Travelling The Country With His Mobile House

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 2, 9 June 1987, Page 4 (Supplement)

Travelling The Country With His Mobile House

WHEREVER Todd Compton goes his house goes with him.

by

Lesley

Allen

Like a lot of New Zealanders, Todd, who is presently staying in Mapiu, designed and built his home himself, which included milling the timber. But what makes his home unique is that it is perched on the four wheels of a 1952 Bedford truck. A man's home is his castle, but Todd's is a house truck which boasts a stainless steel sink, a gas stove, a

miniature coal range for winter and 12 volt lights, which are charged from the truck's battery. The coal range, which was made so it could be transported through bush country in the old days, is so compact that it can be taken apart and packed into a box - which is very convenient when space is at a premium. Every effort has been made by Todd to make his house truck comfortable and attractive. No space has been wasted and everything has its place. Inside the truck there is much more room then expected. Tapestries and colourful wall hangings adorn the walls. Snuggled in one corner is a doll-sized table and two chairs, there is a sofa piled high with cushions and a wardrobe that looks as if it

would burst at the seams if it contained two pairs of jeans and a jersey! The sleeping area is above the truck's cab and the back door opens on to a porch, above which is a small storage area. Todd has had his house truck for two years. He built it in the Wairarapa, which he left, he says, because "it is too much like a New Zealand version of Coronation Street" and he couldn't find regular employment. An electrician by trade, Todd says he has had no trouble finding work in each of the towns he stops in. Hauling his house around behind him is definitely cheaper than remaining stationary, claims Todd. The only expense is the vehicle, but so far he has had a good run out of a reconditioned motor.

After wandering around the countryside at a mellow forty miles per hour, passing through Napier, Taupo, Rotorua, Whakatane and Auckland, Todd has finally come to rest at Mapiu, north of Taumarunui. At the moment Todd is helping a friend build a double-decker 'deluxe' model house truck, which will even sport a staircase! Todd added, with a grin, that he wouldn't like to drive it into a blustery head wind! He plans to build another house truck, making it lcnger and lower than his present one, which he is currently offering for sale for a mere $8,000. So if you are run down and weary with the rat race in Taumarunui, then pop on out to Mapiu and have a chat to Todd about alternative housing!