Both winches were sold to the Forests Commission Victoria for salvaging timber in the Central Highland on the Toorongo Plateau near Noojee after the 1939 Black Friday fires. The machines were able to move large logs up to 800 m by high-lead cables in the wet and steep terrain.[2] They were also capable of lifting logs off the ground, over rocks and creeks back to a central landing.[3]
The machine near Swifts creek was later sold and moved to its present site by local sawmilling company Ezards in 1959 where it operated until 1960-61. A large logging camp supported men operating the machine. The fate of the second machine is unknown.[1]
The advent of more powerful bulldozers, crawler tractors, haulage trucks and petrol chainsaws dramatically changed logging practices after WW2. It then became feasible for machines to harvest logs and for trucks to haul them directly from the forest to town-based sawmills within a few hours.[3] The new diesel and petrol technology eventually made steam power and the Washington Winch redundant.
The winch remains a unique part of Victoria's cultural heritage and logging history; left intact with engine, spars and cabling still rigged for work it is the only steam-powered engine of its kind in Australia. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register,[1] and is managed and protected by local staff at Swifts Creek employed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).[1]
A roof was put over the winch to protect it from the elements, the original spars had rotted and were replaced with messmate poles and new cables were restrung in about 1999.[3]
Washington Iron Works was a company in Seattle, Washington, founded by John M. Frink, that built these steam skidders. The company was active from 1882 until the 1980s when its various divisions – manufacturing cranes, logging equipment, and presses – were gradually sold off. The Works closed in 1986.
Washington Iron Works engines revolutionised steam logging in the 1920s and 1930s.[2] The steam-powered winches were mounted on heavy log skid frames which allowed the winch to be transported to new sites. Many Washington skidders can still be seen in North America.[4]
Operation
The Washington Winch operated either a high lead or a skyline system.
The high lead system was not often used as it only partially lifted the logs off the ground, which caused the logs to become caught in rocks, and left behind a "snig track", which deepened over time.[4]
The skyline system involved two large spars (trees) used to create a "flying fox" to lift logs over the rough ground.
Riggers climbed 60 m up a large tree and headed the trunk, which would cause the tree to sway violently. They then secured the spar with guy cables and attached the tackle. This operation was dangerous and physically demanding, often taking a full day, with lunch sent up on a rope.[4]
The Washington Winch was used to harvest Alpine Ash logs which was then sawn to produce high-value products such as furniture, flooring and architraves at Ezards mill at Swifts Creek.[3]
Washington Winch on the far left, with rigging and spars visible near center of image
Gallery
Cable logging terms
Cable logging terms
Cable logging terms
Charlie Wall - high lead climber
Tree topping to prepare cables
Cable logging ropeway - Thomson valley
Cable logging
Snigging logs with steam winch
Log dump operated by steam winch at Saxton's Mill- East Tanjil.
washington, winch, sits, forests, eastern, victoria, near, swifts, creek, also, known, washington, iron, works, skidder, 1939, salvage, logging, toorongo, plateau, near, noojee, rusting, relics, close, bentley, plain, moscow, villa, which, built, 1942, firetow. The Washington Winch sits in the forests of eastern Victoria near Swifts Creek and is also known as the Washington Iron Works Skidder Washington Winch 1939 salvage logging on Toorongo Plateau near Noojee Its rusting relics are close to Bentley Plain and the Moscow Villa hut which was built in 1942 by firetower man Thomas William Ah Chow It was a steam powered logging skidder or cable winch It was one of two machines imported to Western Australia in the 1920s and was initially used by the Karri Timber Company to move the large jarrah logs It burnt wood as fuel 1 Both winches were sold to the Forests Commission Victoria for salvaging timber in the Central Highland on the Toorongo Plateau near Noojee after the 1939 Black Friday fires The machines were able to move large logs up to 800 m by high lead cables in the wet and steep terrain 2 They were also capable of lifting logs off the ground over rocks and creeks back to a central landing 3 The machine near Swifts creek was later sold and moved to its present site by local sawmilling company Ezards in 1959 where it operated until 1960 61 A large logging camp supported men operating the machine The fate of the second machine is unknown 1 The advent of more powerful bulldozers crawler tractors haulage trucks and petrol chainsaws dramatically changed logging practices after WW2 It then became feasible for machines to harvest logs and for trucks to haul them directly from the forest to town based sawmills within a few hours 3 The new diesel and petrol technology eventually made steam power and the Washington Winch redundant The winch remains a unique part of Victoria s cultural heritage and logging history left intact with engine spars and cabling still rigged for work it is the only steam powered engine of its kind in Australia It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register 1 and is managed and protected by local staff at Swifts Creek employed by the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning DELWP 1 A roof was put over the winch to protect it from the elements the original spars had rotted and were replaced with messmate poles and new cables were restrung in about 1999 3 Contents 1 Washington Iron Works 2 Operation 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksWashington Iron Works Edit Washington WinchWashington Iron Works was a company in Seattle Washington founded by John M Frink that built these steam skidders The company was active from 1882 until the 1980s when its various divisions manufacturing cranes logging equipment and presses were gradually sold off The Works closed in 1986 Washington Iron Works engines revolutionised steam logging in the 1920s and 1930s 2 The steam powered winches were mounted on heavy log skid frames which allowed the winch to be transported to new sites Many Washington skidders can still be seen in North America 4 Operation EditThe Washington Winch operated either a high lead or a skyline system The high lead system was not often used as it only partially lifted the logs off the ground which caused the logs to become caught in rocks and left behind a snig track which deepened over time 4 The skyline system involved two large spars trees used to create a flying fox to lift logs over the rough ground Riggers climbed 60 m up a large tree and headed the trunk which would cause the tree to sway violently They then secured the spar with guy cables and attached the tackle This operation was dangerous and physically demanding often taking a full day with lunch sent up on a rope 4 The Washington Winch was used to harvest Alpine Ash logs which was then sawn to produce high value products such as furniture flooring and architraves at Ezards mill at Swifts Creek 3 Washington Winch on the far left with rigging and spars visible near center of imageGallery Edit Cable logging terms Cable logging terms Cable logging terms Charlie Wall high lead climber Tree topping to prepare cables Cable logging ropeway Thomson valley Cable logging Snigging logs with steam winch Log dump operated by steam winch at Saxton s Mill East Tanjil References Edit a b c d Washington Winch Victorian Heritage Register VHR Number H1825 Heritage Overlay HO293 Victorian Heritage Database Heritage Victoria Retrieved 4 April 2011 a b Engineering Heritage Australia Edition No 25 February 2012 PDF a b c d Victoria s Forest Heritage a b c Information Board on site Information panel at siteExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Washington Iron Works Skidder McHugh Peter 2020 Forests and Bushfire History of Victoria A compilation of short stories Victoria https nla gov au nla obj 2899074696 viewCoordinates 37 12 42 S 147 53 15 E 37 21167 S 147 88750 E 37 21167 147 88750FCRPA Forests Commission Retired Personnel Association Peter McHugh https victoriasforestryheritage org au Slackline Rigging North Bend Rigging High lead Rigging Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Washington Winch amp oldid 1055558921, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
