Allyn Reeve

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2010.

Allyn Reeve, nicknamed Charlie at an early age, was born on 16th December, 1945 at Toora, in Victoria. He grew up on a farm in south Gippsland driving all manner of farm machinery, including trucks. Allyn progressed from simply moving vehicles around the yard to actually driving on the road probably before even holding a licence. His father ran a transport business from the family farm carting mainly livestock all over Victoria and into NSW and SA.

The first truck he drove was probably a KB7 International but the business also owned Bedfords, Leylands, Fords, Commers as well as Inters. When obtaining a licence at 18, and now able to drive legally, his first truck was a R190 International carting livestock - he comments that the pay was probably not enough. As the business modernised its fleet, he moved into an S-model Kenworth which was purchased second-hand in 1968 from Ansett Freight Express and took over a week to clean up ready for painting into the HN Reeve & Sons colours. This vehicle proved very reliable and continued to work in the fleet until 1975,when they began to buy cab-over Kenworths.

In 1978 a Kenworth Kl24 was purchased from the dispersal sale of HN Reeve & Sons and was the start of his own business carting livestock until 1980 when he moved into interstate general freight. This was also the birth of a small fleet under the banner of Allyn Reeve Pty Ltd. Allyn reflects on the characters met and the interesting places seen when carting livestock all over the place.

He names a 1984 Kenworth SAR, one of two owned, as possibly his favourite truck because of their uniqueness to Australia. Kenworths have remained the vehicle of choice having owned 46 to date. Today the company owns a fleet of thirteen vehicles, mainly Kenworths, operating in all eastern states and SA. Allyn gave away driving the interstate routes in 1996 and now is wholly involved in the management side of the company. All vehicles are subject to a strict maintenance program and he is often found under a truck in the shed.

He was actively involved with the now defunct Red Hill Truck Show and is still on the committee of the Truck Drivers Memorial at Tarcutta. Away from the trucks Allyn pursues an interest in restoring old tractors, in particular Chamberlains, and is gradually putting together an impressive collection