Brian Walford
Inducted into the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame at Reunion 2014.
Brian Walford arrived in Australia from England in 1955 at the age of 17. He received his car licence on the morning of his 18th birthday and on the same afternoon got his semi licence. That evening he was driving off from Melbourne to Sydney and from then on his working life involved truck driving
In 1960 Brian started work for Frank Burke driving Melbourne to Perth in a Commer knocker. This journey was on the road for part of the way but between Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie the truck and trailer travelled by train.
Brian has many fond memories of his days on the road and can remember the many times he had to cross the Murray River on the ferry at Mannum, South Australia because the loads were too high to go on the bridge at Murray Bridge. He can also recall carting drilling gear to Tom Price, Western Australia on old bush tracks that were barely recognisable as roads. He'd often have to stop and use a compass to find his way to his destination. Brian decided to give the long distance hauls away in 1966 after getting married to Patricia. Not long after getting married they welcomed their first child Craig in 1967, followed by another, Matthew, in 1969. Over the next few years while his family was young Brian worked on a couple of local jobs driving for Hughes Bulk Haul- age and Marshall Tankers. In the early 1970s he bought his own truck, a Bedford, and did local work around Melbourne. In 1978 Brian suffered a heart attack and decided to sell the truck. Once Brian recovered he did not return to driving for five years. It was a long road to recovery and Brian missed the trucks. He later drove for Logan Mackintosh around Melbourne with some interstate work for 12 years before retiring.
Even in retirement Brian and Patricia couldn't stay off the road. They travelled around Australia for three years. Sadly, Patricia passed away in July 2007. Brian enjoyed his 30 years in the road transport industry. Today, he is retired and just enjoying life with his grand children and great granddaughter.