CF HLVW Photo reference gallery

[Robin Craig]

Well, I hope you don't mind some history.

I have always wanted the whole story, all of it. I guess it comes from being a scale model maker and wanting all the detail to do it right, really right. Somehow that followed me when I got into recording CF vehicles and photo journalism.

I the early 1990s I had heard that two re production prototypes had been sold off and were leading quiet lives in civvy street. UTDC the licenced builder in Kingston sold them off or, PWSGC sold them. Someone will remind us soon. My bet is UTDC.

Anyhow. Through a flaw in my records I don't have a date for this first one but I can tell you that I trekked down to just past Kingston to a quaint volunteer Fire Department at a place called Newburgh.

I spent some time up on a tall ladder in a field to get these shots, the one that captures the light illuminated is one of my most favourite photos, the colour scanned in here just does not do it justice.

Anyhow, here she is, lets have some comments. Then I will chime in tomorrow with some of my own.

[Robin Craig]

Now, I am not sure how many pre production vehicles there were exactly, did any get rebuilt into production vehicles?

This second one popped up being used by Karsons Kartage in Carp, Ontario. It was when Karsons was still private.

They made it into a water truck and used it a lot on job sites around the area. I have not seen it for a while but I know that some detective work might find if it is on the road these days or whether it languishes in a scrap yard or is razor blades.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

I spent some time up on a tall ladder in a field to get these shots

Only a scale modeller would think of that! What a great idea and it certainly paid off here, makes a fabulous change from the usual eye level shots. I'm now thinking of carrying a folding ladder in the car! Nice work Robin, you've showcased these two vehicles beautifully.

[Robin Craig]

Dear Tony,

Thank you for those kind words. The model maker in me demanded many images that wont be shown here for lack of space. There were 3 rolls of 36 exposures shot on the Fire truck alone. If you only knew where these boxes of these pictures have been and how much of a miracle it is they have survived the over 15 years of being a stateless nomad then you will understand why I want to show them to others.

[Robin Craig]

When the folks at the Newburg Fire Department won the bid on the truck they went to the factory at UTDC to collect it. They were told to drive around the building very slowly and keep going round and round, "just do it" is what one person recalled.

So, in the vehicle they got, and duly drove around slowly, as they did people opened doors and walked out and stopped them carrying boxes of random spares and were told "better you have these than they go into the dumpster".

They got quite a haul in the end.

The vehicle if I understand, was the prototype for the wrecker and I think has a different rear axle spring set up than the Karsons water truck.

The folks at Newburg built the whole of that tanker body themselves. After finishing the work they approached Dupont, another local Kingston business in an attempt to cut costs and get some free paint for it. The reply was swift from Dupont. "No, we wont supply free paint", the next sentence floored them, "But give us the whole truck and we will paint it for you" which is what happened. The vehicle went to Dupont and duly returned in a paint job better than they could have ever done.

I will try to link up with them over the winter and see how the truck has survived.

Curiously that photo shoot turned up a weird cargo body section that got turned into a civvy trailer, must look that up..

The Karsons truck is an unknown to me, I never did get anyone within the company willing to speak nor did I have the resources to chase them. I think Eagle Eyed Eric (Booth), the editor of CMP magazine, was the first person to alert me to its existence. As it has a provincial licence plate that could reveal some data.

[Ed Storey]

These two civilian HLVWs could have been CFRs 80924 and 80925 as both of those vehicles were disposed of in April 1993.

[Robin Craig]

ED,

That is great news, I'm thinking that if they had CFRs that you can quote they were crown property by then?

Do you have any pictures of either of those two vehicles when they were still in use by the CF or trials team? Can you post them them?

Thanks

R