Tankers (1)

Here are some photos I've taken over a number of years of various forms of tankers.

A Scammell S26 unloads fuel into the underground tanks at Solway service Station in Masterton

Don Bell is a dedicated Mercedes Benz user. In this shot a 2233 supplies bulk flour to a large bakery in Palmerston North.

When the fuel crisis struck New Zealand (and the rest of the world) in the 1970s many vehicles here were converted to run on LPG. It became a popular fuel with big mileage customers for many years. At this service station in Dannevirke an Isuzu B-train LPG tanker tops up the bulk tanks.

An F10 Volvo 3 axle rigid with 2 axle trailer rounds the roundabout at the North end of Masterton. Although the tanks have Mobil signs, the cab is in what looks like Volvo promotional colours.

Clint Weinberg and Pat Ihaka  shared the owner driving of this Volvo F12 contracted to Mobil. Here it is unloading at Kuripuni Motors, which was Masterton's Nissan agent at the time.

The Horseshoe Tavern carpark is the scene for this Mercedes Benz bulk cement carrier with wide-spread axles on the tank trailer.

Between 1979 and 1986 I was the Parts Manager for Vic's Subaru in Masterton which also ran a service station. Sometime in those years I snapped this 1983 Nissan UD CWA45 unloading petrol there. The truck was run by E and J Shaw, contracting to Mobil.  

In the back yard of Vic's Subaru a bulk oil tanker tops up the tanks of the "lube-bay". In those days oil was stored in large tanks at the garage and dispensed from an "oil bar" tap on the wall. Today most motor dealers receive their oil in 5 litre containers. Even the bigger users like truck dealers receive their oil in drums.
This tandem drive Vovo F12 and semi-trailer was contracted to Mobil by Peter Godber.
Most NZ Volvos came with flat glassed "west-coast" style mirrors, but Peter preferred the wider angle of view afforded by the slightly convex "European style" items.

Transport Wairarapa/Hargreaves Transport had the Mobil contract to supply bulk fuel to rural users. Here their brand new (it hasn't even got a rego plate yet) Ford N3222 (a re-badged Hino) receives some tyre work at Beaurepaires in Masterton.
My guess is that it was probably being fitted with more "grippy" tyres on the drve axles to cope with muddy farm tracks.

A 1985 Volvo F12 in Shell livery unloads at Ian Thickett Motor's service station.
These Australian sourced Volvos had the cast spoke wheels, flat "west coast" style mirrors and a curved aluminium sun-visor.

Parkview Motors in Masterton, opposite Queen Elizabeth Park, receives a top-up of Mobil petrol from this 1986 Volvo N12.



In the 80s BP ran a few of these T112 Scanias with a set forward front axle to meet axle load and spread regulations. This 1986 model is unloading at Wagg and Harcombe in Masterton. Waggs were Masterton's Chevrolet dealer for many years, and later moved into Holden. Harcombes were Masterton's Vauxhall and Bedford dealer. Being on adjacent corners and both being dealers of General Motor's products, it was inevitable that they would eventually combine.
Today the company is simply knowm as Waggs, and is still Masterton's home of General Motors as well as having the Suzuki car franchise.