Victoria Machinery Depot Ltd. was a historic metalworks and shipyard in Victoria, Canada.
Establishment.
From the late 1850s, with the Fraser Canyon and Cariboo Gold Rushes, British Columbia was dependent upon Californian supplies and ships. To prevent US domination of the colony, Governor James Douglas enacted laws restricting US shipping. As a consequence, Joseph Spratt established the Albion Iron Works on May 4, 1863.
Restructured operations.
Albion Iron Works went through several business changes and merged with Victoria Machinery Depot (VMD), assuming the latter's name in 1888. After a fire in 1908 destroyed the plant, the facility was rebuilt. The yard did essential war work in both world wars. Harold Husband purchased the company in 1947 for $185,000.
A 1954 fire caused $100,000 damage to the storage shed on Dallas road. Later, the yard built several BC Ferries vessels.
During 1965–1967, it constructed the oil drilling platform "Sedco 135-F" for exploration by Shell Canada in Hecate Strait. At the time, "Sedco 135-F" was the largest semi-submersible platform in the world and was the first platform constructed in BC. Before submersion, the CA$10 million rig rose above the waterline at the VMD docks. After the 1967 launch and three years of exploration off the British Columbia coast, it was towed to oilfields in New Zealand, the North Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. "Sedco 135-F" is often confused with the rig that suffered the blowout resulting in the Ixtoc I oil spill. That was the original "Sedco 135", the first of the series built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in 1965. "Sedco 135-F" was one of the last seagoing vessels built by VMD.
The company turned to pressure vessels and submarines, but the firm closed permanently in 1994, joining the business contractions of that decade.
The yards were one of several contractors to the Royal Canadian Navy for ship repair and maintenance.
Facilities.
The first shipyard was constructed on Bay Street between Pleasant Street and Turner Street. A second yard was built near what is now Ogden Point Terminal.
References.
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