Written on back - Horowhenua Historical Society. Please acknoledge if pubilshed & return.
H.E.P.B. Thornycroft truck with load of wooden power poles, c.1923
Truck is stopped in Oxford Street with man wearing suit & hat standing along-side (thought to be Mr T.R. Overton, first engineer). Buildings behind the truck are (L – R): Public Trust Office, K. Shaw, W.M. Clark. This solid tyred pole lorry was confined to metal roads with Model T Ford trucks & horses used to move the poles to sites beyond these roads.
Used in newspaper supplement (Acc.#2000.447) – “The Chronicle 75th Borough Jubilee, 1906 – 1981”, page 73, with caption – This solid tyred Thorycroft truck was used by the Horowhenua Electric Power Board for carting poles. The board’s first engineer was Mr T.R. Overton and he is thoght to be the man pictured with the truck. Note the name “Shaw” on the building behind the cab. The public trust occupied the premises where the present Post Office extension is from 1933 to 1938. Article – “When the Poles Went Up” (also on this page of the supplement) – gives anecdotes about the trucks & horses.
Used in booklet – “75 Years in Levin”, page 47, with caption – Carting power poles in Oxford Street, Levin, in the 1920’s, for the Horowhenua Electric Power Board. Note the solid tyres on the old Thorneycroft truck.
See also – Acc # 1999.508.0070a (colourised photo) & # 1999.508.0070b b/w copy enlargement.
Any use of this image must be accompanied by the credit “Horowhenua Historical Society Inc.”
