|
Post by Starsteward on Oct 30, 2011 9:06:15 GMT -8
Now that we have the Fijian Islands "under the microscope" and on the radar, as it were, since the arrival of the Lomaiviti Princess to that part of the world, we are learning how poor the transportation infrastructure of Fiji really is. Either there has been no service, poor service, and that would appear to extend to land transport as well as we learn about the dismal condition of the bus system but I believe the investment Mr. Goundar has made with the purchase and relocation of the QPR has sparked and will continue to be the catalyst of change with regards to the creation of a better inter-island transportation system which will increase the benefits for many segments of the local economy to say nothing of the huge boost it will give to the expansion of tourism business opportunities. Just a couple of weeks ago I noticed about 18 motor coaches from Horizon Transportation parked on a lot fairly adjacent to the Ballantyne Cruise ship terminal in Vancouver and wondered if they were not being "marshalled" for shipping off to some foreign destination. Given what we are learning about the poor quality of transportation vehicles in Fiji, perhaps the relocation of the QPR is but one example of 'what was once old and outdated' for our use could well be the mantra for seeing Fiji acquire other old treasures from some of the more developed countries abroad.
|
|
|
Post by lmtengs on Oct 30, 2011 11:41:19 GMT -8
I've seen that lot in Vancouver before, Starsteward, and there's often old coach buses parked there. There's been a really old 1960s era coach there in the past, and I meant to drop by and see if there were any photos that could be snapped of it. I hope it's still there...
But yea, I'm not sure if those buses are going to be headed off to some foreign destination, other than maybe bus-Alang.
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Nov 3, 2011 21:41:47 GMT -8
In honour of Mr. DOT's birthday today, I present a new scan of one of his many 'old' BC Ferry photos. Here is the QPR in Victoria's Inner Harbour masquerading as the Victoria Princess. This is posted on my Flickr photo site. This was the odd year of 1980 during which the BC Government (under the younger Bennett) declared that the Princess Marguerite (the Maggie) was no longer 'fit' to sail to Seattle. BC Steamships wanted to replace her with the Queen of Surrey which BC Ferries (BCFC) had had sitting around idle since 1976. BCFC decided instead to place the Surrey on the Inside Passage route, replacing the Queen of Prince Rupert. The Surrey was renamed Queen of the North. Meanwhile the idle Rupert was loaned to BC Steamships to replace the Maggie. This experiment was a rather large failure and ended up costing BC taxpayers a whole lot of cash. In the summer of 1981 the Maggie was back on line between Victoria & Seattle, and the Rupert returned north inaugurating a new service to Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlottes) as well as joining the Queen of the North to provide additional service on the Inside Passage. What if the Surrey had gone onto the Seattle run? Would it have successfully replaced the Maggie? I think that it might have worked out rather nicely and just might still be sailing today. Who knows?
|
|
FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,952
|
Post by FNS on Nov 3, 2011 22:43:30 GMT -8
What if the Surrey had gone onto the Seattle run? Would it have successfully replaced the Maggie? I think that it might have worked out rather nicely and just might still be sailing today. Who knows? Yes, there were talks of putting the then QUEEN OF SURREY I on the Seattle run. There was a bit of opposition to this, though. Some people called the newer ship a "plastic of something else". The people came to our area to ride a ship with character. The MAGGIE had that classic miniature "ocean liner" feel with some features not offered in other ships then. Like long sheltered promenades with wood decking on the second passenger deck, a bow deck to walk out on, a sun deck, real wood paneling inside some areas, a quiet propulsion system with a nice constant soothing burring sound that came from the electrical transformers, et al, et al, et al. A large hole with hatch would have been required to be cut on the QOS1's sides to handle the side loadings performed on this run then. The end loading Ogden Point terminal became active in 1987 for the VIP and the Seattle operations were moved to Pier 48 in 1989, costing the MAGGIE's abilities in carrying cars. It would have been an interesting situation had the QOS1 seen service on the Seattle run. This discussion continues... Now, let's find some more news on today's operations of the LOMAIVITI PRINCESS.
|
|
mrdot
Voyager
Mr. DOT
Posts: 1,252
|
Post by mrdot on Nov 4, 2011 9:33:03 GMT -8
:)yes, running the QPR to Seattle that one season was madness, and running the Burnaby as a tarted up Margurette was even more rediculous, the memories of the last real CPR princesses will live in my memory bank for all the time I have left to me! :)mrdot.
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Nov 8, 2011 17:37:30 GMT -8
First of all a very happy belated Birthday to you mrdot hope you had a great day and send wishes for many more! The wonderful picture of the Queen of Prince Rupert posted by the fab. FerryNutSeattle, is just another testament to how the old girl ruled the Coast with such grace and aplomb. You could put her on any run you wanted, dress her up in nice clothes, hiddeous clothes, adorned throughout her career with various gaudy decals and government gibberish, and yet, she remained steady, trustworthy, safe, (unless her manservants got careless about which back alley's they let her ply her trade as it were), surviving all the slings and arrows of abuse and yet making it to a full and successful 48 year reign! Pretty good on her, and yes she so sweetly desrves her retirememt to the beautiful tropical paradise she now serves.
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Nov 10, 2011 21:25:31 GMT -8
This one is for 'StarSteward' who did once say that the pointy end of the Rupert looked hot in pastel blue... Queen of Prince Rupert @ the 'new' Bear Cove Terminal, Port Hardy - 28 May 1981 © WCK/JST - Kodachrome slide - 81-08-07 - hosted on my Flickr photo siteBC Ferries relocated its southern Inside Passage terminus from Kelsey Bay to Port Hardy (Bear Cove) in 1979. This was at the time the Island Highway #19 was extended from Sayward to Port Hardy via Nimpkish Lake. The QPR is sporting a fresh coat of pastel blue here. She had spent the previous summer wearing the Union Jack while pretending to be the Victoria Princess.
|
|
mrdot
Voyager
Mr. DOT
Posts: 1,252
|
Post by mrdot on Nov 10, 2011 21:52:07 GMT -8
:)yes, the QPR bows looked good in the pastel livery and the missing provincial emblem plaque looked good on the pins that still protrude on the visor, but didn't survive the rough northern seas! all the plaques were moved on the other vessels as well to the foc'scle upper housing, and even in the slug pvte. ent. era, still remain! :)mrdot.
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Nov 12, 2011 9:46:26 GMT -8
This one is for 'StarSteward' who did once say that the pointy end of the Rupert looked hot in pastel blue... Queen of Prince Rupert @ the 'new' Bear Cove Terminal, Port Hardy - 28 May 1981 photo © JST - Kodachrome slide - 81-08-07 - Nikon-VueScan - hosted on my Flickr photo siteBC Ferries relocated its southern Inside Passage terminus from Kelsey Bay to Port Hardy (Bear Cove) in 1979. This was at the time the Island Highway #19 was extended from Sayward to Port Hardy via Nimpkish Lake. The QPR is sporting a fresh coat of pastel blue here. Shge had spent the previous summer wearing the Union Jack while pretending to be the Princess Victoria. Very special surprise there WettCoast, thank-you I remember the very first time, May 19, 1967 I walked down the ramp at Kelsey Bay onto the Queen of Prince Rupert with that massive "mouth" open and back then, I'd swear she looked bigger than the Queen Mary, LOL. Looking back, the pastel blue on the ships WAS very classy, and I'd forgotten the reason they took the Provincial Crest off the bow door. Always loved many warm Summer days docked in Kelsey Bay when the big bow door would be up as welll as the stern door, allowing one to look straight through the length of the cardeck and out into Johnstone Strait, while feeling a cool sea breeze that would blow through the cardeck, only to have to risk an elevator ride or hump the stairs to 'Prom Deck' that was, in Summer usually hotter than Hades (thanks to that wonderful air-conditioning system the Rupert used to have) I have a Starboard side view of the Rupert at Kelsey Bay on my Photobucket site that I treasure, but you photo brought back wonderful memories of day one of many great days aboard what I call my second home - the Queen of Prince Rupert.
|
|
FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,952
|
Post by FNS on Nov 12, 2011 20:30:50 GMT -8
In a mine field and found gold again!
Two more videos have been found of the MV LOMAIVITI PRINCESS:
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 12, 2011 20:58:36 GMT -8
Good to know that no matter how weird some North American ferry fans are, there are still-weirder people in Fiji. Good for us, we're not the weirdest. ;D
|
|
|
Post by lmtengs on Nov 12, 2011 23:03:10 GMT -8
Good to know that no matter how weird some North American ferry fans are, there are still-weirder people in Fiji. Thing is, if you look at the end of the clip, the filmer pans the camcorder and shows that they're still at Deas!
|
|
|
Post by WettCoast on Dec 4, 2011 12:57:15 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 4, 2011 13:15:52 GMT -8
The Thorne Brothers are showing good teamwork in this set: - photo by Jim - drawing by David @ Tsawwassen Terminal Berth 4 - January 1978 [JST photo] QPR @ Tsawwassen 1978 [DOT Drawing ©]
|
|
mrdot
Voyager
Mr. DOT
Posts: 1,252
|
Post by mrdot on Dec 4, 2011 19:47:45 GMT -8
:)great memory time pic! note the prov. emblem still on her bows, and still in her first best livery, even if a bit weathered! :)mrdot.
|
|
FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,952
|
Post by FNS on Dec 16, 2011 21:43:10 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 19, 2011 20:58:09 GMT -8
QPR postcard by Dexter Sovereign - photo by K. Buchanan And a Peacock Postcard - photo by J. Barnard
|
|
|
Post by Low Light Mike on Dec 20, 2011 12:10:15 GMT -8
Queen of the North in her dogwood years: Queen of the North and QPR in the early 1980's. Similar photo on the cover of a local Vancouver Island book: - photo is "off Port Hardy" and is courtesy of BCFC.
|
|
|
Post by dofd on Jan 13, 2012 23:35:16 GMT -8
Know it has been a long time, but what do the horn blasts mean?
|
|
piglet
Chief Steward
Posts: 138
|
Post by piglet on Jan 14, 2012 8:22:53 GMT -8
That video sounds like something you used to hear up around Nanaimo Lakes when Bob Swanson was testing horns.
|
|
|
Post by Ferryman on Jan 14, 2012 12:59:39 GMT -8
Know it has been a long time, but what do the horn blasts mean? At the beginning, each ship was sounding off a letter in morse code, totalling 3 letters. Those letters were "QPR" Q (as done by the Norex) = 2 long, 1 short, 1 long P (as done by the Norad) = 1 short, 2 long, 1 short R (as done by the QPR) = 1 short, 1 long, 1 short Then the finale was obviously just a generic sounding of all the horns together.
|
|
|
Post by Starsteward on Jan 16, 2012 10:31:24 GMT -8
That was indeed a touching salute by the 3 Northern Vessels upon the retirement of the Grand Dame, the Queen of Prince Rupert. Members should make a permanent copy of that salute and tuck it away as a memorable treasure of BC Ferries history.
|
|
FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,952
|
Post by FNS on Jan 17, 2012 18:29:58 GMT -8
Here's a story that isn't related to our departed friend. But, it does tell you what kind of weather the people get in the Fiji Islands sometimes. By my occasional readings of the news from Fiji, they get quite a bit of wet weather. This storm did leave lots of people in the dark: The rest of this story can be read at: www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=191036I guess whenever anyone plans a trip to Fiji to ride the LOMAIVITI PRINCESS, they should plan on taking what they often wear on the northern runs of BCF.
|
|
|
Post by Mike on Feb 3, 2012 15:58:35 GMT -8
Queen of Prince Rupert in fresh Expo 86 paint at Deas. Photo taken by my grandfather.
|
|
mrdot
Voyager
Mr. DOT
Posts: 1,252
|
Post by mrdot on Feb 3, 2012 17:04:14 GMT -8
:)great shot of my old ship, and I was tromping round deas dock at about this time as your dad, and have a number of the ferries going thru their change of livery at this time, some can be found in my brothers flickr, and photobucket. :)mrdot.
|
|