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[Lizzie_Zoom]

Well who is still watching Outback Truckers on Quest, Freeview Channel 38?

Did you see the latest exploits of these supreme truckers handing huge road trains and extra large loads last night?

A road train consisting of a tractor unit, hauling 3 trailers, with in all 16 axles, all apart from one carrying multi wheels each, to take 200 cattle 3000 kilometres in daytime stifling heat!  At 2000 kilometres the driver replenished his tractor units running fuel tanks from 2x 850 gallon tanks under the trailers.

We caught up with the earlier episode featuring heavy haulage driver, with his 80 wheel trailer and tractor unit carrying the main chassis of a huge 100 ton mining tipper truck, that took up the whole width of major roads and requiring a police escort over roads that at one point were melting in the 40C+ heat.  The whole rig and load weighed in at 175 tonnes gross, with it at one stage travelling at 120 metres per 1 litre of diesel!  It finally reached it's destination, with another 80 trailer and tractor carrying the tyres on wheels.  These wheels, at 8 tonnes each, were machined into position and men tightened scores of bolts to secure them in place so the tractor unit could pull the 80 wheel trailer out from underneath.

We also caught up with a road train driver struggling still to take his 3 trailers to an outback community along dirt track roads, that flooded, were massive mud pits, or simply collapsed under the weight.  He had to abandon two trailers bogged down, and take one to his destination with mud going up to and over his axles, with the assistance of two road grader machines coupled together with chains. All this through massive electrical storms and torrential rain. After that, and fording a massive flooded river he made it.  We learnt though that later he went back for his two trailers and the round trip took 8 days!

So it goes on.  Massive machines, huge road trains, extreme weather, and highly challenging roads with hero drivers, including women, performing in a way that makes all other haulage programmes look like a picnic in the park!

Fantastic for all petrol heads and admires of heavy machines!

[symes]

My step dad's younger brother drove them -up in Northern Territories to an iron mine-he told me that he would use 1st gear low+tie cord to steering wheel then jump out and walk alongside to stretch his legs
And once was on network 7 tv because he crashed rig into only tree within miles of nothing
totally bonkers