The Tempest

The Hawker Tempest was an iconic World War 2 fighter aircraft that emerged from battle with a reputation as a powerful and extremely capable tool of the trade. Looking over this month’s New Zealand Trucking Top Truck, similar sentiments can be held. The name definitely fits.

Specialising in the supply and delivery of bulk aggregates as well as the management and disposal of contaminated materials, McEwan Haulage of Dunedin knows what a productive bulk unit looks like. Fair to say, the latest addition to its fleet and this month’s Top Truck is a case in point. The 2025 T909 Kenworth has been built for bulk, and plenty of it.

The big 9-0 has a unique look, with its flat roof 28in integral sleeper cab. Director Nic McEwan explains how the decision to order this particular variant was all about driver comfort. “The sleeper does not impact the productivity of the truck, but it allows the driver room to move, have a proper rest if they get stuck in random places, as well as room for extra storage.”

Adding to the dramatic appearance of the rig is the size of the alloy bodies. The truck bin comes in at 5.1m long with 2.1m-high sides, and the trailer 8.5m with 2.3m sides. With this in mind, it is easy to understand that a 35-tonne payload across the combination is handled with ease.

Looking over the build, you will find attention to detail: crisp, clean and well executed is the order of the day. You will also find creative thinking. The likes of a reverse extension ladder to access the truck bin, and double-sealed grain doors to handle those extra juicy loads.

“Yeah, Steve Keast and the team at TES (Transport Engineering Southland) have done a superb job of the build for us, Steve is bloody good to deal with, he listens to what you are after, adds their ideas into the mix and then builds exactly what you need; we couldn’t be happier with it.” These comments from Nic are backed up by Murray Kilner, who pilots The Tempest.

“I can’t say enough good things about the entire unit, it really is just the unit for the job; it’s just bloody magic to use. Sure it’s a great looking rig, but it’s designed to get its feet dirty, and that’s exactly what it does,” says Murray.

Under the hood of the maroon and black T909 is the big red X-15 Cummins, at 459kW (615hp) and 2779Nm (2050lb/ft). Matched to this is a manual 20-series 18-speed Roadranger gearbox, something that Murray is more than elated with.

“Yeah for sure, I have come out of an auto – don’t get me wrong, they’re okay, but in something like this going around the likes of roundabouts, and the autos start going up and down through the gears, it just does ya bloody rocks in. Instead, with a manual, you put it in a cog, you know what it’s going to do, you shunt it around, and once clear, gear it up and go, it’s that simple.”

Completing the driveline is a set of Meritor MT21-165GP axles with full cross locks, sitting on Kenworth’s own Airglide 460 air suspension.

When ordering the truck, Nic and Murray sat around the table with Southpac’s Chris Gray to go over the options and extras. “Chris is fantastic to work with; he knows the product and nothing’s a problem for him,” says Nic.

The truck is in no way overcooked; that old adage of keeping things ‘simple and classy’ has definitely been the mantra of this build, with subtle touches like the fitment of stainless-steel Vortox style air cleaners. Custom stainless steel trim panels fitted to the undersides of the tank steps and sleeper cab are also a feature of the build, fabricated and fitted by the team at Southpac, as well as a sharp looking drop visor.

The approach to the signwriting and pin striping was also ‘simple and classy’. Andrew Geddes from Timaru Signs and Graphix was given a clean slate, and let loose. “Andrew is awesome. We just leave it up to him; he knows what we are looking for, and he always delivers,” says Nic.

Bumper to bumper, the unit is a standout. But don’t let its good looks fool you, The Tempest is definitely battle-ready, with efficient productivity locked in its sights.