Thunder Down Under

Who would turn down the opportunity of riding shotgun in a Kenworth C509 quad road train hauling fuel along Western Australia’s Great Central Road? Nick enjoys five days in the outback

- Nick Garlick

Ever since my first trip to Australia in 1988, I’ve been enthralled by this huge country (it’s a continent too), its friendly people, long distances, stunning vistas and, regardless of the crushing heat and annoying flies, its magnificent roadtrains.

I had kept in touch with mates Dean and Sharon Topp, now in Western Australia, so it was a no-brainer that I’d take them up on their offer of a trip in a Kenworth C509, fuel-hauling ‘quad’ roadtrain along the Great Central Road. I fly into Perth and take the state-ofthe-art Prospector train to Kalgoorlie, where they live. Both drive fuel tankers for Penns Cartage Contractors.

Day 1

Before heading out to the desert we have a local delivery to the Thunderbox Gold Mine. Imminent bad weather means the mines in the vicinity want to make sure their fuel storage tanks are full. About 250km north of Kalgoorlie, along the aptly named Goldfields Highway, the bitumen road snakes through scrubland, gently rising some 380m above sea level, and while this gradient may not seem particularly steep it keeps the big Cummins humming nicely. With no UK-style roadworks, road closures, contraflows or diversions, it proves a pleasurable and straightforward run to the Thunderbox mine.

Unfortunately, restrictions mean I have to stay in the cab during the delivery. Leaving the blacktop, we drop onto the dirt haul road. Dean brings the Kenworth to a standstill and the mine’s two-way radio channel announces our arrival and intended delivery point.