Spotlight on Mayo Shay No. 3

Mayo Shay No. 3 next to the much smaller No. 9.  Photo by Marcie Callewaert.

The Mayo Shay is one of the most famous trains at the museum and has a long history on Vancouver Island and in the Cowichan region.  It was donated to the museum in 1967 by Rajindi Mayo in memory of his father, lumberman Mayo Singh.

No. 3 was built in 1924 and originally purchased for $16,000. It is a type “B” Class 50-2 (50 ton 2-truck) locomotive. Its weight in working order is 121,000 pounds.  No. 3 is in operating condition but is a a standard gauge locomotive, meaning it cannot run on our narrow gauge tracks.  The locomotive used superheated steam and featured an enclosed steel cab.

In 1995, museum staff restored the locomotive to working order in preparation for its loan to the (then) Kettle Valley Railway Historical Society. At that point the locomotive was converted to burn oil instead of wood.  In September of 2009, the Mayo Shay returned to the BCFDC and was met by a happy crowd of staff, volunteers and visitors.

The Mayo Shay presented quite an impressive sight as it was brought in on a low-bed trailer, imagine driving in traffic beside it!

Parked on Drinkwater Road in front of the BCFDC

Crane Force donated their time, equipment and expertise to unload No. 3 at the museum
Photos by Aimee Greenaway.

A Day in the Life of Blacktail Deer at the BCFDC

5 AM - In the cool morning they awake from their peaceful slumber among the old apple trees in the orchard by the ranger station. The young twin fawns are lively in the dewy morning grass and frolic as mom eats a few choice blades of grass.

7 AM - The deer munch on the fallen apples in the orchard while the pesky wasps are still drowsy from the cool morning air. No one wants to get stung so they are careful about when they snack on the fallen fruit.

9 AM - While the shade is still covering the grass in front of the forest fire lookout tower, momma deer meets up with her sister twin from last year and they lay together in the cool shade while her fawns try out some solid food.

9:50 AM - Samson whistles as he backs around the track towards Alderlea Station. The deer head for the protection of the woods as people begin to arrive on site.

12 PM - The train has to slow down near the Ducks Unlimited Pond for one of the fawns who is running on the tracks ahead of the locomotive.

1 PM - Up near the maintenance area another doe and her fawn can be found sleeping in the cool shade of an 18-wheeler trailer. To escape the sun's heat they move deep into the woods or in secret holes where few people venture.

4:10 PM - As the conductor and engineer wait at the lower grounds a doe rockets down the trail and into the field near the vintage logging trucks. She pauses to bite at her back leg before sprinting back into the bush. It looks like she managed to step in a bee's nest.

4:45 PM - Two does run down the grade by the maintenance area and leap up the embankment into the forest. Both seem to have been stung while they were in the forest earlier.

7:00 - The twin fawns, mom and their aunt snack on grass near the Somenos Marsh. They shake their skin to scare off the mosquitos biting at their backs.

9 PM - As the darkness falls they begin to search for a quiet protected place to sleep for the night. Bedding down in the soft grass they go to sleep, full and rested for the next day.

By Marcie Callewaert

Antique Truck Show 2010

BCFDC volunteer Les Stewart driving the 1918 Maxwell logging truck in the parade

 
The Antique Truck Show was a hit last weekend!  There were nearly 900 visitors and over 30 trucks on display.  The Cowichan Valley Fire & Safety Fair was also successful with antique and modern fire trucks on-site for visitors to check out.  Many visitors took advantage of the opportunity to chat with the firefighters and learn about fire safety.  The antique vehicle parades were the highlights of both days.

About 30% of the event's visitors traveled from Victoria to take in the truck show and we hope to see them back here for future special events.  Thank you to all the volunteers and exhibitors who worked behind the scenes to make the event enjoyable for the community!  Please take a look at the event photos below, taken by BCFDC summer student, Marcie, Callewaert.

1923 Model T Ford Crummy (BCFDC Collection)

New Ranger Station Roofs

New cedar shake roof on the Ranger Station

 Last Friday, the roofs on the Ranger Station buildings were finished!  The buildings are now protected from the weather until about 2035, so we can focus on preserving some of the museum's other heritage buildings.

Front of the Ranger Station during roofing

Of course, things looked a lot worse before they got better last week.  The roofers put in long hours stripping the old shakes, replacing rotting fascia, and installing the roof.  Fortunately, there were no nasty surprises when the old roof came off.  The strapping and trusses were still in good condition, keeping our materials costs down.

New roof on the four-car garage

New roof, old paint

 The Ranger Station restoration project still has one major phase to complete before the winter.  Both buildings need to be scraped and repainted in order to preserve the wood siding.  The cracked and peeling white paint looks even worse now that it is contrasted against a brand new roof. A $300 donation for paint was made last week by Mike Apsey.  If you are interested in volunteering on the painting crew, please contact Aimee at education.bcfdc@shawlink.ca

Upcoming Antique Truck and C.V. Fire and Safety Fair

The BC Forest Discovery Centre is hosting two great events this weekend!  See historical trucks in motion at the museum's own Antique Truck Show.  All of our logging and fire trucks will be on display and the operational trucks will parade around the site at 11:00 and 2:00 both days.

The Cowichan Valley Fire and Safety Fair also takes place at the BCFDC this weekend.  6 vintage fire trucks from various fire halls in the region will be on display as well as modern fire, pumper and rescue trucks.  Children will have fun in the fire safety house and chatting with the fire fighters.

Both events take place from 10-4 on August 21-22.  Unlimited steam train rides, museum access, and both events are included in regular admission prices.
 
Museum Trucks Featured in the Antique Truck Show

1949 Diamond T Logging Truck

J.H. Braten used this Diamond T logging truck to haul logs from Mount Prevost to Cowichan Bay in the 1950s.  This 10-ton truck was purchased new for $8,500 and spent its working life in the Cowichan region.  The bright red colour was a signature of the Diamond T Motor Car Company.

Many loggers in the 1950s used Hayes Anderson reach trailers, just like this 1938 model.  Two-person Disston chainsaws are mounted on the rear of the truck.  The Diamond T was donated to the museum in 2007 by Bill Simpson.

1948 Dodge LaFrance Fire Pumper Truck

The 1948 Dodge LaFrance Fire Pumper Truck was purchased by BC Forest Products Ltd.  The truck was used for fire suppression purposed at both the Youbou Sawmill and the Town of Youbou (located on Cowichan Lake, BC).


The truck has a 6 cylinder Chrysler industrial engine.  The pumper was manufactured by American LaFrance, a company that specializes in fire and rescue vehicles.
The truck weighs 15,000 pounds and pumps 550 US gallons per minute.  The Dodge Pumper Truck was donated to the museum in 1998 by TimberWest Forest Corp.


Both of these trucks will be on display during the truck show this weekend and will be in the parades.  For more event info visit www.discoveryforest.com

Spotlight on Pole Railway Car

Pole railway car c. 1895 (on exhibit on the lower grounds)

Pole railways were used at the turn of the 20th century by a few logging companies on Vancouver Island, including three in the Cowichan region.  The rail cars had concave or cupped wheels that ran along wooden poles instead of steel rails.  Pole railways were designed to be temporary and were a cheaper alternative to steel railways, costing $500 per mile to build compared with $2500 per mile for a conventional one.

"Old Betsy", Shawnigan Lake Lumber Co. No. 1, a 12-ton Climax locomotive

The Shawnigan Lumber Co. used a  pole railway to transport logs around Shawnigan Lake (on Southern Vancouver Island) starting in 1900.  The cars were originally pulled by a team of horses, but eventually the company used a steam locomotive named "Old Betsy" to pull the cars.

Pole railways were not widely used in the forest industry on the coast.  They were built to be temporary and were only well suited for gently sloping and swampy terrain.

New Ranger Station Roof

A blue tarp has been protecting the Ranger Station from the elements since November 2009.  Next week, the tarp comes off and new cedar shake roofs will be installed on both the Ranger Station and its four-car garage.

History and Significance of the Ranger Station Buildings

The Ranger Station includes a 1.5 storey office and stores building and a one storey four-car garage, both constructed in the Dutch Colonial Revival style of architecture. The structures were built in Duncan, BC during 1954 and were moved to the BC Forest Discovery Centre in 1987 after being decommissioned by the BC Forest Service (BCFS).

The buildings are significant because of their historical association with the BC Forest Service and the forest industry in British Columbia. They were originally constructed as an office and supply storage facility for the region’s forest ranger who was responsible for fighting wild fires, timber cruising, and providing an essential link between the BCFS and the people who utilized provincial forests and lands.

Aesthetically, the Duncan Ranger Station buildings are excellent examples of the Dutch Colonial Revival public buildings designed by the BCFS and constructed in various locations throughout British Columbia between 1945 and 1955. The buildings were intended to evoke an immediate recognition of the Forest Service’s presence and authority in regional forests.

The ranger station buildings are significant to the region as illustrations of Cowichan’s strong historic ties to the forest industry, the long-term position of prominence that forestry held in the local economy, and the role of forestry in shaping local culture.

A Fresh Coat of Paint for the Bunkhouses

These five bunkhouses that were originally located in logging camps at Copper Canyon (near Chemainus) and Nanaimo.  Each building has a different exhibit including the cookhouse, dining hall, surveyor's office, filer's shop, time keeper's office, first aid room, and bunkhouse.  These exhibits allow visitors to get a glimpse of life in Vancouver Island's logging camps between the 1930s and 1950s.

The cookhouse includes kitchen and dining hall exhibits.  Artifacts such as large potato mashers, pots and rolling pins show the challenges of scratch cooking for large numbers of loggers.  Many of these artifacts were used in the Cowichan region, and some of the supplies such Quakers Oats and Frys Cocoa are still familiar sights in kitchens today.

The second bunkhouse contains the surveyor’s office and filer’s shop.  The filer maintained and sharpened axes and saws.  Properly set and sharpened saws allowed loggers to fall more timber in a shorter amount of time.  The surveyor's duties included mapping  land, marking boundaries for logging operations, and planning roads.

The timekeeper’s office and first aid room.  The time keeper maintained financial records and employee payroll.  The first aid room did not have a full-time attendant and an employee who was in the camp during the day (often the timekeeper!) usually attended emergencies.

The bunkhouse was considered luxurious compared to living conditions in the early 1900s.  It housed eight men, had windows, and there were no bunk beds.  The room was heated with a wood stove and there are small holes all over the floor that serve as a reminder of the thousands of caulk boots that walked through its rooms.

The summer 2010 painting project involves scraping off all the old exterior paint and applying a fresh coat.  The project has been undertaken by both volunteers and staff.  Special thanks to the Telus volunteer work party that kicked the painting project off!

Your Child Can Become a Junior Conductor

View from the Engineer's seat inside Samson the steam locomotive

The next Junior Conductor workshop for children ages 5-12 years is on Thursday, August 12.  Our first workshop in July was very popular with children and their families.  The kids enjoyed a tour of the BCFDC's collection of steam locomotives, explored how steam technology works, learned the conductor's hand signals for communicating with the engineer, and the engineer took them on an insider's tour of  Samson's cab!

The workshop provides a great opportunity for kids to learn about trains while having fun as part of a family day at the museum.  Caregivers must remain with their child throughout the program.  The workshop runs from 10:30-12:00 and is included in regular admission (or membership).  Advanced registration is not required!

The Wheels Are A'Turnin'

The flume carries water to the top of the waterwheel to start and keep the wheel in motion.

The newest exhibit at the BC Forest Discovery Centre is a wooden waterwheel, located on the lower grounds near the museum's train trestle over Somenos Lake.  The new flume and waterwheel replace the previous ones that fell victim to old age and rot. 

Flumes and waterwheels were used in the logging industry in British Columbia, primarily during the 1800s.  Large flumes were constructed and used to transport logs down mountainsides to the lake or ocean below for sorting and milling in the interior of BC. The flume built to run the BCFDC’s waterwheel is significantly smaller, but built using the same design as these larger flumes.

The construction of the waterwheel exhibit adds a new facet to the museum's existing sawmill exhibit, as many sawmills were powered by waterwheels including the original sawmill at the town of Chemainus, located about 16 km north of the museum.

The wheel itself was donated by the Cowichan Valley Vintage Machinery Society, while the flume was constructed by volunteers Les Stewart and Ron Poets out of donated yellow cedar. Half the wood for the flume was cut on-site using the museum's 1920s portable sawmill, which has been operational on the site since the mid 1980s.

The waterwheel is already running and and being enjoyed by visitors, but is not quite finished.  Further plans call for the building of a pump to increase the flow of water traveling over the wheel, and sealing the sides and bottom of the flume to minimize water leaks.

Many thanks to Les Stewart and Ron Poets and the other BCFDC volunteers for the dedication and skill they brought to this project!

Have Your Own Seat in Our New Train Car

Last month we launched a fundraiser to help with the construction of a brand new train car.  The museum has been expanding the operating season, first with the Christmas Express and now with the upcoming first Halloween Train.  More cars are needed to keep up with demand on busy days and allow us to accommodate more people which will raise additional funds.

The new covered car will cost approximately $30,000 including volunteers and donations.  It will be outfitted with 20 seats adding an additional 40 passengers per ride.  People wishing to contribute $250 to the project as a family supporter,  a memorial, or a corporate donation will have their name engraved on a brass plaque mounted on one of the seats where it would be visible to thousands of visitors each year.  Charitable tax receipts are available for donations.

Additionally the right to name the new car can be negotiated by discussing the opportunity with the Manager, Vicki Holman at (250) 715-1113 ext 24

Take a Walk through the Forest

A 300 year old tree does not sound impressive compared to the 1,300 year old tree cookie in the main admissions building! But after a walk through the museum's  forest and you will see that a 300 year old tree is still quite an impressive sight. There are two trails that meander through mature second growth forest and provide a great quick walk for all ages.  The North and South Forester's Trails have a gentle slope, are wheelchair accessible, and connect the upper grounds to the playground and exhibit areas on the lower grounds. Black tailed deer and many species of birds and of course, ever-present insects, are commonly seen in the forest.

Evidence of the forest's history, such as large stumps with springboard notches (springboards were used by loggers to stand on while they cut down trees), can be seen from the trail. Flora such as stinging nettle, salal, and large evergreen and deciduous trees are abundant and they provide a cool, refreshing shade in the heat of the summer.

The North Forester's Trail also provides areas to view the locomotive shed,  the Hillcrest No. 1 Shay locomotive, and the BCFDC train as it travels down the steep hill towards the lower grounds.

Forests are an important part of the ecosystem, providing sanctuary for animals and cleaning the air we breathe everyday.  They are also a relaxing place to walk through and change every week during the growing season.

Spotlight on Somenos Marsh

Wetlands are key to a healthy local environment. Somenos Marsh is important to the Cowichan Valley because it filters toxins and other debris out of the water, provides a valuable habitat for many types of plants and animals, and reduces flooding.  Rare species rely on Somenos Marsh for survival, such as the Vancouver Island Ringlet, Prairie Lupine, Yellow Montane Violet, and the Garry Oak trees that grow in the thick firm soil near the marsh.  40 acres of the BC Forest Discovery Centre's grounds are part of the marsh, providing great educational opportunities for museum visitors.

The Somenos Marsh trail on the BCFDC's property is full of birds and other animals that are exciting to watch. Great Blue Herons gracefully hunt for their next meal among the tall marsh grasses, while California Quail chitter in the Hawthorn trees. The museum works in partnership with Ducks Unlimited to conserve the marsh.

The Somenos Marsh covers approximately 200 hectares of land, including open water, grassland, marsh and Garry Oak forest. 219 species of bird have been spotted in this preserve in total, including rare migratory species. Trumpeter Swans, once hunted and harrassed to the point where in 1933 there were only 77 breeding in canada and 50 breeding in the United States, have made a strong comeback and are now a common sight in the marsh in the winter months.

The BCFDC has a special attachment to the critters seen in our marsh. Animals such as Red Eared Slider Turtles and Black Tail Deer fawns are regular favourites with the museum staff.

Two Great Events, One Location

There is a new event this month!  The BCFDC’s Antique Truck Show and the Cowichan Valley Fire and Safety Fair will take place together on Saturday, August 21 and Sunday, August 22.

1949 Diamond T Logging Truck (BCFDC collection)

The event features displays of antique trucks from all over Vancouver Island including logging, industrial and fire trucks.  Visitors will have the unique opportunity to see the trucks in action as they parade around the museum’s 100-acre grounds.  Unlimited steam train rides are included in admission and are popular with people of all ages.

The Fire and Safety Fair will include displays of modern and antique fire trucks from 18 fire departments from the Malahat to North Oyster.  There will be children’s activities, the fire safety house, and an opportunity to talk to the firemen in person in Ladysmith.  The Cowichan Valley Fire Prevention Association organizes the Fire and Safety Fair to raise awareness about fire prevention and safety.

Hosting the events together will allow visitors to participate in two great events at the museum.  The Antique Truck Show and C.V. Fire and Safety Fair take place from 10 am to 4 pm both days.  Admission includes the truck show, fire and safety fair, full museum access, and unlimited train rides.

Discovery Kids Summer Workshops

The BCFDC is offering a new program this year, the Discovery Kids Summer Workshops.  There are four fun and interactive 90-minute workshops for children ages 5 to 12 years.

The “Forest Survivor” workshop shows children how to use compasses and maps to search for scavenger hunt clues throughout the 100-acre site.  “Junior Conductor” teaches children what it takes to be a conductor and how steam technology works.  The “Whirligigs and Pick Up Sticks” workshop allows children to step back in time and play with toys, just like those used by children in logging camps 100 years ago.  The “Marsh Monsters” workshop takes children on a pond safari where they search for creatures that live in Somenos Marsh and learn about the wetland ecosystem.

The workshops  take place from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm on Thursdays.  They are included in regular museum admission and memberships.  The workshops are available on a drop-in basis and caregivers must remain with their children for the duration of the program.

The workshops are so much fun that the kids forget they are learning.  See the schedule below to find out when your family can check out these new summer favorites!

Schedule
August 5    Marsh Monsters
August 12    Junior Conductor
August 19    Forest Survivor
August 26    Whirligigs & Pick Up Sticks

Spotlight on Samson (No. 25)

Samson's Story

Samson is the BC Forest Discovery Centre's most famous locomotive.  Samson No. 25 was built in 1910 and purchased by Grant Small & Company, a construction contractor based in Washington.   In 1920, S.S. Magoffin Construction purchased the locomotive from the Vancouver Machinery Depot for use in the construct of the Great Northern Railway (now CNR) grade through the Fraser Canyon.  Later on, Samson was used to transport fill for the construction of  the North Vancouver harbour facilities

The locomotive saw little service after the 1920s and was facing the scrapper’s torch when purchased by Gerry Wellburn, BCFDC founder in 1955.  The tender which is used to carry a fuel tank, also holds a water tank and duplex-pump for fire fighting purposes.  It can also “water track”, which utilizes nozzles on the back of the tender to prevent fires that could be sparked by the train in hot and dry conditions

 

Samson is the same class of locomotive as Percy from Thomas the Tank Engine!

Technical Data

Designation: Class C-6, 0-4-0, Saddle Tank Engine

Weight: 18 tons.

Cylinder dimensions: 10x16

Boiler pressure: originally 140 pounds per square inch – now 150 psi).

Gauge: Narrow (36 inches).

Fuel: Originally coal – now #2 Furnace oil.  It burns about 62 Gallons a day.

Steam locomotives require constant maintenance.  Samson requires a boiler washout once a month to keep her in working condition.  This year, the BCFDC have replaced two stay bolts in the boiler, calibrated the steam pressure gauge, and replaced a journal bearing on the tender.

BC Day is Kids Day

Over 1,200 people enjoyed the BC Day is Kids Day event yesterday.  There were many happy children riding the steam train with painted faces and big smiles!  Children's entertainment was provided by Sparkle and Sweezie the clowns and the Kathy White Highland Dancers.  The bouncy castle and carnival-style games were hits with the younger kids, but the most popular activity of the day was building wooden boats and other projects with Rona's Little Hammers program.

Visitors came from all over Southern Vancouver Island to visit the museum, ride the train and spend a fun day with their families and friends.  Thanks to our visitors, volunteers and staff for a great day!