Trucks - The Evolution of Tonnage
1944 - 5 Ton Contracted Trucks
1948 - 10 Ton Mack
1956 - 33 Ton Euclid Bottom Dumper
1965 - 30 Ton Euclid (Coal Only)
1979 - 155 Ton Terex GM 33-15B Hauler (Overburden Only)
One of the new Terex Haulers on public display at Gepps Cross in 1979, before being transported to the Leigh Creek Mine. Each truck was transported in pieces on three semi-trailers; one for the truck itself minus the front wheels and body, one for the body and one for the front wheels and spares. Once delivered, it took the Leigh Creek workshops two days to reassemble each truck. A Terex weighed 109 tons unladen and could carry 155 tons. In 1979 they cost $700,000 each.
“Terex 584, driven by John Gangell, toppled off the high wall haulage ramp in the Upper Series pit while carting topsoil to the stockpile heap. While John wasn’t seriosly hurt the truck laid there for a couple of days as nobody knew how to put it back on its wheels. Eventually two D9 Dozers righted it using wire slings. ”
