The Northern Classic Commercial Trucks convoy stopped for lunch at Caroline's Boatshed in Whanganui.
Space was at a premium outside Caroline's Boatshed in Whanganui as the car park filled with a convoy of classics.
Macks, Internationals, Leylands and Bedfords nosed their way in amongst Kenworths and Mercedes Benz as members of the Northern Classic Commercials Club run stopped for lunch on Monday.
Club presidents Ray and Fiona Reid were travelling in their 1976 Kenworth truck "Holly" and their west highland terriers Jimmy and Rosie were along for the ride.
The transport company owners started the classic run in 2006 out of a desire to share their love of trucks with like-minded people.
The car park at Caroline's Boatshed was chocka-block when the Northern Classic Commercial Trucks convoy stopped for lunch.
Photo/Bevan Conley
"We have club runs about every three months and every two years we organise a big road trip," said Ray.
Boatshed Bar & Eatery owner Caroline Norton invited the club to stop for lunch on their current run which started out from Wellington on Monday morning.
Some, like Gwyn Bliss-Bennett and Helen Williams, had not travelled far.
"We live in Marton and this is our first outing with the club," said Williams.
The couple moved to New Zealand from Wales five years ago. Bliss-Bennett is a mechanic specialising in big trucks.
He has restored their classic ERF truck and Williams has helped him to paint it bright red and green.
"It had been sitting for a long time and there were rats' nests in it when we bought it," he said.
It is now road worthy and decorated with a Silver Fern as well as Welsh Dragons.
About 20 South Island drivers have joined the convoy and one truck attracting a lot of attention was Peter Turner's big diesel Road Boss from Christchurch.
The 1980 truck with its powerful Detroit engine had done around five million kilometres in South Australia before Turner purchased it from its one owner and transported it across the Tasman.
"It was hard to get him to part with it because he loved it just like I do," said Turner.
Peter Turner with his 1980 White Road Boss. Photograph by Bevan Conley
The furthest travelled trucker on the trip was Donnie Snow from Kentucky, USA who was hitching rides and getting to drive a few of the trucks.
"I have worked as a short haul driver for many years and I have done a lot of trips to Australia meeting truck drivers there.
"This is my second visit to New Zealand and now I have some good classic truck buddies here as well."
Some of the vehicles in the convoy date back to the 1930s and alongside the big trucks were a number of trusty old Fords and Chevrolets that once served as work vehicles for farmers, builders and bricklayers.
From Whanganui, the convoy will head to New Plymouth, Taumarunui, Cambridge, Rotorua and Whakatane.
In Whakatane, they will visit well-known truck enthusiast Barry Caulfield who has organised an auction of classic vehicles and parts.
They will then head to Gisborne, Hastings and Feilding making a final stop in Greytown before farewelling the South Island truckers in Wellington on October 27.
The car park at Caroline's Boatshed was chocka-block when the Northern Classic Commercial Trucks convoy stopped for lunch.
Photo/Bevan Conley
