After organising a photograph of the completed unit, Craig Andrews took the opportunity to talk to its operator – Daryl McKay.

Daryl collects scrap metal from various points throughout Otago, including Central and the Waitaki Valley, when he’s helping out at the Oamaru depot. His main role is farm pick-ups, with a regular run into OceanaGold Macraes, near Macraes Flat village. He also clears various landfills around the region.

He began driving when he was 18 and working at Everitts.

“Back then, there were no forklifts or crane attachments – it was all very hard work.”

His career in driving has not always been with Everitts. He has been back and forth a few times, although now he is there to stay. “It’s my retirement job,” he says, adding Everitts has looked after him, and the crew is great to work for.

His driving history reveals time spent at Dunedin stalwart Stewarts Transport, piloting AECs around town and later doing a daily freight run down to Balclutha in an AEC 6-wheeler with a lazy axle.

The lure of the big red continent saw him head to Australia, driving Atkinsons and Mercedes-Benz road trains out of Karratha before once again returning to Dunedin.

The transport game is one that Daryl holds in high regard, and not much bothers him about it. The odd bit of double-handling plus the good old logbook brings on a frown. When he’s not collecting scrap metals, he goes from 450hp down to one – spending his spare time riding his own horse around the countryside.