Warren Blain

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

Warren Blain left college in 1961 aged 15 to start an apprenticeship with Cousins Interstate Transport as a diesel truck mechanic. By 1967, following the sale of Cousins to Thomas National Transport (TNT) Warren started driving interstate hauling for a variety of well known companies including Panucci, Caringbah Haulage, Shell, Rapid and Copper City.

In 1974 Warren started with Comet Overnight driving a legendary Kenworth K125 (Grey Ghost) rigid on the Melbourne to Brisbane run. Later Warren became one of only three drivers to tow trailers on the Brisbane leg. Warren did this for six years until 1980 when he became a sub-contractor to Comet servicing the Canberra, Wagga Wagga and Wodonga regions.

Over the next 18 year period Comet and Kwikasair were combined as one unit under the TNT umbrella. In 1998 Warren began refrigeration contracting to Berle Transport Sydney carrying ice-cream throughout the eastern states and as far north as Cairns. On return runs he carried for Scotts, Nolans, Wickhams, Garden City, Toll and Blenners. Warren sold his last truck in 2004 after moving to the Sunshine Coast, Qld. The move necessitated the reluctant sale of the business as it was too hard logistically to operate out of Sydney while living in Queensland.

After that Warren took on casual relief driving for Kes Transport and Frigmobile throughout northern NSW and QLD grocery runs. In 2006 he started with Armesto's Transport driving a new Kenworth B-Double on the Sydney run hauling for Mainfreight Express. Warren did this for nearly three years before starting with XL Express on the Mackay-Townsville run in a new Western Star B-Double. After two years Warren changed to the Mackay-Newcastle-Mackay run driving for Toll NQX until his retirement in late 2011.

Warren now travels around the country in his Winnebago whenever possible. He says,

What a wonderful life trucking has given me. This industry has given me so much; I am so proud to have been part of Australian transport history.

In 2012 Warren's son drives a B-Double for Toll NQX and hopes that he too will have fond memories of the trucking industry in years to come.