TEI #30 - Solved. Douglas Tugmaster with Compressor for Moving Hovering Pallets

[Tom_I]

Does it combine individual strands into larger, bundled cables?

No. This machine was only used for moving the cables around at a dockyard.

[Otto Puzzell]

I thought we were looking for the special function of the large box on the back.

[Tom_I]

We are - the contents of the large box are instrumental in the "moving around" process.

[Allan L]

Is it based on a Douglas tug?

[Tom_I]

Yes indeed, Allan, the base vehicle is a Douglas Tugmaster.

Would you like to hazard a guess on how this machine was used to move heavy (70 ton) loads around?

LOCKED for your next reply.

[Bill Murray]

I am enjoying this puzzle immensely even if I am not even close to solving it.

Here is a photo I found while searching "transatlantic telephone cable dock equipment".

I imagine it was taken around the turn of the Century and shows how they "used to do it".

Bill

[Hiawatha]

That's Brunel cable lying Great Eastern, circa 1865.

[Bill Murray]

Yes, it is, and further research may indicate that this is the ship being built rather than taking on cable.  The sources are a bit unclear but I wanted to bring it up.

It was in any case used to lay cable across the Atlantic and had quite an interesting history, another nice feature of these puzzles, you always learn something new.

Bill

[Allan L]

Yes, it is, and further research may indicate that this is the ship being built rather than taking on cable.  The sources are a bit unclear but I wanted to bring it up.

It was in any case used to lay cable across the Atlantic and had quite an interesting history, another nice feature of these puzzles, you always learn something new.

Bill

Yes that's it being built and you can see the unusual fact that it will be launched sideways is already evident in the supporting structure and the slopes.

[Allan L]

Yes indeed, Allan, the base vehicle is a Douglas Tugmaster.

Would you like to hazard a guess on how this machine was used to move heavy (70 ton) loads around?

LOCKED for your next reply.

Haven't a clue really, but perhaps there's an air cushion system powered by the big engine on the back.
Otherwise, I give up.

[Tom_I]

Allan, I'm going to award you the point for that, because you have pretty well solved it.

The box houses a large diesel-powered compressor. The pallets carrying the cables were fitted with hovercraft-like skirts which were inflated by the compressor. With the pallets hovering fractionally above the ground, they could be easily moved around by the airport tractor.

Apparently Post Office Telecoms were quoted 250,000 GB pounds for a crane to move these cable pallets around at Southampton docks, but Douglas supplied this solution for £17,000. It was built in the mid-1970s.

[Bill Murray]

Hi Tom:

With total respect, having spent hours on this puzzle, can you provide more detailed information on this vehicle.

Since it is not likely to come up again as a puzzle, this should not violate your source to the extent that it would spoil another future puzzle.

Bill

[Allemano]

I also would like to see that mashine at work! Is there any footage available?

[Allan L]

Thanks for that rather undeserved point!
I still think Shelvokes could and should have made something like that!

[Carnut]

Every time I looked at this puzzle only one possible name came up, and that was Douglas.
I work in shipping and there are Douglas Tugmasters all over the docks pulling MAFI trailers etc, and they look just like that!

But for some reason I think of Douglas as being Canadian so I'd discounted it.
I must check on that!

[nicanary]

Every time I looked at this puzzle only one possible name came up, and that was Douglas.
I work in shipping and there are Douglas Tugmasters all over the docks pulling MAFI trailers etc, and they look just like that!

But for some reason I think of Douglas as being Canadian so I'd discounted it.
I must check on that!

When I realised we were looking for a tug manufacturer, I looked on Wiki (I couldn't think British past the old David Brown tugs from WW2) and found all the makers were American or German. My mind went blank. Now it all makes sense. That diesel on the back most be HUUUUUGE - maybe Perkins or Gardner ?

[Tom_I]

... can you provide more detailed information on this vehicle.

I'm afraid the short answer to that is no. The picture came from a book published in 1979 which has a fairly comprehensive chapter on the history of Douglas Equipment.

This particular vehicle gets a picture caption and two sentences in the text, and all the information there has already come out in the puzzle.

Searching online I haven't found anything, other than three brief mentions in the comments section of a commercial vehicle blog site. From what is said, it's clearly the same vehicle, but there's no further information.

If I find anything else I'll post it here, and if anyone else comes up with anything, maybe they could do the same.

[Bill Murray]

Thanks a bunch Tom:

That information gives us at least 3 more places to look and I will try to do some Googling during the day.
Bill