LOCAL FAVOURITE BACK ON THE HUME

Geoff Lewington’s restored 1976 Kenworth K123 was a local favourite at the Crawlin’ the Hume breakfast at Albury Racecourse on Sunday, April 15.

Back in 1976, Geoff drove the K123 for his family’s business, Lewington’s Wodonga. It was the first new Kenworth purchased by Lewington’s.

“I drove it carting livestock between [Wodonga], Queensland and South Australia – all over New South and Victoria,” Geoff says.

After 12 months in the K123, Geoff moved into operations to help manage the business with his brother Barry. Their employees carted livestock with the K123 for many years, and later the truck worked locally around Albury-Wodonga.

Lewington’s went into receivership in 2004 and the company was purchased by Ron Finemore. Today, Geoff operates JRB Haulage, which carts general freight on the East Coast.

He began restoring the old Kenworth K123 about five years ago. Royans and Twin City Truck Centre both worked on the truck.

Sign writer Gordon McCracken painted the final brushstroke a couple of weeks before Crawlin’ the Hume.

Gordon had been Lewington’s sign writer from the 1980s through until 2004. Geoff says taking the truck over Pretty Sally “brought back a few old memories”.

“Back in the 1970s this was one of the best trucks on the road. But they’ve come a long way since them days,” Geoff says, comparing the K123 to the small fleet of K200s JRB Haulage runs today. Geoff enjoyed catching up with former Lewington’s drivers. He even bumped into a few who had driven the K123 during their years with the company.

Top: Geoff Lewington has restored the 1976 Kenworth K123 which he drove in the 1970s

Below: The K123 (right) was the first new Kenworth purchased by Lewington’s Wodonga

Right: The interior of Geoff Lewington’s Kenworth is almost as good as new

Above: Geoff is proud to have his 1976 Kenworth K123 back on the road