Arthur Martin
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2010.
Arthur Martin was born in August 1941 at Inglewood, Victoria. On leaving school at 14 he drove a Ford and a Chev carting eucalyptus leaves to the factory and wood to the local bakers shop.
At 16 he was driving a J6 Bedford and a KB6 Inter carting rock to the crusher at the Charlton quarry. At 17, he went to work for Nullawil Constructions and when he turned 18 on a Friday on the Saturday he went to Korong Vale to get his licence and on the Monday he was driving an Isuzu with a stock-crate for Fitzpatricks in Charlton.
After driving for 12 months, Bill Fitzpatrick asked if he had an articulated licence. Arthur did not know what that was. By then he was driving a 190 Inter with a Cummins and a three-deck stock-crate. He and Bill became great friends and Arthur continued driving for Bill carting sheep and gypsum in a variety of trucks; Federal, B-model Macks, Diamond T, and Foden. Arthur also drove one of the first S-model Kenworths that came to Australia. In 1967 Arthur returned to Charlton quarry and drove an Albion Clydesdale for the manager, Ray Wain. 1976 saw Arthur back at Fitzpatricks driving a Volvo on interstate which took him to Mildura carting wine for Nangiloc Wines.
In 1981 Arthur purchased and old Commer with a 10 metre tipper. He won a contract with Vic Roads in Bendigo and was sealing roads near and far. His next purchase was a 1950 Acco Inter with a 653 Detroit, then five years later came a Kenworth 692TTA with an 11 metre tipper. Arthur won a contract with Boral Asphalt and was loving all his work on the roads. Thanks to the teaching of Bill Fitzpatrick, whose skills Arthur always admired, Arthur always undertook to do all his own maintenance and rebuilds.
Arthur purchased an LTS Ford 60 Series Detroit B-double rated, truck pulling a super dog in 2002. He had the truck three days when he lost both legs when the truck, laden with sand, rolled over him. He says, but I am here today to tell the story, if you want to listen.
