British Columbia Forest Products Ltd.

[JTL]

Is that saggy bridge built like that, or did do that over time?
Neat pictures. I always enjoy seeing how things were built before computers designed everything..

 

[M_T_Noggin]

I participated in dismantling of the Williams creek bridge when it was removed. There were large cables anchored at each end in huge concrete blocks, and cross ties bolted to the cables with large clamps, and then the deck running fore and aft. After the deck and cross ties were removed we used a cutting torch to cut the cables at the Renfrew end. The plan was to have the line horse come and retrieve them. The cables were wrapped in a heavy galvanized wire making them very rigid. I was told later that they would not bend enough to spool on the line horse drum so they were left there.

When I was working in the area previously, a forestry engineer told me they never hauled logs over it, and if they did they would have had to put a "false bent" in the bridge to remove the sag.

A story was told at the time about a logging contractor from Renfrew who was moving his cat on a lowbed over the bridge heading for Renfrew, the weight pushed the sag of the bridge ahead of the truck and the front bumper and the rear of the trailer got hung up in the dip. He had to walk to Bear Creek camp to get help pulling it off the bridge. I didn't see this myself but heard about it working in the area. When driving across, it seemed fairly steep at each end.

 

[jackd]

I remember hearing a story from Sproat Lake Division about a bridge they built up near Sutton Pass. It think that it eventually got the name of the 'Glue Lam' bridge - this was what the truck drivers would use when they called in to dispatch when they were bringing in their loads to the dump at Shoemaker Bay. The bridge was a highly engineered affair made up of laminated stringers and therefore the name came from its laminated glue construction. I was told that grade guys were questioning the survey of the bridge - something just wasn't right.... It was being built by a fancy contractor with the overview of professional engineers. Suppposedly the guys were eye-balling the line-up of the bridge and thought that it would hit the far bank about a foot lower than it should. The construction company blew off their criticisms and forged ahead. Sure enough, the bridge did hit the far bank lower than it should have. There must have been a few red faces and my guess is that they must have had to alter the road for the bridge approach to fix their screw-up. You got to love those fancy engineers and their calculations.....

 

[hoglogg]

i found the shawnigan side of williams creek a few years ago , not much to see looked a lot different with alot of trees there,, what year was it torn down ? also a rumour was that the army built it ??? as another way out to the coast ...

 

[M_T_Noggin]

I think it was in the early 90's that it was removed. Don't know who built it or when. The Federal government was involved with the telegraph line that ran along the Bear Creek M/L. It was put in for the Lifesaving Trail that started in Renfrew now known as the West Coast Trail. We used to find the odd glass insulator in a tree.
I worked with a long time resident of Shawnigan Lake, who told me that the government shipped out a rail car loaded with poles for the project from New Brunswick to Cobble Hill. (Some things in Gov't never change) On the Renfrew side of Williams Creek you could see where it had been attached to the trees, so I don't know where the poles were used.

 

[hoglogg]

yup it was like going uphill on the williams bridge ....thanks for the info , that roads owned by timberwest now from kapoor hill to garbage creek gated both ends and i doubt it will connect anytime soon ,, have to go all the way to cowichan to get to renfrew ....

 

[Born2clearcut]

Port Renfrew 1961 Washington Yarder
This looks to be a brand new machine ( i'm still guessing on the machine type ). The crew is putting the finishing touches on the ole girl before she heads up the hill . Jackd as for loading it I would say they back truck up to it and start dragging up and over the big skid log onto the truck . Can compare the size of big skid log in picture 3 couple guys standing beside it

 

[trakloader]

Who was the manufacturer? Powered by the usual 12V71, I assume? Inquiring minds want to know.

Skagit

 

[Vigilant]

Thanks, Trakloader. Back in the days of the yellow Skagits, eh?

That yarder in the above post looks a lot like the one on the previous page crossing the San Juan Bridge. Could that in fact be the same machine? That's the first 'modern' yarder with an enclosed cab I have seen on a sled, and without an attached steel tower.

 

[M_T_Noggin]

This was the skidder being moved to Bear Creek. I don't know who made it but it was powered by two 6 cyl Cummins.

 

[Vigilant]

This was the skidder being moved to Bear Creek. I don't know who made it but it was powered by two 6 cyl Cummins.

I remember seeing some ads for twin-engine skidders in the old Loggers' Handbooks.

 

[Born2clearcut]

Thanks, Trakloader. Back in the days of the yellow Skagits, eh?

That yarder in the above post looks a lot like the one on the previous page crossing the San Juan Bridge. Could that in fact be the same machine? That's the first 'modern' yarder with an enclosed cab I have seen on a sled, and without an attached steel tower.

Thanks for the info Trakloader . Yes Vigilant it is the same machine, I should of posted the pics of it sitting in the yard first , but its a large logging company and sometimes they like to do things backwards

 

[Vigilant]

Thanks for the info Trakloader . Yes Vigilant it is the same machine, I should of posted the pics of it sitting in the yard first , but its a large logging company and sometimes they like to do things backwards

Hmmm... Large logging company, likes to do things backwards..... you sure we're not talking about the Lazy W?

:cough: Weyco... :cough:

 

[hiluxman]

cool old trucks love the FARGO ones anymore pics of bcfp pickups

 

[Born2clearcut]

See if i can get it right The skidder is a Skagit thats powered by two 6 cyl Cummins.
This is the same truck and skidder as posted above . These pictures are the rest of the trip to the landing

 

[Born2clearcut]

continued from page 20 and 21
Almost there ,the tree is rigged and rdy to produce . Truck and Skidder getting snub up the last hill by a couple of cats . The last pic its still on the truck but in the landing . Where's the crew ?? We're here to LOG ! not @#$$ the Dog !

 

[jackd]

Those are great shots of a long forgotten era - keep posting them. What really brings it all back to me is the pics of the old settings from previous years next to where they are setting up. In my several years at M & B, we spent much of our time yarding out fire breaks - it was always fun trying to find a stump in an old setting that was still good enough to hang a guy line around. The wood is just the same size as what I remember as well - not the p!ss poles that these modern machines are dragging out now.

 

[TorkelH]

Best series of pictures I have seen! Thank you for posting this, Born2clearcut. Awaiting for the crew starting to get logs now.

 

[Born2clearcut]

Your very Welcome Torkel . I'm still converting slides , so I'll post some rigging shots when i come across a few more.

Beverly Hillbillies heading home

The picture below is of KW water truck , the guys on top are sitting on the riggin box. Picture taken 1962, Port Renfrew area

 

[hoglogg]

i had made a comment about the bear creek trestle and that timberwest was logging at the bridge , i was out there today at the west side of bear creek, its being logged, you can drive right to the remains of the trestle . found lots of neat stuff near there , 4 yarders next to eachother just the loggs left now all the steel stripped out 60-70 foot long , huge old yarders sitting with trees growing thru then , and no camera !! i will go back and get some pics when the sun is shining , looked like a yarder graveyard !