Brian Buxton

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2012.

Brian Buxton, brother of Eddie, was born in 1935 on a sheep farm near Sale in Victoria. Brian stayed on his father's farm until 1954 and then purchased a 1949 Bedford to carry firewood and fence posts.
   
In 1956 Brian went to work for McFiesTransport driving an L180 International. His depot was in Melbourne and he operated between Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.  Brian drove several different 180 Internationals for McFies until he got his first R190. Brian married Margaret Martine in 1957 and together they had two daughters, Barbara and Linda who went on to have four children: Lisa, Brian, Jacinta and Rachelle.

Brian was a very well-liked and well-known person both with his employer and his fellow drivers on Australia's interstate highways.  Someone was always looking for Brian to tune up either their 180 or 190 International.  He was always keen to stop and help any other driver with a problem. In 1965 Brian won the prestigious Cummins Driver of the Year award.

In 1967 Brian took a short break from trucking but three months later he returned to McFies Transport and was given a new W Model Kenworth which he drove for the next three years.

In April 1971 Brian decided he had enough of driving and McFies offered him a job as yard manager in Melbourne.  Brian had worked for 16 years at McFies; a loyal employee indeed.

Brian did his last trip to Brisbane in April in 1971.  On his arrival in Brisbane he saw one of his mates, another driver for McFies, who was having some brake problems with his W Model Kenworth.  He asked Brian if he would give him a hand to fix the problem. Of course Brian was willing to help.

While Brian was working under the truck, the other driver, Jack Rech, was in the cabin trying to get the air up.  The truck slipped off the jack and rolled on top of Brian. Brian Buxton died that night in a Brisbane hospital.  He was only 36 years old.

Brian is remembered on the truckies' memorial at Tarcutta in NSW.  His name is alongside his old mate Jack Rech who lost his life in a trucking accident on the Hume Highway just five years after Brian's death.

It is 41 years since Brian passed away and he is still very much missed by all who knew him.