Norman Bradshaw

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2007.

Norman Bradshaw's career in transport started in 1968 driving for Coca-Cola. His heavy haulage career started later with Lance Smith. Norman's first job was with a Commetto and Platform carting a track-laying machine for Hamsersley Iron from Melbourne to Dampier.

He then continued to cart all over Australia and was the first to drive a platform in the Territory. Around 1980 he carted the highest load ever on a main road, a 33m pole-driving machine, on Kings Way in Melbourne. In 1982 he carted most of the heavy lifts for use on the Moomba Gas Field.

This included 600kms of dirt road, difficult crossings and lots of on-road maintenance. It also included the heaviest load ever to be transported; a 450 tonne pressure vessel from Whyalla to Stoney Point. From 1983 Norman subcontracted for Hi-Haul and was appointed as manager in 1990 (and later for Megalift). Norman managed one of the largest loads shifted on rubber tyres in Australia, a 1700 tonne oil rig module. He also moved a 400 tonne, 105m load right across Australia.

Heavy haulage became second nature for Norman, and his experience of the roads and degrees of difficulty allowed him to do feasibility studies for future loads. The 1990s saw him in New Zealand doing the road transport for 13, 12.5m diameter, 20m high, 400 tonne units, from New Plymouth to Invercargill. It was an amazing feat and one he was told could never happen. In 1995 Norman Bradshaw took a position in Malaysia to form a heavy lift transport company, to deal with 1800 tonnes and 780+tonnes GP5 and 6 for Petronas on main roads travelling to refineries in Malaysia, Indonesia and China. By 1997 he was working for Brambles Ultra Heavy Haulage.

In 2001 Norman went into partnership and bought a division of Brambles which became Bradshaw Ultra Heavy Haulage working every state in Australia, carting loads for power stations, refineries and mine sites.