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The Citizen, 2005-09-08, Page 24THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2005. PAGE A-3. Thresher Reunion 2005 Man’s work with boilers has opened many doors Continued from A-2 myself and others that I have found around the province. 1 help out in the steam engine building during our annual Show and Reunion on the second weekend in August, firing our big vertical boiler Scene from the past The Reunion pays tribute to the old methods of industry and farming with its many exhibits and demonstrations. (File photo) and answering all the questions about steam and the engines. Being able to hone my skills in firing these boilers and restoring the engines has opened many doors for me as a fireman. 1 was awarded the “job” of engineer at the Reynolds- Alberta Museum’s Fall Harvest Festival in September of 2000, and was given the task of operating their 1911 98hp 2cyl Nichols and Shepard steam engine, or 16hp Rumely steamer, which we hook up to a 12 bottom JD plow in the field work demonstrations, or onto the threshing machine. I managed to get my fourth-class steam engineer’s certificate with all the “work” I had with all the different engines I had operated. One day in June of 2000. I received a phone call from a retired boiler inspector asking me if 1 would be interested in working at Heritage Park in Calgary. The park is on 66 acres in the centre of the city and is Canada’s largest living historical village. It represents life as it was in Western Canada and Calgary from the earliest fur traders up to 1914. I questioned as to what position they were looking to fill and he said chief engineer, in charge of the park's two steam locomotives and their 1917 Case 65hp steam engine! The job required a minimum of a third-class steam engineer’s certificate, which I didn’t have. Numerous interviews later I accepted the offer and would work under the inspectors ticket until I had enough time in on the locomotives to write the government exams for the third-class ticket. After one and a half years on the engines, passing the requirements for the theory and practical and writing the three to four hour exams. 1 became the park’s fifth chief engineer, and possibly the last person in Alberta to receive a third- class steam engineers certificate with all my practical and steam time on locomotives! I keep busy year round operating and repairing our two 120-ton steam locomotives for the Park and for the numerous Hollywood movies we shoot each year, our 65hp Case, the boilers out at Pioneer Acres, “Big Nick" at Reynolds-Alberta, and my own collection of full size steam engines, models and pump engines, which I'm still collecting. My son Alex has been helping me and learning how to fire the engines for several years now, jind is quite proficient and interested in learning more. He is a conductor during (he summer on the Heritage Park Streetcar and Train, and shows quite an interest in moving into the cab and learning how to fire the locomotives. The days that 1 ride my motorcycle to the park, 1 can’t help but think back to those I’ve met who've hated their jobs and wished “boy, if 1 could only get paid to do my hobby!” Thresher Supplement is published by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. P.O. Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M1H0 Tel.: 519-523-4792 Fax: 519-523-9140 Website: www.northhuron.on.ca Email: norhuron @ scsinternet.com Email: bridge@scsinternet.com Shane or Scott Scott Bridge Allan Bridge Parts Tammy Gibson RIDGE MOTORS ltd PRE-OWNED TRUCKS & VANS -r -Jrl - ■0P BRIDGE . J J.