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

[BTC]

Calling The Shop

That was the end of the trucks days at Kelsey Bay . Most were sold and a few went to other divisions. H-36 has a sand box on it at Mid Island. H-05 is now 2258 at Mid Island. I remember seeing H-58 and H-38 around Franklin in 2001. H-80, H-81 are Dystant trucks and are well looked after. I believe H-52 as well. H-48, H-79 were just rebuilt by Alpine. H-275 is sitting rotting in the head of Toba Inlet . H-35 is still hauling logs today for the Olsens in Acteon Sound. H-61 is at Northwest Bay for Island Timberlands. It's hooked to a lowbed but hasn't moved for quite sometime.

That would leave

H-03-Kenworth
H-39-Pacific
H-53-Kenworth
H-322-Kenworth

Not sure where they are.

 

[BTC]

Hdx

Look at that, beat out of the barn by a truck driver.

 

[HDX]

BTC When the replacement manager came back to put the Alberni's to bed, He did so with extreme efficiency. The shop had just installed a new set of tires on H25 (the only 850 KW truck Cameron Division had) she was originally a PreLoad then converted to a conventional Well that manager got a burr up his bum and sent her up to Kelsey Bay Division! I lost track of her and have looked for a long time but still cant find her. H58 was totally rebuilt by Hayes Forest and Vern Grey ended up getting her till HFS fell from grace, They all ended up in Campbell River at Finning and were sold out of there. Seems to me Lamare got her. All of the Hayes Forest trucks with 121 rear ends were up there, This included the three 1986 P16's with 16:00 tires that Pat Carson bought just after coming to Franklin in mid 1985 The ones with the Clark 91,000 we sold out of Duncan shop facility.

 

[BTC]

Kelsey Trucks

H-61 was driven for a while by Larry Wangler, when he went dispatching it went to Larry France. Larry France was a very good driver. Wangler was easy on the gear, just a couple loads a day. LOL

H-58 was a two driver truck as well. Don "Bulldog" Brier drove her from 89-95 when he retired Dave Bickford until 1999. H-58 & H-61 came August of 1989.

H-38 was the oldest of the ones you mentioned Steve. George Saariko had her brand new then Don Howatt when George retired. H-38 and H-39 came together too but I'm not sure when. Back in the thread is the picture of H-39 at the factory. 39 was a single driver truck and very well maintained, no idea where it went.

H-25 went to work for Fontaine and Estabrook, last time I saw that truck was likely 2001.

H-322 Had a guy inform me today it was scrapped in Head Bay several years ago.

As you know Steve you can still find some action shots of those trucks, you just need to know where to look.

 

[Vigilant]

I believe I read some accounts of the same driver staying on the same HDX or P16 up that way for 30 years or more. Strong statement for the driver, and also for the job security y'awl had back in the day.

 

[Blk prince]

That fine fellow you talk of has surpassed the 40yr mark on same truck. The job security has been shaken for sure. This Driver is a member here known to all of us as HDX.

 

[Vigilant]

Fourty years on the same truck. That is STRONG. Haven't there been a few others as well who spent many years on the same truck?

Job security seems to be more and more elusive.

 

[diamondtguy]

HDX would be the guy that can answer that question....

 

[Blk prince]

Hello Cory,Happy New Year to you

 

[callingtheshop]

 

[diamondtguy]

Hello Cory,Happy New Year to you

Happy New Year sir....My long time friend who I worked with at Pacific has found the photos he took at the plant.He says there is a couple dozen.I will post them when I get them from him..Should be interesting as he was the fork lift driver and later our trailer builder....

His favorite Pacific.....A big orange P-16 with a 16V71 in it......Cory

 

[Blk prince]

diamondtguy,pictures of orange Pacific with 16v71 will make my heart go pitter,patter.Lol

 

[diamondtguy]

I am hoping that as it was his favorite truck that some new pictures will surface of her being built....

 

[dirty4fun]

Sure looking forward to seeing the trucks new and while being built.

 

[diamondtguy]

Sure looking forward to seeing the trucks new and while being built.

dirty4fun....Have you looked through the Pacific thread.I posted all the pics I took when I was there and I believe Hank got his hands on a few as well.....Cory

 

[DBDLS]

So I have a question for those that know. I see that the Kelsey Bay trucks have square reaches. What is that all about? Are they better than the round pipes one usually sees or just different?

 

[callingtheshop]

 

[callingtheshop]

 

[MDK-HDM]

Guys I have been following this for a couple years now, after to talking to my buddy who still lives in Sayward I joined. I worked for M&B from 1972 when I quit school
till 1992. Going from the sawmill in Chemainus to Kelsey Bay for 15 years then on to the Queen Charrlottes. Parted with the Company there and went to Edwards and Assosiates. I did my MD apprenticeship in the shop under Jake and Claude. Hope to see many more photos from you guys and know I have lots myself but as I still pull wrenches at Gibraltar Mine I don't have the time I would like for getting photos on line but will sure try.

 

[camptramp]

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