Mucking Machine - Hedley, BC
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 49° 21.385 W 120° 04.669
10U E 712192 N 5471185
There is a great little museum on the corner of Haynes Street and Daly Avenue, at the south end of the little village of Hedley.
Waymark Code: WMN90N
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 01/21/2015
Views: 9
As did a great many communities in British Columbia, Hedley came into existence solely because gold was found on Nickel Plate mountain immediately east of Hedley in 1898. Eventually more than 120 kilometres of tunnels was dug in the mountain and well over a million ounces of gold was eventually taken out. Mining ceased in 1955 but was begun anew in 1986, this time with an open pit mine. It continued for ten years then shut down permanently.
The Hedley Museum is a large collection of artefacts primarily from the pioneering and mining era of the town. Included in the collection is one of almost everything one could have used or owned in those days, from mining tools and equipment to household artefacts and business memorabilia. The museum also holds a large collection of vintage photographs, many reprinted and organized into albums for one to view.
In front of the building is an old "Mucking Machine" which was used prior to 1955 to load and haul blasted ore from the mine. Made by Eimco, its proper name was an Eimco Rocker Shovel. The name plate seems to read "Model 21" as well. The model 21 seems to have been pretty common, being used in, at least, North America and the UK. As compressed air was available in the mine to operate rock drills, these were powered by compressed air as well. Wonder how long a hose was required to follow this thing around? After all, there were over 100 km. of tunnels in the mountain. These muckers were mounted on tram wheels and went wherever the tracks went.
