Skidder extraction of timber in Culbin Forest
The photograph is courtesy of the family of George Dey. Check under ‘Groups’ and George Dey Collection.
The skidder in the foreground VHM604M is what was termed the ‘Hydrostatic Skidder’ which was developed by a Forestry Commission workshop and engineering branch. It was quite revolutionary in its day for a forest machine in that each of its four wheels was driven by a hydraulic motor which resulted in fairly high power for modest machine weight.
Can anyone describe it is more detail or how it handled as a skidder?
Note the special steel hooks for clipping the rope slings onto the main haul in wire. Can anyone recall their name?
Unfortunately the people are distant and not easily recognised. Note second Ford based skidder Reg No MGN592L
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, George Dey Forestry Collection, Groups of people, Timber harvesters, processors, forwarders and cable cranes