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S. Madill, Blacksmith, Founded in 1911 in Nanaimo BC

Tugger2

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
1,366
Location
British Columbia
In the early years they used other manufacturers trucks ,usually an old logging trucks The tank retrievers with Hall Scott engines were the next in rubber tired carriers. The customer would even provide winches that were previously used yarders.
The carriers seen in the above pictures were all Madill built and driven by the yarder engine thru a down drive box. The track carriers were made up from surplus tank undercarraiges all assembled by Madill. Thats my recollection from being around them and having a few friends that worked from Madill.
The former Madill shops are all gone now and the site is redeveloped into comercial properties ,mostly car lots. Wonder how everyone buys new cars without those good Madill jobs.
 

Spook

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2011
Messages
8
Location
Battle Ground
I'm guessing this is a 044. These pictures are from December 2019 in Scappoose, Oregon at the Scappoose Sand and Gravel pit. I've been there recently and it's gone. I hope it hasn't been scrapped. It's a big girl and I doubt anyone would have wanted to move it out of there in one piece. I didn't think to take a picture of the number plate on it...20191212_162820.jpg 20191212_162713.jpg 20191212_162651.jpg 20191212_162817.jpg
 

Tugger2

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
1,366
Location
British Columbia
Heres an 044 that never yarded a log for the first 2 months of its life. It was set up to dragline a booming ground . Ran the same Saurman bucket and an old TL15 Washington out on the breakwater as a tailhold.I was the welder there ,spent lots of time welding on the Saurman bucket. Then got to spend more time unseizing parts on the 044 from all the salt and sand off the lines once they took it out yarding.
The second picture is another 044 that was bought for the other camp at the same time,it was lucky and just went yarding right away.img734.jpg img830.jpg
 

1931 kenworth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
Messages
76
Location
nanaimo
Madill built almost 900 '009 Yarders' from the early 1960's until 1984, both at Nanaimo BC and at Kalama, WA. The 009 Madill was by far the most prominent and poular yarder ever built. No other even comes close in terms of number sold. They were mounted on everything you can think of, from wooden sleds, old trucks or trailers, and most often military surplus tanks. Here in Alaska there is an old 009 on a wooden sled still out in the brush, rusting along with an LS98 Link-Belt on a landing (wooden tree long since fallen) on Prince of Wales Island. One of these days I'll get a helicopter ride in there and get some pics for everyone. OK, theres a Madill story, now tell me yours...........
Hi Have u ever seen the picture of the 10 009s on a barge going to alaska leaving nanaimo. I have the list of who bought them if your interested.
 

Tugger2

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
1,366
Location
British Columbia
If i remember correctly they used to load machines on the railway siding at Madills and ship them down to the Assembly wharf downtown. There was a heavy ramp on what was called the Coastwise berth .Rail siding led right beside the ramp. Iused to have a waterlot for my floating gear right beside it. I think i was the one to use that ramp for loading some of my equipment on a North Arm Barge in 2010.
 
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