Large logs to mill from Boreland Forest
This image is courtesy of Roger Simpson (lorry driver) who was taking these beautiful timber logs to Petersmuir Sawmill. The images and information are courtesy of Roger Simpson, Peter Fullerton and Gordon Robertson (Tay Forest District) and Dochie MacLaren through Mairi Stewart.
The site on the side of Loch Tay was planted in 1945 as part of Drummond Hill Forest. Dochie McLaren who worked at Drummond Hill had thought this part was planted later but does recall the trees were badly damaged by rabbits and had to be beaten up.
The District records show that the site was mix of Norway spruce and Sitka spruce at Yield class 22 and 24 respectively. The average tree worked out at around 4.0m3 but the largest had a calculated volume of over 11.0 m3 (circa 10 tonnes!).
Peter Fullerton comments ‘The crop also consisted of very straight trees- most were in the top two categories of straightness- not very common but can be seen from the logs on the lorry. They appear to have been thinned regularly-maybe not every five years since they were close to main public road but seem to have always been exceptional trees. The whole site has now been felled and a new crop will consist mainly of broadleaved trees’.
The Sitka spruce logs on the Taylor of Killin lorry driven by Roger Simpson are in 8.2m lengths and as straight as you will ever see in this country. They are bound for Petersmuir sawmill and in the PDF can be seen being loaded and travelling through a village (Aberfeldy?) as well as further along the road.
The PDF also has a distant view of the felling taking place in April with the track based harvester Tigercat operated by Bobby Melvin. Note the small scale of the very large harvester against the tall trees. The PDF also shows a John Deere forwarder operated by Michael Tye finishing the extraction of some of the smaller products on site.
Any comments and further information on the site, people and machines would be very welcome.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Timber harvesters, processors, forwarders and cable cranes, Timber lorries and loaders