Edward ‘Ed’ Russell

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame in 2023.

Edward Russell, known as Ed, was born in Bridgetown, Western Australia in 1953. Trips as a small kid with his dad in their 8-ton bobtail truck stirred his love of being in trucks. Ed’s father became ill, so Ed was allocated a special licence so began driving daily at 17 years of age. His trips were around 250km, taking apple juice concentrate from Bridgetown to Perth, Western Australia.

By 1977 Ed was trucking general cargo out of Sadleirs’ Kewdale yards into Northwest, Western Australia with a neighbours International Prime Mover. Offloading anywhere from Carnarvon to Broome. One trip, with his own International Acco 345 Petrol V8 he was told drive 40 miles north of Meekatharra, turn left through Mulgul Station, ask the way when you get there, about 100kms. The road was so bad Ed had to back up and take a run at several creek crossings. The dry banks were between 15 – 20 feet high and very steep. Ed finally got to the drilling camp to be told that his was the first 2-wheel drive truck to make it in there. A total of 180 kms.

In 1980 Ed purchased a M.A.N. 15240 diesel 240hp single drive prime mover, 40ft tandem trailer and stock crate. He and his wife Coleen now owned a fleet of four trucks. They also had four children.

The 1990s Ed went for a change of scenery, driving for others. He was driving new Volvo trucks from Brisbane to Perth carting trucks and machinery from the Eastern States to Western Australian. Ed also carted logs, grain and underground ore.

By late 1990 a road train trip with mate Terry Wright (Mungus) to Carnegie Station, Western Australia, (where the cattle were so wild the owner carried a 6-shot revolver on his belt) led Ed to his biggest thrill, driving road trains for John Leeds. His favourite truck ‘Beef Injection’ was a Western Star 630hp with Hallmark Trailers and a big bunk carted up to seven decks of cattle throughout northern Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland. Ed loved roaring down the highway, engine humming beautifully in the middle of the night, on a good road with a full load.

Ed considers he is fortunate, fifty-three years driving trucks, bobtails to 7 decks and everything in between. All different makes, shapes, sizes and loads. Ed still loves carting cattle, now in his Kenworth 401 453hp Cat Motor towing a dog trailer. His favourite pastime, in his Kenworth is towing the caravan heading to a Vintage Day his restored Massey Ferguson 1100 tractor.