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British Columbia built logging equipment, obscure makes....
- Thread starter trakloader
- Start date
trakloader
Senior Member
That's either a Westfall Performer, or a Kenworth. I'd suspect the latter, as the KW was more common in BC. KW bought the rights from Westfall, if I remember right, and built them at Canadian KW in Burnaby, BC. I've heard that only six were built, but I think there were more. There were at least two up here, Skadill found one, and there is the one in the above picture. I know of one more on The Island that was scrapped, plus one in NZ. Hey, that's six, so you never know!
jackd
Senior Member
Buildings of Old
The Opsal Steel Building is one of the last remaining original structures from the logging equipment manufacturing era in Vancouver. I remember the Osco blocks from my Y & L days - especially the " Tommy Moores" that we used when we towered up the yarders. I drove by this building many times over the years, hoping some bugger wouldn't burn it down and it would seem that my wish has come true. They're in the process of rebuilding it into a mixed residential/commercial unit, and I hope to be able to drive by and see the old sign on the wall when it's done. Too bad more of these places weren't saved. Another discovery of mine was in one of the old parking barns on Granville Island. Up on the wall was a sign which said Vancouver Iron & Engineering Works (VIEW - makers of the Sparmatic). I've tried to find the sign again several times over the years but to no avail. Wonder where it went.
The Opsal Steel Building is one of the last remaining original structures from the logging equipment manufacturing era in Vancouver. I remember the Osco blocks from my Y & L days - especially the " Tommy Moores" that we used when we towered up the yarders. I drove by this building many times over the years, hoping some bugger wouldn't burn it down and it would seem that my wish has come true. They're in the process of rebuilding it into a mixed residential/commercial unit, and I hope to be able to drive by and see the old sign on the wall when it's done. Too bad more of these places weren't saved. Another discovery of mine was in one of the old parking barns on Granville Island. Up on the wall was a sign which said Vancouver Iron & Engineering Works (VIEW - makers of the Sparmatic). I've tried to find the sign again several times over the years but to no avail. Wonder where it went.
Attachments
KW850&T800H
COPPA
Hey Clint, this summer I have attest for you. You mentioned "cobbled together in a local shop," well I know a guy who built his own pole yarder, everything himself. It has so many controls etc. The drivers cabin is something to see, curved wood floor. I'll get some pictures asap. Maybe even in the next few weeks. Also, it works like a charm, except for that it burnt :/ It has a Cummins, and you know how i like them.
jackd
Senior Member
Vancouver Built
I thought that I'd post this here to show where these machines were originally built. Look at the address at the lower right hand corner of the page. I guess they eventually moved out to Burnaby and then who knows where. Whenever I used to go down to Granville Island, I used to look at the buildings and try to figure out what went on there in the old days. I saw a photo once of a Shay locomotive being barged in and brought inside for overhaul in the main market building. If you look up in the overhead beams, you can still see the old cranes that were used. I guess most shoppers don't look for these things.
I thought that I'd post this here to show where these machines were originally built. Look at the address at the lower right hand corner of the page. I guess they eventually moved out to Burnaby and then who knows where. Whenever I used to go down to Granville Island, I used to look at the buildings and try to figure out what went on there in the old days. I saw a photo once of a Shay locomotive being barged in and brought inside for overhaul in the main market building. If you look up in the overhead beams, you can still see the old cranes that were used. I guess most shoppers don't look for these things.
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trakloader
Senior Member
That's really neat, thanks for posting it! Tyee stuff is pretty hard to find.
jackd
Senior Member
That was a photo-copied sheet that Doug Ruskin (who was handling Tyee parts out of Burnaby) handed to me, during my visit with him many years ago. He gave me a copy of the last Tyee brochure as well - which I have seen posted on this site somewhere. I'll give you a copy of that sheet.
skadill
Senior Member
1971 Rosedale 60 Yarder
Built in Rosedale ,B.C. Eastern Fraser Valley.This was a one company owned machine till a few years ago.It had a 4-71 Detroit, 4 drum yarder,Lawrence 10-10 drum set,Allison trans.It went through RB auction,Surrey,B.C. It sold for only 3500$ along with a Washington 78A as well,same price,went to Washington or Oregon
Built in Rosedale ,B.C. Eastern Fraser Valley.This was a one company owned machine till a few years ago.It had a 4-71 Detroit, 4 drum yarder,Lawrence 10-10 drum set,Allison trans.It went through RB auction,Surrey,B.C. It sold for only 3500$ along with a Washington 78A as well,same price,went to Washington or Oregon
Attachments
i work for Opsal Steel ,(third generation) i had the pleasure of moving everything out of the old building to our new shop in Surrey, lots of memories in that building , there is plans for them to salvage part of the old barn
jackd
Senior Member
Wow - third generation. Are you from the founding family? Does Opsal still build the products of old or have you people branched out away from this side of the business? I always enjoy seeing that old barn whenever I drive by. It's one of the last remaining structures from a by gone time.
trakloader
Senior Member
My Grandfather and his Brother designed and built these skidders under the Westfall name. We actually have a working model at our farm that I helped rebuild many years ago. I think it is powered by a Cummins 250 naturally aspirated if I remember correctly. They did sell to Paccar and for a short time were marketed under the Kenworth name. It is actually a fun machine to drive. They were exceptionally fast for their size(top speed around 45mph). I remember my Grandfather telling me that their dry weight was 45.5 tons with blade attachment and boom arch. He told me that alot of times he would delivery machines to customers simply by driving them to the location. We still have the old marketing materials and photographs of him and their crew working these machines.
trakloader
Senior Member
Don't tease us! Post some of that stuff, and pics, too! The fellow that I talked to said the KW was the greatest machine, much better than the LeTourneau. I think that one had an oddball Cummins, a 225 or some such. Another one I found had a Perkins, but I don't think it was original.
I will dig some stuff up in the next few days when I go and visit my Grandfather. I can throw some pics up of the one we rebuilt. It isn't the most prettiest girl in school, but gets the job done. It was in very bad shape when we got a hold of it from a scrap yard here in Oregon. The biggest advantage of it was it's speed and manuverability in places that other equipment had a hard time getting around in, plus you can wheel steer or skid steer anytime you wanted to.
trakloader
Senior Member
jackd
Senior Member
Thanks for posting that shot Trackloader. I'm imagining that it is an early shot of either the J-87 or the J-88. I can't say that I recognize the valley that it is in. They pulled like anything when they were new from what I was told - snap 3 beads like it was strawline if you had a hang-up. I'm hoping to see more pictures of these things in service from some of you operators of yester year.
trakloader
Senior Member
It's hard to say; If it is J-87 or 88, they must have not come with the Tyee K65 yarder. It's hard to tell, but I'd almost say that one has a Skagit yarder. Looks like Cummins power, as it has a single exhaust. I'll inflate the picture for a closer look.
I promised some pictures of the Westfall Performer...
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My Grandfather Jack playing with the machine...
Having Technical Difficulties with forum.
trakloader
Senior Member
I promised some pictures of the Westfall Performer...
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My Grandfather Jack playing with the machine...
Nothing there! You may need to make a few more posts before you can post pics.