Tools / Equipment Archives | Bedrock of Beachville: The History of Our Limestone Quarries

Loading Trucks at Gypsum Lime and Alabastine

When other forms of power were applied to “steam shovels” through the advents of gasoline and electricity, they became known as “power shovels.”

Features of the Limestone Valley Trail: Kiln Shell

The kiln shell from the former site of Standard White Lime marks the trailhead of the Limestone Valley Trail. Kilns are machines used to transform limestone into quicklime […]

Features of the Limestone Valley Trail: Kiln Tyre

A recycled kiln tyre as a garden border along the Thames Valley Trail. Kiln tyres are significant components used in rotary kilns. It’s typically made of steel and […]

A Blasting Timer

This photograph depicts a blasting timer used by Stelco around the mid to late twentieth century. The device has detailed instructions attached to its open lid and several […]

Charging Holes with Dynamite

Quarry employees, Dick Crestoff, left, and Jack Barker, right, are surrounded by crates of dynamite as they charge holes to prepare for a blast. The Dynamex and Canadian […]

Wiring Blasting Caps to a Detonator

In this image from a newspaper article that outlined how quarry blasts were set off, Gordon Holden wires the blasting caps to the detonator.

A Network of Conveyors

This image shows a series of conveyor belts inside the Beachville quarry (Dofasco). Such conveyors were just as crucial as the locomotives, carts and cables for transporting the […]

On Route to the Kilns

In this image, the draw kilns are visible on the left side. The gentleman manually pulls the cart up the ramp to the kilns along a cable.

Dye and Drill Set

Steam drills were more efficient than hand drills, as they broke through rock, though they quickly expended drill steel. This made a lot of work for the quarry’s […]

The Locomotive in the Pit

This locomotive was used in the quarry pits of Beachville White Lime and North American Cyanamid for about 30 years between 1927 and 1957. It brought limestone from […]

Diverting Water

This image was taken as the top layers of brush, soil, gravel, and sand were cleared from the new quarry site in Beachville. On the right is a […]

A Secondary Pump

This is a secondary pump on the pit’s edge at Beachville White Lime in 1914. It would have run on gasoline and forwarded water from the pumphouse to […]