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History of the
Newfoundland Hardwoods in Clarenville
In 1935 the
Canadian and British governments recognized the necessity of
having permanent terminal facilities in Newfoundland for
trans-Atlantic flights. They selected an uninhabited area near
the railway line on the northeastern side of Gander Lake and in
1936 began work on the construction of an airport.
Clarenville Colas Plant: spreading colas to the
required thickness. This picture from the summer of 1937 show the
Clarenville Colas Plant surrounded by tanks filled with asphalt
Source:
Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web
Clarenville Colas Plant: three of the fleet of tank
cars built specifically to transport colas.
Source:
Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Web
In 1937 the
Colas division of Shell Oil was contracted to provide the
surfacing for the runways. Several options were considered, but
the most practical was considered to be the construction of a
plant in Newfoundland to provide colas. Later that year Colas
Newfoundland Limited was incorporated. Clarenville was selected
because it was equidistant between St. John's and the site of
the new airport, because of its proximity to the railway --
which would be needed to transport the colas to the airport, and
because it had the required port facilities for docking
transport ships.
The
Flintcote Co. Company 1953
Photographed By:
Jerome Young
Source:
First Communications Construction Squadron Website
The next year
the company became Colas (Nfld.) Ltd. and in 1941 it was sold to
Flintcote Co. (Nfld.) Ltd. A creosote plant was added for
preserving wood through the use of an injected coal-tar
solution. It was first used only for poles for the United States
bases and for railway ties. By 1955 it was also used for
construction timbers for wharves and breakwaters, and for
utility poles for Newfoundland Telephone Company. In 1955 the
company was purchased by the Newfoundland Government and became
the crown corporation Newfoundland and Labrador Hardwoods Ltd.
The plant converted from colas to liquid asphalt in 1958. In
1980 it supplied all liquid asphalt (for pavement) used in all
Newfoundland Government road construction. In 1968 the creosote
division also changed products, switching to a chemical called
pentachlorophenol for wood preserving.
Hardwoods Tank Car
1978
Photographed By:
Unknown
Source:
Mike Stacey/Andrew Baird
The above three
photos were taken in August 1978 by Mr. Rich Taylor at
Newfoundland Hardwoods Clarenville.
Photos Submitted by:
Rich Taylor
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