Rotorua Woodys + Goodsons Trucking

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Rotorua Woodys + Goodsons Trucking

I have been contacted by Lesley Parker who is researching the Rotorua trucking firm of Goodsons Ltd. In the process of her research Lesley came across the above photos, & she is keen to learn more about them – dates, location, name of the launches etc.
The photos come from Lesley’s grandparents, who are Gregorys & coincidentally- her godfather was actually surnamed Goodson. He ran a tobacconists in Rotorua and was a friend of her uncle and her father.
There are two launches pictured above, one with a tram top & dog-house, and the other with a sedan cabin configuration, this one is named ‘Moose’. Given the location of the trucking firm (Rotorua) & the name Moose, I suspect the boat was connected to Moose Lodge?
Lesley also sent in the photos below of Goodsons logging trucks (same truck, different load), this photo may like jog some memories re dates

Harold Kidd Input – 

The 28 footer MOOSE was built by Collings & Bell for Noel Cole of Moose Lodge, Rotoiti in February 1939. It looks like she was railed to Rotorua and taken by Goodsons’ Ford V8 truck to Rotoiti. Her engine (unknown but probably a Gray, like BETTY’s) was right aft and used a Vee drive, then a novelty in NZ, the layout designed by H. C. Meikle.The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh used her when they stayed with (Sir) Noel at Moose Lodge.

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11 thoughts on “Rotorua Woodys + Goodsons Trucking”

  1. A little bit “off topic” but I think the log truck in a bit of strife is an “International” D35 series judging by the hub cap on the drive axle, big “pontoon ” front guard and no side screen on the bonnet. Certainly not a Ford V8 anyway   (E & OE)  sound good H.K.

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  2. Nice photos. My great grandfather was “Chum” Goodson. He owned goodson transport and then my pop (Cecil Goodson). It later became goodson transport and taxi. Then sold and named rotorua taxis.

    a nice piece of history

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  3. Spent a Christmas holyday staying at the lodge when I was about 10 ,1979 the boat was in good condition then don’t think it done 18 knots though not that I would have been able to tell,

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  4. The one nathen’s talking about is in that post from 2016 about the Urewera truckers, same delivery different photo and was titled Okataina. Lesley could try that book at the library no doubt, or try Tony Mitchel for a copy.

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  6. I must say that I would have expected a 1939 Collings & Bell “express cruiser”, as it was called, to be one of Chas Collings’ “concave-convex” hard chine jobs. This one doesn’t look either to have a stern vee drive nor to be capable of 18 knots. Probably an earlier MOOSE (possibly more MOUSE than MOOSE?). Back to drawing board.

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  7. Not sure Harold that the Moose in this post is the same one that is languishing in the shed and has been for years. In need of a complete rebuild when I last saw it. If this is the same hull it has a remodelled cabin structure which is longer and has a distinct eye brow at the forward end. So long since we have seen it but I vaguely recall the hull being hard chine.

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  8. I saw a wooden sedan launch that looked like ‘Moose’ about two years while attending a Lake Rotoiti Wooden and Classic Boat Long Lunch on the Lake Rotoiti beach frontage of Moose Lodge. The old boat shed beside us was unlocked for our inspection and ‘Moose’ was stored on a slipway inside and looked ready to be restored to its former glory by the new owner of Moose Lodge.

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  11. The 28 footer MOOSE was built by Collings & Bell for Noel Cole of Moose Lodge, Rotoiti in February 1939. It looks like she was railed to Rotorua and taken by Goodsons’ Ford V8 truck to Rotoiti. Her engine (unknown but probably a Gray, like BETTY’s) was right aft and used a Vee drive, then a novelty in NZ, the layout designed by H. C. Meikle.The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh used her when they stayed with (Sir) Noel at Moose Lodge.

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