Doug Blenkiron

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at ReUnion 2013.

Douglas Roy Blenkiron was born into a trucking family in Murray Bridge South Australia in 1945. His father, Roy Blenkiron, was one of  the two original carriers in the town. Roy Blenkiron had started his carrying business  in 1923 with a solid tyred International with a legal load capacity of one and a half ton. Doug's older brother Merv also drove in the family business.

Doug joined the family business, Blenkiron Transport in 1962,  when he turned 17. Initially Doug was given a job driving a Bedford J6 with a 36ft single axle trailer which they kept for only a few months. From there he progressed to a six cylinder Perkins powered Commer towing a double deck stock crate. Most of his work was to markets, off shear sales and transferring live-stock from drought affected areas into other states for ajistment.

In 1966 Doug was conscripted into the army where he trained as an artillery gunner. He was sent to the Vietnam conflict in 1967 where his driving skills were put to work. He became the driver attached to the 106 Battery, 4th Field Reg. While on duty in Vietnam Doug drove a Landrover on which he proudly displayed a Perkins Diesel badge on the grill. On returning from Vietnam in 1968 he and fiancée Heather Hewlett were married. Around this time Doug repowered the Commer with a V8 Perkins. They continued to focus the business on stock haulage towing a two and half deck stock crate often, with a four wheeled dog trailer behind that well before B-doubles were thought of
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In 1974 Doug and Heather purchased a truck of their own. It was a Volvo F88 which they operated up until 1978 when they bought aVolvo F12. It was a lemon and caused them much grief and was eventually sold after two years. Doug then took a job as a coach driver undertaking many school trips to the snow fields and various charters around the countryside. Trucks eventually came back into Doug's life with a W-model Kenworth and tipper.
 
After the Kenworth did 1.6 million kms it was traded on a Ford Louisville that ran with both a tautliner on interstate and a tipper that went onto farm work. At that time Doug's son Paul also went into trucks and they worked together quite often. Next came an Iveco and Doug drove it on local tipper work. Paul eventually got out of trucks and Doug retired. He carted grain and fertiliser for local farmers right up until he retired. Doug still enjoys driving on a casual basis when he gets the chance.