Charles Murray
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2006.
Charles Murray bought his first truck on 25th July 1964; it was a petrol engine Commer. In 1965 he started carting for TransWest, Melbourne, later purchasing his first semi in 1968, a TS3 Commer diesel, continuing to haul for TransWest with acid tankers, tippers and flat-tops.
His foray into interstate began with a load of nitrocellulose for TransWest out of ICI, Melbourne to ICI, Sydney. In 1969 he went hauling for Hartridge Road Freighters.
He hauled car parts to Sydney and backloaded refrigerators back to Melbourne. For the next 15 years he hauled general freight for many companies including James Leahy, Le Messuriers, Portagallo Transport and Ansett.
In 1972 Charles bought a Dodge D2F and drove this for a couple of years. In 1974 he purchased an LPS 1418 Benz using it to haul general freight to Adelaide returning with fresh produce to the Melbourne markets. In 1977 he began hauling roofing tiles to Sydney and Newcastle for TransBrik backloading with bricks and powder out of Wollongong and Unandera, over the Bulli Pass.
In about 1979 Charles moved to the Melbourne to Adelaide run still hauling roofing tiles for TransBrik and returning for TNT Materials Handling with pallecon and pallets. For the next 16 years he averaged two trips a week. For 12 of those years he never carried tarps on the trailer.
By 1986 Charles had purchased the first of his Kenworths, a 1981 K123. He purchased his second Kenworth in 1988. TransBrik ceased trading in 1995 and Charles began hauling to central NSW, Canberra and Adelaide for Gumes Loading Agency. During this time he mainly returned to Melbourne with cement for Melcann or timber out of Mt Gambier for Associated Transport, Sneath, Scotts, SWF and K and J Freighter.
With the loss of TransBrick work, one of the Kenworths was sold off and a 45 foot Kruegur tautliner was purchased. He still operates this today (2009), in conjunction with his first Kenworth, hauling interstate for MacGregors Transport returning home again with timber from Auspine Ltd of Tarpeena, South Australia.
