Biglorryblog has long believed that there's many a true word spoken in jest. And as if to prove my point, regular BLB contributor Niels Jansen has sent me this picture and the following message: "Hello Brian, that model of a Bugatti concept logging truck you posted recently was not as daft as it looked. Enclosed is a very rare picture of a giant Butler Mark 5 logging truck in Western Canada. The idea is the same as Bugatti's, but using 4 axles and clearly a lot heavier! There's not much known about this monster or how many were built. Maybe there was just the one prototype."
Well it's certainly something I've not encountered so do any other BLB readers know anything about this? And click through here for more on the mighty Butler from Niels!
Niels continues: "The manufacturer was Butler Brothers of Victoria on Vancouver Island. It must have been in the late 50's or 60's. It was powered by a 1,000hp diesel engine and fitted with an Allison or Clark automatic power shift transmission. It could handle a 200-ton load with ease. Behind it was an 8-wheel steered trailer. The company designed on a dump train on the same chassis although I don't know if it was ever built. Look at the man on top of the load to see how big this rig really is! Hope this is of interest again to your 'spoiled' viewers...regards Niels."
Thanks Niels...and spoilt? Not a bit of it!
Well done Niels. We were obviously thinking along exactly the same lines. As soon as I saw the little Bugatti I thought of the Butler Bros. rig.
The reason it was never developed according to King of the Pacific Northwest off-highway loggers Steve Drybrough was that on the hairpin bends the load used to throw the truck dangerously off balance. Was it an articulating frame Niels? That would explain the instability. In any case they were never put into production although apparently one is in preservation on the island. BTW I can only assume that Richard Stanier is on hols or we would have had a brochure by now.
Hello...Regarding the Butler Bros mark-5. I remember it well..At the time I was driving a off road Hayes HDX log truck on the same road as the mark-5 ( We called it the roller skate ). The outfit I worked for was called Neil Contracting .Owned by Bill Neil (deceased)He had about 10 of thoese great Hayes Hdx..I also remember the roller skate broke down one day & blocked the mainline..The driver Ben said he didn't have enough power to make the grade he was on..After they got it out of the way they discovered that the front 12 cylinder GM diesel had broken a crank shaft & the rear engine ( the engines were aligned in series front to back) didn't have the power needed for the grade..The rear engine as you can emagine kept the front one turning & totally ruined it..Think of the cost! Also the driver had to keep the revs up to allow for proper stearing..Low revs put him in the weeds at the 2 mile call point..Take care... Stan
Hello, I saw your comments re the Mark V built by Butler Bros back in the early 70's. I was the fabricator for that truck and spent two years building her at a cost of about $350,000.00. She was the only one and very successful in her duties. Sadly she was cut apart after about six years in service, I believe because of union issues....knocked out three trucks for her one. I have lots of pictures, the sales brochure and some 8mm film of her maiden haul......when she bent the frames on the weigh scales! May she rest in peace!
If you are interested,write to my e-mail above...thanks
we have one of those trucks sitting in the back yard of our work site. no engine in it but the rest is still hanging out. big truck thats for sure must have been amasing to see it run.
my father drove this truck at B.C.F.P. RENFREW DIVISION for a short while when the company tried the truck out. they called it the "SLUG"
I've seen few pictures of this truck. I understand there were two of them, the first being built in Saanich, the second by Madill in Nanaimo. I'm a model builder and have often thought of building a model of one of these. I've always thought they were long gone.
Nick, is there any chance of getting access to the remains of the one you speak of in your work yard for taking photos and dimensions? I'm assuming this is still on Vancouver Island, so am I.
I work with Nick in Powell River ,and we do have one of these old girls in our back yard .But its not much more than cab and framework and a whole lot of sentimental value left.We hauled out of goat lake for years with them {2} before parking them because unique vehicles are more of a challenge to keep running than off the shelf fat trucks.But they did everything the other trucks did and then some.
Hi....about the truck in Powell River ....not likely the Mark V....she was dismantled at the Keating Crossroads maintenance yard (Butler Bros)in Saanichton.....close to Sidney B.C. about ten years ago! I do have the original brochure for marketing and super 8mm pictures of her maiden trials and pictures of her from the floor to the site. As for a slug...she was no slug with 2 8V71's driving her and a 16 speed trans. Her payload was over 200 tons! The driver's name was Ben Pearce and as far as I know drove her the whole time she was on the road...he has since passed away and his sister-in-law lives in Cumberland B.C. There were two trucks built by Burlers previous to the Mark V bur were articulated at the trunk. The Mark V was the first skate board style and last! Need to know more....e-mail me! Michael
I seem to remember reading something in an old issue of Truck Logger Magazine that said it was too expensive to build roads to handle them. I'm sorry, but I don't have my back issues anymore and can't give a proper citation.
Hello Michael Jestico and All
I do not know of the Mark 5 you folks are talking about because we have one in Port Alberni which we are in the process of making worthy again for 'Show' Duty.
The unit was recovered out of a Bone Yard south of Franklin Camp without an engine or transmission. She is basically seized, thus a challenge not unlike our completely original Madill 075.
We will power the Mark 5 with either a 3408 or 3412 Cat likely matched to a Clark Transmission.
The Mark 5 is destine to become an Outreach truck demonstrating to all who encounter her what can happen when minds thought to be lost to the abyss of Chrystal Meth get focussed on something constructive.
Kind Regards
Martin G. Smith Ph.D - Research Coordinator
Camp One - MATH Not METH
A Collaborative Initiative
of RedSeven Services
Hey I drove against that truck in a highway truck.When you heard him coming you got off the road cause there was no road left.Vic Bing drove one of the earlier ones and backed off in a corner and--- over it went the steering only worked at throttle!! He always used to ask "How could something that wide roll over?"He was empty at the time.I've only found one photo of "The Roller Skate " when it was at Nanaimo River.I think they shipped it around -maybe to try and market it. Den