Kenneth Norton
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2014.
Ken Norton was destined to be a truck driver. He had his very first experience in a truck driving his father's 1952 Ford V8 side valve with a six yard for tipper the Highways Department in the mid north of South Australia between 1958 and 1971.
His father, George Norton (Jack), was a well known transport pioneer in the area. Jack Norton and his partner, Archie Burnett, operated two one ton Ford TT trucks carrying mail, goods and all manner of supplies to and from Farina, Innaminka and Coober Pedy in the 1920s. The roads, where they were in existence, were little more than narrow, dusty and corrugated goat tracks that were almost impossible to negotiate. Not surprisingly the two trucks were named Wilful Murder and Sudden Death.
In 1971, Ken and wife Peggy drove a Cummins powered White 4075 truck and three trailers to Wyndham, Western Australia where he carted Barytes for S.A. Barytes from Inverway Station to Wyndham. The White was owned by Malcolm Nicholls. Ken then returned to Hawker in South Australia and continued with the Highways Department in the far north until the mid 1970's.
Ken carted fuel to Ayers Rock (now Uluru) for Spud Starr from Quorn driving an Osh Kosh. In 1979 Ken and his wife opened 'Truckies Tucker' the Golden Fleece truck stop at Port Augusta which they ran until the end of 1984. Ken then bought a new Ford LTL towing Fadelli trailers off the train at Port Augusta. He also did the occasional trip to Alice Springs and later took on the Bris- bane to Perth and back to Melbourne run carting general freight and heavy machinery. In 1992 Ken purchased a 400hp Cummins powered LTL named Rev n You. Ken then took on a 1985 400hp USA Freightliner. His last truck was a 1994 Freightliner which he used to cart mining equipment to outback mining settlements and communities throughout Western Australia and Queensland.
Ken retired in 2001 and resides in Port Lincoln, SA. A gentleman of the road Ken has earned his place on the Wall of Fame.
