Tag Archives: Canada

The Lancaster Progress is Good, But It Will Be a While

Jim and I made a trip to the BC Aviation Museum and one of the things he was particularly keen to see was the Lancaster restoration project that they have underway. When we got to the area where the Lancaster restoration is underway, we were disappointed to find the area was closed off that day. We were peering through the entrance at the front fuselage when the president of the museum wandered up with a guest. He asked if we were interested in seeing it and I don’t think it will take great insight to know we said yes.

He was only going to be there for a short while but was happy for us to come in and have a look around while he showed his guest what was underway. The front fuselage was looking very good and much work has been done on it. I was allowed to climb inside and seeing the pilot’s position exposed at the top of the plane was fascinating. The engines are undergoing work and they were in different parts of the museum. The centre wing structure was at one side of the hangar and you could see the work done on it and the engine mounts waiting for the return of some engines.

We didn’t have a long time there but were grateful for the fact we got in there at all. When we went outside, you could see the outer wing panels in storage alongside the hangar. I don’t know what their condition is and whether being exposed to the elements is causing much trouble but I am sure they have considered this as part of their overall restoration effort. It will be a long time before everything is done but then the Lancaster will be displayed in the colors it wore when it was operating as a search and rescue aircraft for the RCAF. Should look fantastic.

Lake Louise is a Bit of a Zoo

When we visited Lake Louise, we immediately took the shuttle bus that ran down to Moraine Lake. That was a wonderful place to be, and I have posted about it previously. When we had wrapped up our time down there, we took the shuttle back up to Lake Louise. We had figured on spending some time there but, as soon as we got there, the contrast with Moraine Lake couldn’t have been more stark. The place was absolutely heaving. The lake’s shoreline was jammed with people. It was really unappealing, and, after the tranquility of Moraine Lake, it seemed even worse. We had a brief look around and then bailed out.

I Didn’t Appreciate How Big This Was

The BC Aviation Museum has a Kamov KA-32 in its hangar. Apparently, it was in use for lifting operations but, with the war in Ukraine having put spares support out of reach, it is now stored. A slightly odd exhibit in a museum full of Canadian aircraft but an interesting one. I had seen images of this helicopter before, but I had never been close to one. What I had never appreciated was just how large it is. Given that it has a large lifting capacity, I probably should have worked that out. I hadn’t though. Standing alongside it in the museum, I was really surprised just how large it is!

Bow River Loop

A short walk from the heart of Canmore is a loop trail that runs along the Bow River. It probably was a longer walk to get to the trail and back than the trail itself was but it was a lovely stretch of the legs for us. I have previously posted about the elk encounter that we had on that walk but the rest of the walk provided some lovely scenery to enjoy. There are some old bridges across the water that look like they would have been rail bridges at some point but now provide great foot access for everyone. A relaxing place to stroll, for sure.

The Firefighting Collection

Canada has a long history of aerial firefighting and the BC Aviation Museum has a row of planes that have a firefighting history. They are lined up outside the hangar and now include the museum’s most recent addition with the Martin Mars that Coulson donated heading the line. There is an S-2 although the example here is not one that was converted for firefighting. However, it does straddle the Canadian military element of the collection and the firefighting role.
Conair has extensive firefighting activities and there are two of their planes on display. An A-26 Invader is there in Conair colours. It was retired quite a while back. Next to it is a more recent acquisition. A Convair CV-580 with a large belly tank modification is an example of the more recent types used in the role. I wonder over time whether something like a Q400 or a BAe 146 will join the collection. Maybe some of the Trackers at Abbotsford could be brought across.

Icefield Skywalk

Before I start, I should point out that I really enjoyed Icefield Skywalk. The reason I say that is I shall sound a little critical about it. I don’t want that criticism to lead to the conclusion that it isn’t worth visiting or that we didn’t enjoy it. It is and we did. However, before getting there, it did give the impression of being an elevated walkway over the glaciers. That it is not. Maybe I was reading what I wanted it to say, and their material never made that case but, either way, this is a cool location in the vicinity of some glaciers but definitely not over them.

With that out of the way, this was a very enjoyable experience. Because of its location above a gorge, you have to take a shuttle bus from the visitors’ center to the skywalk. It only takes a few minutes, and the bus drivers do a decent job of providing amusing commentary on the way. Once there, you are free to stay as long as you like and take whichever bus you want back (provided it is from the company you came up with).

From the drop off spot, you walk along the edge of the gorge with a variety of exhibits along the way to look at. You also are getting a great view down at the river and the falls beneath you. The skywalk itself is a semicircular structure suspended out over the gorge. It has, naturally, a glass floor so you can look down and the large drop beneath you. Part of the fun is actually people watching as people either get freaked out or start goofing with each other.

The BC Aviation Museum Visit Takes a Second Attempt

When a group of us made the trip to Sproat Lake to see Hawaii Mars fly, we had intended to go back the next day for her last flight and also to check out the BC Aviation Museum. We changed plans after the Saturday and skipped the Sunday. However, Jim had wanted to see the museum for a few things and I was interested in what was there so we made a plan for a return trip once the Mars had been pulled into position.
There were a few things in the museum that were very interesting so there will be a few posts on specific elements of the collection. This is an introductory post with some more generic photos of the contents of the museum. The others will follow so, in the first instance, here is an overview of what is there.

How Many Glaciers Can You Find in a Day?

We drove up the Icefield Parkway in Alberta during our trip to the Rockies. It was a lovely ride through some gorgeous scenery. The mountains around us included a lot of glaciers – the extent of which was apparently less than it used to be as they have retreated as the temperature has increased. I tried to strike a balance between stopping every five minutes to take photos and making sure we got all the way up the highway that we wanted to cover before we needed to turn for home.

The glaciers were quite distant but sufficiently large that this didn’t matter. What I found most interesting was the shapes that the ice would distort into as it came down the side of the mountains with some folding and crumpling of the ice sheets. Also, there was the dirt trapped in the ice from the rocks over which the glacier was passing. We also got to learn about the various types of glacier from some of the informational signs alongside the road. I am glad to have seen this many because who knows how long it will be before they have to rename this road??

Why Not Have More from BC Ferries?

Since we have left the Pacific Northwest, there won’t be too many encounters with the BC Ferries fleet for a while. I have taken a couple of ferry rides up there in the recent past and got a few shots of the boats as we went along. Some were the passenger ferries, but I also got one of the other operators that only does freight movements. I’ll stick them in anyway, even if they aren’t BC Ferries. I shall now get to see a whole new selection of ferries in the UK so stay tuned for more ferry action before too long.

Some Unusual Maintenance Vehicles from CPKC

While we were staying in Canmore, we got plenty of train traffic passing us by. Most of the time, it was just the regular freight train movements but there was some maintenance work underway in the vicinity and we had a train come by that was not like the others. The locomotive was a different looking beast and it was pulling some flat cars including one with a backhoe loaded on it. I assume that they were heading to or from a work site, but I don’t know where it might have been. They train did look pretty clean so maybe it was not that old?