The Mighty TK

Ian has sent me some beaut photos of the TK Bedford has father drove for Transport North Canterbury.

This was in the 70s when drivers worked from daylight till dusk  (and longer)  and most items were loaded on and off by hand. Here the TK with its 400 Leyland diesel has a tipper mounted on the flat semi-trailer for carting grain, although Ian tells me in this instance it was unloading some firewood at home.

I don't think the guys at Bedford ever thought a TK would be used to move a house, even though this only happened once apparently.

This A-train set up was a common task for this TK. Photos like this must have made the Bedford engineers groan. It's a pity the front of the TK got cut out of the frame, but a magnificent shot all the same.
I'm not sure what the GCM would be, but the Leyland would have had about 125 horses and I guess a 4 speed box and two speed diff and I'll bet every one of those ratios got used to the max.
Incidentally Ian tells me his father still drives on a casual basis in his late 70s.

Wings Over Wairarapa (2)

The Aero Vodochody L39c Albatros was built in Czechoslovakia as a jet trainer. There are many of these now in private hands around the world.

A scale replica Mustang with polished fuselage gleams in the hot sun.

The RNZAF Boeing 757 did a low pass followed by a full power steep climb.

Life Flight's new air ambulance is a BAE Jetstream with livery representing bandages.

The Jetstream's panael.

Officials keep an eye on the line of North American Harvards (T6 Texan if you are stateside) while  one of the Navy's five Kaman Seasprites dances around the sky in the background.

An RNZAF Lockheed P-3K Orion passes low level with flaps and gear dangling. The Orions are part of the Air Force's  Airborne Surveillance and Response Force.

Five Harvards perform a routine.

A Hughes 500 demonstrates its fire-fighting skills.

This MX2 put on a magnificent display for 8 minutes. Very little of it could be described as flying....more like falling, tumbling and spinning!

A de Havilland DH115 Vampire taxis by.

This Albatros is in very civillian livery.

Three Albatrosses and two Vampires

Wings Over Wairarapa

Last weekend was our local Wings Over Wairarapa airshow. Here are photos taken by my daughter (see her blog at www.niceties.co.nz) and me.

The BAC Strikemaster was originally used as the RNZAFs jet trainer. This example is now in private hands, but still in RNZAF colours

The de Havilland DH98 Mosquito is the aircraft everyone came to see. This is the only flying example in the world. Owned by American Jerry Yagen, it was restored in NZ over a seven year period and was to be dismantled shortly after the show ready for shipment back to the States.

Have you ever heard this many Merlins? Mosquito, two Spitfires, two Kittyhawks a Mustang and the odd man out, the Chance Vought Corsair with its big double row radial and massive propellor.

The Avro Anson is also a rarity. This one had a few modern day modifications.  No one ever wanted to sit in the right hand seat of the original as they would be responsible for winding the landing gear up and down by hand. This one had hydraulics.

Another rare one is the Supermarine Spifire TrIX , a two seater trainer version of the normal single seater Mk IX.

North American P51D Mustang.

Supermarine Spitfire Tr IX.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX,

Four YAK 52s climb into the clear blue.

Seven YAK 52s diving in formation during their aerobatic routine.

Wellington Truck Show

Wellington Truck Show was held last weekend at Trentham Park. Entry was by gold coin donation, with all money going to the Life Flight Trust, who operate rescue helicopters and air ambulances.

This Freightliner with 4 axle low-loader looked very smart in blue and silver.

Alpha Specialised Movers had two of their hydraulic lifting trailers stacked up to lift this small house some 6 metres in the air.

Auto Despatch displayed two new Cats, but unfortunately the overhead cars shaded the cabs for the photo.

L.G Anderson also showed a Cat as well as this impressive Freightliner 8 wheeler and 4 axle semi.

Quality Demolition showed that demolition trucks don't have to look like a demolition site with these matching Kenworths.  

I've got a soft spot for Mack Super-liners and this example did nothing to change that opinion.

Hooker's Western Star wasn't lacking in shine with that massive front bumper, chrome stacks, air cleaners, bug deflector and headlamp "eye-lashes".

Stock Transport Limited is now known simply as STL. A Kenworth T950  with narrow sleeper.

A UK Follower

Dave Jessop from the UK saw my blogs of 12th and 17th June 2012 and sent me photos of his own ERF of a similar era.
It's a 1956 with a 5 cylinder Gardner and a 5 speed David Brown box.

Dave's example has the straight bottom to the door as opposed to the ones which follow the curve of the guard.
Dave tells me it is completely original and just needs rewiring and a bit of a tidy up.
It would be great to see it blowing the smoke out of the Gardner and trundling down the road soon Dave.

New Snaps

Here are a few of my recent snaps..

Just before Christmas there were a lot of  logs being harvested in this area. This is a line up of "Out of Town" loggers at  Copthorne Solway Park motor inn. Note the trusty old Mack Ultra-liner, second from the far end.

A McCarthy's Scania logger heads north on Chapel Street in Masterton, on its way back to the forests for another load.

Burling Kenworth heading south on Chapel Street with a load.

These couple of shots are at the Picton ferry terminal just after sunset, hence the dull blurry  look.
New model Kenworth conventional of Strait Freight.

Owen's Freightliner  Coronado.

I'm Back !!!

A few more pictures from Max to celebrate being back in action.
Reid's Kenworth LW924R from 1975 has been in their ownership for a number of years and must have clocked up several hundred thousand kilometres by now.

Balle Bros is a grower and supplier of fresh produce. Curtain sided B-train behind a Kenworth Aerodyne.

HTL Foden 8 wheeler tractor pulling a 4 axle semi.

4 wheel drive Scania for fertiliser spreading. The trailer carries bulk fertiliser  for  topping up the truck.
Body of trailer is raised hydraulically to tip into truck parked alongside.

Jets Transport Hino probably carrying general freight.

Earlier model Hino than above operating as a horse transporter.

Maskill's Kenworth Aerodyne with decks full of mechanical beasts.