Historic BCF photos - general thread

[queenofcowichan]

I think it did also when the vessle was "Stena Danica"

[Curtis]

That reminds me so much of the modern day Horseshoe Bay, besides the fact that it looks half like the modern day one. Nice Photo.

[Mill Bay]

queenofcowichan said:

The original Doors on the upper car deck did not last too long. Does anyone Know when they were removed? Also of note the gate that replaced the original door on the Upper Car deck appears to be fitted right to the end of the deck, now it is located closer to the end of then Pickle Forks. (Pickle Forks is a term Washington State Ferries refers to the extension of the passenger deck forward of the cabin.)

I may be wrong, but I have this nagging sensation that the visor doors on the upper decks lasted a bit longer on the Queen of Surrey and Oak Bay.

I think I remember seeing them still in the Expo era, and afterwards... maybe someone else has a better memory than I do, or some photographic evidence.

[Ferryman]

The Cowichan and Coquitlam only got to have their Bow visors for about a year after entering service, due to the fact that there were too many times where the visor wouldn't open, and everyone on the upper deck would offload/load via the articulating ramps leading down to deck 3.

The Oak Bay and Surrey held on to their visors for appoximately a decade and a half after they were built. The Surrey was the first to have them removed right around when she was deployed on to Route 3 full time in 1996. The Oak Bay had lost them in 1998 or so.

[Retrovision]

Thanks for the info, guys; of any of the major vessels, the 'C's are the ones I know the least about living down here near or in Tsawwassen for most of my life.

queenofcowichan said:

...now it is located closer to the end of then Pickle Forks.

Are they no longer referred to in this way, if for any particular reason?

[Low Light Mike]

tsawwassenterminal said:

Thanks for the info, guys; of any of the major vessels, the 'C's are the ones I know the least about living down here near or in Tsawwassen for most of my life.

queenofcowichan said:

...now it is located closer to the end of then Pickle Forks.

Are they no longer referred to in this way, if for any particular reason?

It's funny how by not reviewing your post, you can unknowing change the meaning of the post.... ;D It reminds me of drivers who don't realise that their turn-signal is on, as they continue driving straight for miles & km's and miles.......flash flash flash.....

[Retrovision]

flugelhorn said:

tsawwassenterminal said:

Thanks for the info, guys; of any of the major vessels, the 'C's are the ones I know the least about living down here near or in Tsawwassen for most of my life.
Are they no longer referred to in this way, if for any particular reason?

It's funny how by not reviewing your post, you can unknowing change the meaning of the post.... ;D It reminds me of drivers who don't realise that their turn-signal is on, as they continue driving straight for miles & km's and miles.......flash flash flash.....

But of course it's never my intention to point out such things Actually in this case it had nothing to do with pointing out spelling, and just now I was reminded of a similar lesson, to not read too fast - I had interpreted "the then pickle forks" when in fact it was a very simple "then pickle forks", which even I wouldn't interpret as anything other than a mistype.

[CN2972South]

Neat old pic.

[kylefossett]

so by looking at a van you can guess that this ferry was doing the southern gulf islands run? the van is a mid 70's fargo. the van in this picture belongs to an electrical contractor.

[Retrovision]

That's a beaut, Jim. I'd guess the same about the reversing of the berths as this is exactly how I remember Tsawwassen Terminal looking as a kid growing up, with the big blue walkway (let alone the landscape) from this remaining building here:

www.ferrypicsbygraham.fotopic.net/p42722157.html

As many of us know, the last (original?) main terminal building is now the maintenance facility in the middle of the current parking lots and was connected by similar blue siding clad walkways with vertical windows - very few - along the way.

[EGfleet]

wetcoastkidjst said:

Sechelt Queen - Tsawwassen Terminal - probably dating from 1976 or 77 when she may have been doing relief duty on the Mainland - Gulf islands route, or may have been assigned as a fifth extra vessel on route 1. DOT photo

By the look of that van my guess is the Sechelt Q was doing the Gulf Islands.

I was/still am a bit confused by this photo. I thought maybe this is not Tsawwassen. It is the 'Berth 1' sign that has me confused. If this is Tsawwassen surely this is beth 2. I have decided that originally berth 1 & 2 were the other way around. They changed the order when berths 3, 4 & 5 were added a few years later. Does anyone know if this is in fact what happened?

Larger size here:
i90.photobucket.com/albums/k268/wetcoastkidjst/Ex%20Blackball%20and%20SCQ/570c3a1e.jpg

Lovely photo of my favorite ex-Black Ball ferry! Thank you so much for sharing!

[FNS]

Neat picture as well!

Did you notice the sign?: REMOVE SUNGLASSES

They need this at all terminals where fully enclosed car deck ferries run.

From this

To this

[BCFCBCCSSCollector]

Hi there Jim!

I think you have in fact a pic of the Sechelt Queen at Tsawwassen and indeed at berth 1. I say this, because in the picture you provided, if you look at the angle of the picture you give, and the picture I have attached, you would not see the structure of berth 2, due to the sharp angle of the photo. I included an aerial picture of the estimated projection at the angle you provided. Given the background, I really think you have Tsawwassen at berth 1 and a great shot indeed.

[Political Incorrectness]

coxnnick said:

Wow, I forgot how cramped the interior was on those ships. Does anyone else remember a special sailing out of Dep. bay open to employees and family only? They had the employees drive their vehicles on board for a "real world" loaded test. Vehicles were loaded on the main deck and they had huge water bladders on the upper car deck to simulate a full load. We did a round trip to horseshoe bay and back. The whole thing took around 6 hours since we did a bunch of maneuvers in georgia strait along the way. I distinctly remember the captain coming on the PA to announce that they had run the engines to 110% of MCR and we achieved a speed of 35kts. I remember how it was so smooth, it was like riding on rails.

Quick diversion off topic, rails? I hope you do not mean the ones near the border crossing at peach arch.

Anyways, 110% and acheived 35 knots? What MCR would you have to run the engines to maintain 30 knots? Do you remember?

[Nick]

ferrymaniac101 said:

coxnnick said:

Wow, I forgot how cramped the interior was on those ships. Does anyone else remember a special sailing out of Dep. bay open to employees and family only? They had the employees drive their vehicles on board for a "real world" loaded test. Vehicles were loaded on the main deck and they had huge water bladders on the upper car deck to simulate a full load. We did a round trip to horseshoe bay and back. The whole thing took around 6 hours since we did a bunch of maneuvers in georgia strait along the way. I distinctly remember the captain coming on the PA to announce that they had run the engines to 110% of MCR and we achieved a speed of 35kts. I remember how it was so smooth, it was like riding on rails.

Quick diversion off topic, rails? I hope you do not mean the ones near the border crossing at peach arch.

Anyways, 110% and acheived 35 knots? What MCR would you have to run the engines to maintain 30 knots? Do you remember?

No I don't remember, and I don't remember how to calculate that either.

[Neil]

An incident at Horseshoe Bay, early 1985. The Queen of Surrey entered the harbour, going a great deal faster than she should have been. A ferry employee later told us that he had been shouting at us to get back out of the way, but in the din of engine noise and blaring ship's whistle, we hadn't heard. The 'Surrey bashed the dock, and then immediately reversed, and, in this photo, raced at high speed out of the harbour. I don't believe anyone was injured, but there was considerable damage to the dock, the car deck was strewn with splintered wood, and you can see some damage to the ferry above the lower car deck, center. Pardon the terrible second photo.
(Thanks to Retro for improving my very poor photo of the dock damage, second post following this one.)

[Curtis]

Some Very Good Photos of Our Fallen Flagship Before She was the Flagship, Jim
Nice Photos as Well of a Minor Incident, Neil.

[Retrovision]

hornbyguy said:

Pardon the terrible second photo.

Well I tried, but atleast it didn't die on the operating table...

[Mirrlees]

Here's a picture of the Expo '86 funnel on Miss Victoria, taken in August 1986.


Edited for width

[Fenklebaum]

Any idea of why she was coming round the bend a good deal faster than she should've been? A C-class ferry not being able to slow down in time on final approach to Horseshoe Bay... there's an eery familiarity to that particular refrain.

On a side note: we had a fella working for us this summer by the name of "Crash". He decided that he knew the engines best, and that the marked red lines were "for the amateurs". Two stalled engines, cracked docks and crushed bows later, he decided that 'slowing down' might be a better policy.

Thank God we got him good and drunk and duct taped him naked to a marker buoy out in English Bay.

Fenk, idling ahead

[Mirrlees]

Here's a scene of Swartz Bay in August 1988 on the left is the 'Burnaby still wearing her bolted-on Dogwood flag; having not yet recieved the painted version. The 'Vancouver is on the right.






i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff265/Mirrlees/21200002.jpg

[Mirrlees]

This is a photo of Queen of Oak Bay in July,1991 arriving in Departure Bay showing that she still had her hydraulic fences on the upper car deck.


i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff265/Mirrlees/21240005.jpg

[WettCoast]

Q of Victoria coming around Helen Point in Active Pass - ~1990

DOT photo

[queenofcowichan]

Rounding Helen Point? Last time I was in Active Pass there was no dock near Helen Point. Could this picture be taken near Sturdies Bay instead?

Helen Point is the south entrance of the Pass, on the right hand side of the ship as you depart Village Bay or comming in from Swartz Bay.

[kylefossett]

that picture of the queen of vic is her coming into active pa at the sturdies bay side. you are right queenofcowichan there is no dock at helen pont