Modified Cuthbertson Plough circa 1963
Photograph courtesy of Jim Connell, Banchory.
Jim Connell comments ‘Big argument got up here as Ben Reid, the forester, said I did not always finish the job. Anyway the Cuthbertson was heavier than ever after the modifications at Inverness Depot’.
The relatively light weight beams were generally an ‘I’ beam with plates welded on either side to create a box shape cross section. With all the shocks and pressure on the very end of the beam it invariably bent upwards over time and the plough head ended up losing its proper angle to the ground. As can be seen bars of metal have been welded on their edge on top and bottom of the beam to try and stiffen it a bit. This met with little success and as Jim says was a dead loss as the beams kept on bending and also the bars interfered with the fitting of the plough head. In later years the overall dimensions of the beams were increased particularly as more powerful tractors were used.
The single furrow peat plough head is clearly seen with detachable sock in front.