Fieldtrip to steam donkey (North of Haywire Bay)

Saturday May 6, 2000

Present at the work party:

Museum members: Brian Crilly, Chet Fee, Tom Sparks, Jack McCuish, Bill McKay, Dave Florence, Jim Southern, Les Shelton, Mike Clark, Rudi van Zwaaij

Steam donkey committee: Greg Voysey, Howie McKamey, Bill Tuba

Others: Paul Kutz, Kevin Giles

Thirteen of us left the Shingle mill at 9 am in two boats. After a short boat ride we tied up at a cabin, where two boats were tied up already. Howie McKamey from Goat Lake Forest Products had gone up at seven, and guided in the helicopter that slung in our tools for the day. The tools were dropped of courtesy of Goat Lake Forest Products. The other boat belonged to Greg Voysey who had also gone up earlier than the main party.

We started on the 45-minute hike on the old overgrown road. The weather deteriorated as we went up, and the skies broke open as we got close to the donkey. Again the steam donkey was an awesome sight and everybody was enthusiastic about starting the work party. Howie and Greg had already felled some small trees around the donkey to make room for the airlift, which made taking video and photographs much easier.

Prior to starting the disassembling of the components, Rudi took some detailed video to capture the donkey as it was found for historic reference. The work party got underway.

Kevin made a nice campfire where we could find some warmth in the rainy weather. Bill Tuba cut all the bolts and parts that needed to be cut. Pipes were disconnected and all parts were collected. The boiler was bolted to the frame with four bolts, which were cut. The frame was bolted to the sled and all bolts were cut. A jack was used to check if indeed all bolts were cut.

As the work party was progressing well, we decided to airlift out some of the smaller components today. We contacted Oceanview Helicopters who showed up at two PM with the longline and dropped off several nylon rope slings. On the first sling we hooked up the net with our tools and 40-gallon drum of smaller artifacts. On the second trip we flew out the chimney of the donkey which was quite a sight! The third sling took out the seven foot long by four-foot diameter water tank. Next we hooked up the larger fairlead, but the Bell Long-Ranger was unable to lift it. The fourth and last sling took out the pipes, carriage and ladder we used. All of this was dropped at Block Bay.

Silence returned and we headed back down the trail to the boats. After arriving at the Shingle mill, we drove around to Block Bay and picked up our tools and smaller artifacts. Some of us then convened for a well-deserved beer at the Shingle mill reminiscing over a successful day. We had some more good laughs about the wildlife that had scared Bill Tuba earlier that day. As he was cutting the bolts of the chimney, a mouse came out of the top of the boiler and ran around the boiler on a ledge! Everything is now ready for the Helifor to show up with the Chinook helicopter and lift out the boiler, the main frame with the drums, and the fairlead.

Other notes from the work party:

A diagram was made of the construction of the sled and the position of all the items.

The boiler registration numbers were discovered:

V1W 4669, BC 2491,S.60000,FWB 483650,20-6-23

The carriage that was found at the steam donkey has the following plate:

manufactured by OPSAL STEEL CO. LTD., trade oSCo mark, No. 938A Vancouver, B.C.

The oiler on the steam donkey is a Manzel: 25D 502R

The Powell River Forestry Museum Society would like to thank the following people and organizations:

Rudi van Zwaaij, President

File: museum/donkey project/workparty-may6