Roadside Assistance

Last week a group of 7 headed off to the Rauer group of islands for a bit of an extended jolly. As the trip involved crossing the glacier and the time it would take to get back a fair bit of organising was involved. After getting approval from head office they headed out on Wednesday morning singing "We're all going on a summer holiday". A little optimistic, but there you go. They were leaving at 0600 come hell or high water and anyone not in the Haggs would be left behind, so they left at closer to 0630. A well organised bunch except for one or two minor problems. At approximately 1230 we got a radio call saying they had a problem with one of the Haggs and were heading back to station. About half an hour later we got another call requesting a new track be brought out to them. This caused a bit of a concern for us as we had only recently put a new track on one of the Haggs in the workshop and it took 6 of us some time (and some interesting words that I have never heard before) to get it on. Now we were going to try one in the field?

Due to fire team coverage and the need to have at least one of each trade on station at all times Matt and I were the ones who volunteered (or were asked) to go. While some of the guys loaded the Hagg with what we needed (a new track, a new road wheel, tools, come-alongs, slings, shackles, chains, sledgehammers, fuel and a dictionary with bad words in it), Tony organised some food for us as we had no idea how long we would be. Matt and I got our personal survival gear together and headed off into the wilderness in what we dubbed "Thunderbird 4" due to it's colour.

When we met up with the group about an hour and a half later they had the stricken red Hagg jacked up and ready to strip the old track off. We gave them the saw to cut it off and it was off before we had the new track on the ground for them.

Yogi and Glen H (under the Hagg)Matt and I unloading the new track

There were enough motivated people in their group to hook in and get the job done so Matt and I loaded the old track and supplied tools and gear as required. The new track went on very easily compared to the last one we did and in just over an hour after the old track was cut off the new one was in position. Everyone was very surprised and the dictionary wasn't required. We all packed our gear up and very soon the travellers were back on their way and Thunderbird 4 was heading back home after the mission was declared a complete success. We were back on station just before 1900.

Ready to roll

Happy campers back on the road thanks to the skill and determination of the rescue team.