A Kenworth K104 and its owner Lenny Turner have been spreading the
Christmas spirit with a wonderful display of lights outside their Townsville
home.
Santa’s ‘sleigh’, which is the Kenworth with two reindeers pulling it, is proving to be a popular attraction next to the Merry Christmas and Santa signs.
Lenny is an owner-operator and with his partner Mel and have run L.W.
Transport for the past year.
Before that the now 46-year-old Lenny worked as a driver for several
transport companies.
I was driving up sleepy Carmody Street in the Townsville suburb of Hermit
Park about 7.30pm on December 9 and saw the Christmas lights around the
Kenworth which was parked in the drive way.
While their house is situated just near a dead-end section of the street at
one end, it is strategically located not far from Ross River and a popular
walking track.
Friendly couple Lenny and Mel really get into the goodwill spirit of the
festive season by sitting on their front balcony to greet people who stop by
for a look.
The display started two weeks ago and will stay there until just before New
Year’s Day and the Kenworth will get a rest from the highways and byways
during that time.
The couple can expect a lot more spectators including families and elderly
people who are passengers on various buses organised by community groups to
see all Christmas displays in the North Queensland capital.
Lenny is a third-generation driver and learnt all about trucks through
members of the former big Townsville company Turner’s Transport.
“His grandfather taught him everything about trucks and he loves it,” Mel
said.
Lenny purchased the Kenworth two years ago in Brisbane and has spent a lot
of time transforming the truck to what it is now.
Mel is an integral part of the business doing most of the bookwork but also
travels with Lenny on some trips as does their seven-year-old son Bodie.
“I think Bodie will follow the family tradition and become a truckie,” Mel
said.
While the Kenworth travels statewide, it does lots of trips to Mount Isa
990km out west, south to Brisbane and north to the Cairns region.
No favourite roadhouses for Lenny as he prefers Mel’s home cooking.
The roads Lenny finds most challenging to travel on include nearly every
road North of Brisbane Reason why?
“Because they’re all falling apart,” Lenny said.
Between the 1960s and early 2000s Turner’s Transport operated many trucks
and its depot was on Townsville’s Bayswater Road.
I can fondly recall doing a series of stories decades ago on one veteran
member who had some old trucks in his yard. He was Ron Turner who was a true gentleman and has now passed away.
Outside work Lenny enjoys camping as a hobby but the family also goes
fishing in the creek when time permits.
“We take our chairs and throw lines into Ross Creek off a rock wall and have
caught fingermark and bream,” Lenny said.
As a bonus at certain times they also set pots and bring home some mud crabs
which are a prized eating delicacy.
As a New Year’s resolution Lenny hopes to “keep busy” when the Kenworth
finishes its Christmas duties.
Having seen the lights with the Kenworth as a highlight I have no doubt that
anybody who saw the display would feel the Christmas spirit.
Christmas callout
Big Rigs is keen to hear from any truckie, road transport company,
or roadhouse which has a Christmas lights display. Send your pictures and contact information to editor@bigrigs.com.au and we’ll publish the best ones at bigrigs.com.au.