THE MEANING BEHIND NUMBER PLATE 'ARCHIE 1'

Above: The new Kenworth T909 with Custom Number plates

If you’ve seen our newest truck rolling down the roads, you may have noticed something special about it – the custom number plate, Archie 1. But why Archie?

Archie Swan was the founder of Swan Brothers, the man whose hard work, vision, and determination laid the foundation for everything we’ve built today. Naming this truck after him is more than just a tribute – it’s a reminder of our humble beginnings and how far we’ve come.

Above: Archie Driving the WW2 army tanker spreader

Honouring Our Founder

Archie’s journey began in Glasgow, Scotland, before migrating to Australia under the Barwell Boys scheme—a South Australian government initiative designed to bring young farm apprentices to the country.

Archie started his apprenticeship on a farm at Waltowa, where he spent several years learning the trade. In the early 1950s, he took a leap of faith and established himself as a general carrier in the Meningie area. After being approach by several landowners about the growing demand for fertiliser spreading, he took on the challenge.

In 1955, he began spreading fertiliser with an 18-bag Crump Blue Gum spreader and a Fordson Farmwrite tractor. This marked the humble beginnings of what would become Swan Brothers.

By 1958, his son David and David’s wife Elaine joined him in the fertiliser business under the name Swan Super Spreaders. The late 1950s saw a significant transformation in Meningie, as land was being cleared to establish pastures.

However, the rough terrain posed challenges. To navigate these conditions, a World War II Stuart army tank was purchased and converted by Peter Turner. Modifications included the removal of unnecessary parts, installation of a 12 horsepower TS3 engine, and a unique control system using joysticks for steering.

At that time, fertiliser was delivered by rail to either Tailem Bend or Coonalpyn, and 8-10 tonnes were transported by truck to the paddocks daily for spreading.

In 1966, tragedy struck when Archie suffered a heart attack and passed away. Just two weeks later, David’s younger brother Neil joined the business, leading to the formation of Swan Brothers.

Above: Archie loading the WW2 Army Tanker.

From Humble Beginnings to Today

Fast forward to today, and we are proud to introduce the new Kenworth T909 truck, a testament to how far we have come. This truck, currently running with two trailers, has the capacity to cart 44 tonnes of fertiliser at a time, and on a busy day, we can now spread up to 50 tonnes per spreader—a significant improvement from the early days of Archie’s operation.

The decision to name the truck Archie 1 is more than just a tribute; it’s a symbol of our history, our progress, and our deep respect for the man who started it all. It’s a reminder that from humble beginnings, great things can grow.

Here’s to Archie—his legacy continues to drive us forward.