Remembering Bill

17th October 2021

My father, Bill Richardson, fell in love with trucks when he was just six years old.

Sitting inside the cab of Snowy Kidd’s 1949 Ford sparked a lifetime of fascination, and led to him amassing an incredible collection of vintage trucks that he loved to share with others who shared his enthusiasm. I knew Dad always hoped somebody would carry on that legacy, which is what sparked the idea to form tourism hub Transport World.

After Bill Richardson Transport World opened in late 2015, Classic Motorcycle Mecca and Dig This Invercargill followed in quick succession. I often wonder what Dad would think of what his collection has become: I hope it would bring a smile to his face, the way I hope it does to those of our visitors. As anybody who has lost a loved one will know, marking all of life’s milestones – today would have been Dad’s 81st birthday – is always bittersweet.

Dad was such a family man, and he’s left behind an indelible mark on all of us. Today, I’m happy to share that we’re honouring Dad’s memory in a way that seems especially fitting to him: by ensuring other families get to visit the legacy he left behind. 

Joc O'Donnell

Transport World executive director