 24 years doing overnight stints from Melbourne to Adelaide and then Melbourne-Townsville. He put the guitar down for many years to concentrate on business before picking it up again and releasing five albums. “It keeps me off the streets,” he smiles.

The fledgling Broadford event was deemed a success by all those who attended – especially the ones who lived through the Saturday night shindig! Does Victoria have too many truck shows? “Can’t have too many truck shows!” was the loud rejoinder.