Vern Mildren

Kenneth Alec Midson was born in Hobart on 29th April 1954. He has a wife Pam, three grown up children and five grandchildren presently. Ken grew up around trucks and earthmoving equipment and his passion from an early age was to own a truck.

Upon leaving school Ken completed an apprenticeship as a carpenter, then went on to buy his first truck, a 2050 Butterbox Acco to sub-contract for Boral Quarries in Hobart. Next was a new 2150 Acco tipper with a single axle pup trailer, then a new 3070 tipper in the late 1970s. Ken left Boral and started Brighton Concrete Services in the early 1980s with a Bedford concrete mixer and an S Line Tipper.

This business was sold and in 1985 he commenced manufacturing concrete blocks and products and a few years later concrete pipes, all under the banner of Brighton Block Pty Ltd. By this time he had acquired a variety of Acco's, a cabover Transtar (which has always held a

place in his heart) and an LKT1 11 Scania for delivery of his products. ln 1991 Ken bought his first Mack, an EM6300 powered Metroliner. ln 1994 a new T400 Kenworth was purchased for everything from B-double work to truck and dog trailer and even a removable crane tray. Also the first T300 built as a block transporter truck, a T401 and a T40lT tip truck and superdog combination as well as a 1700 twin steer garbage truck.

The next venture was Tasmanian Cement Distributors which imported bulk cement into a purpose built depot in Devonport for distribution state-wide. Transwaste followed with skip bins and front load mostly in the South.

Ken believed in maximum productivity and his fleet was interchangeable to enable pipes and block delivery, bulk cement, grain and fertiliser cartage, offal to a meat rendering plant and fish from several fish farms.

Ken was given a "Customer for Life" Cummins award in 1996. Upon selling up in 2005 Ken tracked down an old 3070 Eagle and restored it to its former glory, thus fulfilling a dream to own one. Next was a 2050 Butterbox Acco, a V8 Valueliner, a cabover Transtar, a K series powered Atkinson, a Grey Ghost cabover Kenworth and an 1800 Louisville, some of which

are works in progress. To this day he is pursuing his interest in truck restoration.