Robert Taylor

Robert Francis (Bob) Taylor was born in Sydney in June 1948. By the time he was five the whole family moved to Nyngan where his dad was working on a farm and his mum was a cook. Bob's earliest memory of trucks was driving with his brother John over to Perth in a Commer Knocker.

At 16 Bob worked for two years driving cranes and learning mechanics and boiler making for the Snowy River scheme. He then worked for Frigmobilein Lidcombe as a mechanic where he met Sunny Warby in the mid 1960s. He then bought his own trucks including a J1 Bedford, an AA160 Table Top International and then an AEC prime mover to which he got his C Class licence.

Bob sub-contracted to A &A Industries who made light switch brackets and primus stoves. He was the only carrier and earned $2.20 per hour but went broke. He then went on to drive for Bruce Panucci Transport at age 18 until he was asked for his licence.

Bob then worked for Dave Patman who sub-contracted for Frigmobile driving an RFW and Transtar cabover. Driving north to Brisbane he pulled into Murrurundi pub for a quiet beer where the local police officer saw him on opposite side of the bar. He said hey young fella, where is Tommy?, as it was the truck he usually drove. Bob said that Tommy was sick so he said to Bob By the way do you have a licence to drive that truck? Bob said Not exactly, maybe not. The copper said I can see you know how to drive so you'd better stop in and see me so I can write you out a licence, you got it this far! So Bob drove to Brisbane but coming back it was night. A week later his dad drove him up to Murrurundi so he could get his trailer licence which is HC.

From 1976 to 1979 he worked for Perish driving trucks and a scraper on the dam. Bob had to suddenly give up work due to being diagnosed with epilepsy. After eight years, Bob started working again, this time for JFT Pty Ltd for seven weeks work but stayed for seven years.

After that he worked with his brother at Bruhaul Pty Ltd driving a singles, flat tops and tippers and for the last 10 years he was driving a B-double.

In November 2013 Bob retired, got married and realised his dream, to restore old trucks and show them. So he bought his Atkinson's he'd always wanted, one of each with a Cummins, a GM and a Gardner.