Stage 1 - History
In the early 1940's at the age of 16 Frank Legge Senior purchased the Willy's Overland Crossley Truck http://www.crossley-motors.org.uk/history/others.html from a mail contractor who used the truck to distribute the mail for Avington Road at Blackall.
It was purchased to cart water as Blackall was in the middle of a drought. It was also used to cart horses that were needed for mustering.
In the 1950's Blackall Township hosted a Back To Blackall Festival and Old Franks son Ron, decided to jazz the truck up to take part in the procession at the new showgrounds. Using the left over paint, Ron mixed each tin together forming the colour 'pink' and not only painted Lena, but also the house and the horse drawn grader. It was at this procession where she was nick-named "Leaping Lena".
After the Back to Blackall Festival, Lena was parked in a friend's back yard where she sat for years, practically untouched. Whilst in the back yard, development took place around her with a hostel being built next door. The children from the hostel use to play on the truck as well as filling her fuel tank and radiator full of sand and gravel.
Ron then decided to use Lena in the procession for the Barcoo Rush Outback Festival. When it came time to prepare her for the trek, Frank's family had to clean out the radiator and fuel tank, change the battery, pump up the tyres and replace a few boards on the tray.
Frank Junior still recalls the smile on his fathers face and Lena let out a large cloud of smoke and a few bangs and then purred like a new machine. Apparently it took only 3 pulls of the crank handle and she never missed a beat.
Lena was again painted, only this time Yellow as they used her to drive in the procession to the airport in Blackall.
When Lena appeared in the processions, Ron use to put a crate on the tray, which was heavily decorated with camp ovens, pack saddles, stock saddles, tucket boxes and swags.
Once the Barcoo Rush Outback Festival had finished, the truck was then parked at the back of Frank Legg's house. It was occasional started, however when Ron passed away in 1980 it was too, laid to rest, until Frank Junior and his brother Glen kindly donated "Leaping Lena" to the Rockhampton Heritage Village.
The Rockhampton Heritage Village Staff and Volunteers travelled out to Blackall in April 2006 to collect to the truck. Leaping Lena now has a place in the Village workshop, where she will remain until fully resorted, thus will be on display at the 2008 Heritage Rally.
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