MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. Red & White Iron, Past and Present....

[HD Mech]

The long boom( L326) was originally from Menzies Bay division. It has a Detroit Diesel 50 series in the upper works for power. I think it was sold from Menzies around 97 or 98 when they decided to lease all Equipment from Tmar and Inland Kenworth. L326 was built by Tmar.

 

[Scott_527]

HDX, you didn't happen to look at the builders plate on that 7230 did you? I think thats Ironsides machine..dont know the number though.
HDMech, I remember reading somewhere that Russel and Lilly had L326 for awhile. Not sure who had it up till now though.

 

[HDX]

No I didn't Scott It was kind of a hurry hurry thing and so just snapped a couple shots for the guys on here. Like HD Mech says The long boom worked at Menzies but I was not sure The last long boom I saw there was a wooden one but I knew they used that type of machine up there. All of our long booms used the four point grapples not the two point. Don't know if they would cast the two points as far as the four points Maybe one of the guys on here will pop up with some numbers for you Sorry I will try and be more diligent next time LOL

 

[Scott_527]

Its ok I won't hold it against you, haha. You don't see many, or any really, of the four point grapples around on line loaders anymore.

 

[mountainskidder]

mountainskidder That number was a trailer build arrangement number This trailer had the same number because of the square reach If it was built with the round reach it would be FV97144-D. That number is stamped into both sides of the trailer body for easy access by assembly crew. If you look on the bottom of the drivers side under the "X" number it will show up. It will be smaller numbers and it will start with "S/N ####" only 4 numbers Trust me here!! These trailers were ordered for Shawnigan Division and were used behind their HD Hayes's. The one I have was delivered new behind H16. It was a HD 35-78 Delivered July 17/72 The trailers originally came with 12:00X25 tires. H22 and H23 also were the same size trucks delivered there and I am wondering if in fact your trailer did not come behind H23 There is no record of M&B trailers after 1970 other than some spotty ones I have over the years kept my own records of as many trailer numbers as I could dig up and where they went etc. I tried going backwards through everything but it was not to be. Get your trusty old wire brush out again for me. I will wait right here LOL

HDX... You put the pressure on me... you know, waiting right there... thought I'd better find that S/N tonight. And hey... success! The S/N is 5327... took a bit of elbow, but I found it! See attached photo. Yeah!

 

[HDX]

OK Here you go It is X223 S/N 5827 LT60 Delivered to M&B's Shawnigan Division with Truck number H23 (S/N 5826) April 18/73 As I said H23 was an HD 35-78 Both truck and trailer came with 12:00X25 tires The tires would have been changed to 14:00X25 later on because they probably could not get or they became so expensive to get the 12:00's and the standard tires around were the 14:00's so it was convenient. This was a two truck order Also was unit number H22 (S/N 5824) and its trailer was X222 (S/N 5825) I will copy the spec's for you and send them down with Larry He will drop by tomorrow morning to see you guys. The guy stamping the numbers did not hit the 8 hard enough and that is why it looks like a 3. As soon as I started looking I knew something was wrong Went through the company Orders and there it was. What makes this whole thing so interesting is that the Elk River Timber WHD that I have is S/N 5823 VERY INTERESTING. Thank You for going back out on a night like this.

 

[dirty4fun]

Have no fear the HDX detective will know or figure it out. You are an amazing fellow Steve, I used to think you should write a book. The more I find out about you a book would not hold it all more a series of books!

 

[HDX]

Good morning Jim, Thanks for the vote of confidence!! Was a combined effort by all involved. mountainskidder asked and we delivered. Does not get better than that. Funny how one thing will lead into another. I did discover that these square reach's were still used up till almost the end of Hayes production AND also found the truck that has eluded me for so long. I had heard of but never gave it a second thought about an HDX somewhere in the M&B empire with SPR 570 rear diffs. It was way back and I thought they were mistaken and they were actually 121's. Well it was recorded wrong It was H29 Copper Canyon Division delivered in 1971 with the SPRs HDX 45-145 VERY IMPRESSIVE Wonder what ever became of her Cant recall seeing pictures if her or they would have stood out. There is a shot on you tube of an M&B HDX that someone (driver ) had changed the number to H17 and it shows this truck going by with a load of logs. IT HAD big diff's Maybe--will try and track that vid down when time permits and see what I can find out. ANOTHER ADVENTURE COMING UP

 

[jackd]

Yes... thanks for everyone's patience on this side conversation... we'll finish up shortly.

Jackd... it seems to me that we moved in each others shadows so many years ago out at the Lake. I look forward to meeting you in person sometime soon for coffee and some reminiscing. Now for some clues to finish this up...moved away from the lake in 1966 and moved back to Port Alberni in 1971 for one year when Dad was transferred to MB Somass... since then I have lived in the Chemainus area as Dad moved up the food chain working at both Chemainus Sawmill and finally at Copper Canyon. From those days at the lake, you may remember my five sisters - Sister Steph was best friends with Sandra Munch... Sister Catherine with Mary Wilkie. Me?... I was friends with the two Long brothers... Dan Kingsley... Brad Yesowick and Kirk Larsen. Let's have our next conversation over coffee here in Chemainus. I'll send you a private message tomorrow sometime if you haven't figured this out. It's been fun. And to everyone else on this forum, thanks for indulging Jackd and I in this game of clues.

I feel that I can't disappoint Hank R by taking this conversation totally private. I sent you a pm via my company email address last evening. I am still not completely certain of your identity which makes this all the more intriguing. Brad, Steve and Mike Yesowick of the sporting goods fame. Haven't thought of them for years. I still remember the old man standing in front of the sporting goods store having a smoke, waiting for customers to come in. Good times had with those three playing hockey on frozen McCoy Lake in the winter. I saw Kirk Larsen last summer at the high school reunion - his Dad drove the Shell fuel truck out to our machines at Sproat Lake Division. Bruce Kingsley now has a large trucking company hauling chips and what have you on the east side of the Island - his trucks are a common site. I quite enjoyed my high school reunion last summer and the high point was seeing all my fellow 'Lakers' who gravitated towards each other. We had a perfect world to grow up in - prosperous times and our lives ahead of us.

 

[Hallback]

The Thunderbird was an amazing logging shovel.

View attachment 149312View attachment 149313View attachment 149314 In 1991 the L-166 was the latest and greatest hoe chucker at Kelsey Bay Division. Adrian operated it and was fearless and fast as usual.

 

[Blk prince]

HDX. Go to Pic #31 of this thread. There are 2 pics of the H-29. I cannot tell maybe you can

 

[Blk prince]

Pic 47 shows H-27? With sander and either 121s or SPD 570

 

[mountainskidder]

OK Here you go It is X223 S/N 5827 LT60 Delivered to M&B's Shawnigan Division with Truck number H23 (S/N 5826) April 18/73 As I said H23 was an HD 35-78 Both truck and trailer came with 12:00X25 tires The tires would have been changed to 14:00X25 later on because they probably could not get or they became so expensive to get the 12:00's and the standard tires around were the 14:00's so it was convenient. This was a two truck order Also was unit number H22 (S/N 5824) and its trailer was X222 (S/N 5825) I will copy the spec's for you and send them down with Larry He will drop by tomorrow morning to see you guys. The guy stamping the numbers did not hit the 8 hard enough and that is why it looks like a 3. As soon as I started looking I knew something was wrong Went through the company Orders and there it was. What makes this whole thing so interesting is that the Elk River Timber WHD that I have is S/N 5823 VERY INTERESTING. Thank You for going back out on a night like this.

HDX... Thanks so much for all your detective work. Glad to go out last night and provide some more details. And looking forward to anything else you can find out about her. Interesting... that last bit about the duplicate S/N on the Elk River Timber WHD... I wonder where that will lead.
But now that we know that H23 and X223 arrived in Shawnigan in 1973 (BTW, my Dad was the divisional accountant in the early 80s at Shawnigan and worked in the office - probably saw that truck lumber by a few times) and I wonder if anyone in this forum might possible know where a photo of this old red'n'white might be found?
Don't forget to call Ian (250-210-8884) about grabbing that plate and pin. Or maybe Larry is going to sort that out for you.

 

[mountainskidder]

I feel that I can't disappoint Hank R by taking this conversation totally private. I sent you a pm via my company email address last evening. I am still not completely certain of your identity which makes this all the more intriguing. Brad, Steve and Mike Yesowick of the sporting goods fame. Haven't thought of them for years. I still remember the old man standing in front of the sporting goods store having a smoke, waiting for customers to come in. Good times had with those three playing hockey on frozen McCoy Lake in the winter. I saw Kirk Larsen last summer at the high school reunion - his Dad drove the Shell fuel truck out to our machines at Sproat Lake Division. Bruce Kingsley now has a large trucking company hauling chips and what have you on the east side of the Island - his trucks are a common site. I quite enjoyed my high school reunion last summer and the high point was seeing all my fellow 'Lakers' who gravitated towards each other. We had a perfect world to grow up in - prosperous times and our lives ahead of us.

Jackd... yes, I would agree that we had a perfect world to grow up in. I used to marvel at the Mars Water Bomber which seemed to brush the tree-tops on its landing approach up the Sproat River where it would touch down just past the load-out in front of the petroglyphs. I remember waving to the pilot... and I'm sure he waved back, I mean... he was close enough to see us kids on Dickson Drive below... I could see his head-set. Living at Sproat Lake on Dickson allowed for opportunities that maybe Jackd didn't enjoy. I'm talking about the neighbourhood kids getting an opportunity to actually get inside those planes... there were three planes back then. In 1961 the Marianas Mars crashed while fighting a fire... I think at Northwest Bay... my sister was friends with the daughter of the pilot who perished... well, it was a sad time in our house. I think the last name was Ross but can't remember her first name. The tour of the Hawaii Mars was memorable... like, we were just kids and they let us walk on the wing. You'd never get away with that now. I don't know about you living on McCoy Lake Rd, but anytime the Mars flies and I hear it before I see it... I know exactly what is coming because those four radial engines have a distinctive roar.

Oh... figured out who I am yet? How about this... the property that Dad purchased to place that old house moved from Great Central Lake was the original homestead of the McDonald family. I remember Dad burning the old homestead house down to make room for our $1 house - oh yes, folks that moved their house away from Great Central Lake?... got them for a dollar. And the old Mackenzie mansion of a house on the waterfront was just below us.

 

[callingtheshop]

The Cummins display was 1990, I wonder if it's any different today? I hope not as it was a real good display. The knife still is in my garage and occasionally gets used. Y-31, what can I say? A real log hungry piece of iron!

 

[jackd]

Jackd... yes, I would agree that we had a perfect world to grow up in. I used to marvel at the Mars Water Bomber which seemed to brush the tree-tops on its landing approach up the Sproat River where it would touch down just past the load-out in front of the petroglyphs. I remember waving to the pilot... and I'm sure he waved back, I mean... he was close enough to see us kids on Dickson Drive below... I could see his head-set. Living at Sproat Lake on Dickson allowed for opportunities that maybe Jackd didn't enjoy. I'm talking about the neighbourhood kids getting an opportunity to actually get inside those planes... there were three planes back then. In 1961 the Marianas Mars crashed while fighting a fire... I think at Northwest Bay... my sister was friends with the daughter of the pilot who perished... well, it was a sad time in our house. I think the last name was Ross but can't remember her first name. The tour of the Hawaii Mars was memorable... like, we were just kids and they let us walk on the wing. You'd never get away with that now. I don't know about you living on McCoy Lake Rd, but anytime the Mars flies and I hear it before I see it... I know exactly what is coming because those four radial engines have a distinctive roar.

Oh... figured out who I am yet? How about this... the property that Dad purchased to place that old house moved from Great Central Lake was the original homestead of the McDonald family. I remember Dad burning the old homestead house down to make room for our $1 house - oh yes, folks that moved their house away from Great Central Lake?... got them for a dollar. And the old Mackenzie mansion of a house on the waterfront was just below us.

While you were looking at the Mars landing from the Dickson Drive side of the lake, I was standing in the water over at Smith's Landing, watching the same performance happening overhead. I was in awe. To this day I blame that early aviation exposure on my eventual career choice of the aviation industry. I still remember the grief that fell over the community when the Marianas crashed at NWB. My early wrenching years were spent under the wing of a former flight engineer on those things and he did not paint a good picture of working at that operation. My ambition was to someday work as an engineer at the FIFT operation as a final wind down of my working days but that will never be. I do hope they retain the Hawaiian in Port as an ongoing attraction to visitors.

 

[HDX]

Great news--pin and plate are home. Started working on them today. For all you guys who were wondering what the hell the horseshoe was all about, here's a picture of it and where it goes to hold the bunk on. Once the bunk is dropped on the truck, you install this horseshoe and put the two bolts in. All this is done through that small rectangular hole you saw in the picture of the bunk. This stops the bunk from flipping off the truck.

 

[diamondtguy]

Pretty simple set up..Can it be greased once assembled.

 

[HD Mech]

The saucer on the bunk has grease passages drilled in it leading to overlapping circles cut in the underside of the saucer. Sort of like the shape of a figure eight.

 

[dirty4fun]

A few picture sure help to clear up what you were talking about, HDX. Sure nothing like I had pictured in my little brain. It all makes sense now.