Hills Carrying Co. of Bulls and Hunterville
Remember When Simon Vincent Remember When Simon Vincent

Hills Carrying Co. of Bulls and Hunterville

The Hill family moved to Bulls in 1917, when William obtained a contract from the Manawatu District Council to cart metal from the bed of the Rangitikei River and load it into the wagons of the Sanson Tramway. The tramway was a council built and operated railway that ran from the south end of the Bulls’ Bridge to Himatangi where it joined the New Zealand Government Railways line that ran from Longburn to Foxton.

Read More
Central NI logger EF Deadman Ltd recalled – Part Two
Remember When Simon Vincent Remember When Simon Vincent

Central NI logger EF Deadman Ltd recalled – Part Two

Eric Deadman began hauling logs in the King Country before the Second World War. From small beginnings his business grew from a single truck to a small fleet before selling the business to his son Bob and his wife Margaret. By the early 1980s the changing regulatory environment and declining business ethics saw the new owners sell up their stake and take up farming, a decision they haven’t regretted. Simon Vincent continues the history of this well-known logging business. 

Read More
Mainfreight’s FR Macks
Remember When Simon Vincent Remember When Simon Vincent

Mainfreight’s FR Macks

I am sure that anyone associated with the transport industry in the early 1980s will remember the five Mack cabovers of Mainfreight Ltd. The fledgling transport company placed the first four of its stunning new Mack FR700 eight wheeler trucks on the road in 1979/1980. We look at the history of these trucks here.

Read More
Howard Brothers
Remember When Simon Vincent Remember When Simon Vincent

Howard Brothers

Simon Vincent spoke to Winston Howard about Howard Bros, the family firm which operated the iconic Kenworth L-924 known as Steptoe. The Howard family, Bruce, and later Bruce and Winston in partnership, were involved in transport from the 1950s until the 1970s initially general carriers and later they became loggers.

Read More
The history of B Cronin & Co Ltd – Part One
Remember When Simon Vincent Remember When Simon Vincent

The history of B Cronin & Co Ltd – Part One

During the 60s, 70s and 80s, the premier fleet in the Waikato had to be the Tamahere-based trucks of B Cronin & Co Ltd. With red cabs and black mudguards, red tipping bodies and green stock crates, these rigs really stood out. Dave Hall looks back at the history of this stand out fleet.

Read More
Central NI logger EF Deadman Ltd recalled – Part one
Remember When Simon Vincent Remember When Simon Vincent

Central NI logger EF Deadman Ltd recalled – Part one

Eric Deadman began hauling logs in the King Country before the Second World War. From small beginnings his business grew from a single truck to a small fleet before selling the business to his son Bob and his wife Margaret. By the early 1980s the changing regulatory environment and declining business ethics saw the new owners sell up their stake and take up farming, a decision they haven’t regretted. Simon Vincent looks back over the history of this well-known logging business with the assistance of the Deadman family. 

Read More