Raymond Spedding

Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2005.

Raymond Cecil Spedding Speddo was born the tenth of 14 children to Albert and Carolyn Spedding, of Gympie.  At the age of 11, Ray was presented with a Bravery Award for his rescue of a four year old boy from a flooded creek.
When he was 17 Speddo got a job driving locally before taking on long distance with Price Transport on the Brisbane to Cairns run.  Eventually Speddo decided to buy his own truck which was a Dodge tipper.  This was followed in the 1970s with an Inter 3070 with 30-foot tipping trailer.In 1982 he bought a 4000 Transtar to haul overburden for Thiess Bros.  In 1984 Ray worked in central-north Queensland for citra at Newlands Coal, the Railyards at Bowen and TTS, Townsville.  He returned to Citra at Kynuna where semi-tippers were sacked in lieu of body trucks.  Ray helped to organise compensation for the truckies.He moved to the Territory and worked for Newham International on teh Channel Island to Katherine section of the natural gas pipeline.  In 1988 Ray sold the Transtar and bought a 1974 White Road Boss roadtraining from Brisbane to Darwin for TNT Darwin Express.  A standoff over rates resulted in a picket on March 15, 1989, and a new rate was gazetted.  From 1990 up to his death on July 7, 2004, Ray was hauling plastic pipe to Darwin for James Hardy.  Ray will be remembered for many things; his compassion for his fellow man, his wicked sense of humour and his love of cricket.  He loved a beer and with his mates and Speddo's Gutter Parties at the back of the Berrimah Truck City in Darwin were legendary among his mates.A caring husband to Lyn and father and Poppy to four, his is sadly missed by all.