# Expedition Antarctique/Antarctische, Belgium. November 2013



## jjstenso (Nov 14, 2013)

In an unassuming barn on the outskirts of a unremarkable Belgian town, lie three Tucker Sno-Cat Type 743s, remnants of the Belgian/Dutch collaborative Antarctic expedition of 1966. 












These Tucker wagons serviced the Roi Baudoin Base, established as part of the Belgic/Dutch Antarctic missions of 1957-1967, which fulfilled its role as a geophysical observatory and as an operating base for geographical, glaciological, and geological mapping of the neighboring coastal and mountain areas. After the closure of the base in 1967, three further summer expeditions were sent in cooperation with South Africa, but in 1971 all governmental support for Antarctic research was temporarily halted.






Pretty constrained on space so the photos are all pretty similar.



















The great hand painted logo and De Keyn paints, who I assume provided the colour scheme. 
































A poor old Peugeot also lives here, alongside some old school diesel generating kit, assumedly associated with the Tuckers. 









Thanks as always for looking. 
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## flyboys90 (Nov 14, 2013)

What a find!I,m just amazed,thanks for sharing.


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## mookster (Nov 14, 2013)

Can't wait to see this in December, I've waited long enough since it popped up a few months back!


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## night crawler (Nov 14, 2013)

Hope the pikies don't get there first.


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## Chopper (Nov 15, 2013)

Wow, that's amazing! Great find


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## jjstenso (Nov 15, 2013)

night crawler said:


> Hope the pikies don't get there first.



It is well surveyed and looked after I'm sure. 

I'll be more concerned about typical "urbexers" writing their URBEX names in the dust on the windows and leaving fag ends and red bull cans everywhere (which is happening already)


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## jmcjnr (Nov 15, 2013)

Many thanks. That is a real piece of history. I'd love the 505! Oh - OK and a Snowcat!


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## jjstenso (Nov 20, 2013)

jmcjnr said:


> Many thanks. That is a real piece of history. I'd love the 505! Oh - OK and a Snowcat!



I believe it's a 404... i'll let you off though 

I'd like a snowcat too, tried fitting one in the boot of the OMGSPLORE mobile but it wouldn't fit - shame.


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## UrbanX (Nov 20, 2013)

Oh no, my comment never came up! 

This is fantastic, just awesome. Really need to see this place. 
Awesome photos, cheers for sharing!


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## Big Bill (Nov 30, 2013)

Amazing find, great write up on the history.

Amazed to find it being covered in dust, but good to see it damage and grafitti free!


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## muppix (Dec 1, 2013)

Truly fantastic, I love vintage expedition equipment! That lot deserves to be well looked after, not left to rust in an old shed. No gratitude some people ...


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## jjstenso (Dec 7, 2013)

muppix said:


> Truly fantastic, I love vintage expedition equipment! That lot deserves to be well looked after, not left to rust in an old shed. No gratitude some people ...



Agreed. There are some in a Belgian museum apparently, however these are in private ownership. Hopefully the recent interest should provoke them to put these machines into preservation.


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