Cablecrane course Glengarry Forest

Cablecrane course Glengarry Forest — Alp Win

Date Added: 24 January 2013 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1977 Picture No: 1464

The photograph is courtesy of the family of George Dey. George took many forestry photographs in his forestry career and many are now shown on this web site. Check under ‘Groups’ and George Dey Collection.

This overhead shot shows more clearly the set up of the winch and the Ferguson skidder with hydraulic crane attached which is dragging away the extracted whole logs for conversion into logs at a suitable point along the road.

The author has been able to work out most of the rigging wires apart from the pulley at the top left of the tower which has a relatively slack wire running from the cable drums through to the high bank next to the camera man. Can anyone explain this wire?

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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, George Dey Forestry Collection, Groups of people, Timber harvesters, processors, forwarders and cable cranes

7 Comments

The cable through the pulley at the top of the tower was called the erection line, and was used to tension the anchor ropes.It is attached to a small winch on the machine, and it was tensioned until the machine wheel was off the ground a few inches, then the anchor ropes were tensioned and the line released, making the ropes tighter.
Comment left on 03 February 2013 at 01:49 by Robert Hannah

Thanks Robert. I have no experience of Alps and good to get the details on rigging sorted out. Would you know who operated this winch in Glengarry Forest? Comment left on 03 February 2013 at 12:23 by Norman Davidson

This winch was operated by myself and Alastair Cameron.The tractor powering the winch is a Ford county 754, and the skidder is a Ford county 1164 which is fitted with a crane and a double drum winch and is called a Highland Bear, modified by James Jones of Larbert. The operator was Alastair Fraser and the man crosscutting the poles was Ewen Cameron. Comment left on 04 February 2013 at 09:51 by Robert Hannah

Many thanks to the family of George Dey for releasing the photographs of the winchwork in Glengarry. I worked on winches in Glengarry, from Isachsens to Timbermasters most of my working life, and its great to see these photographs of the Trailer Alp, which I didn't know existed. Again, many thanks to his family. Comment left on 04 February 2013 at 18:46 by Robert Hannah

Robert. In my early forestry days when I was based at Leanachan in the late 60s early 70s I seem to remember there was a small lorry based near the Laggan Nursery area driven by a Charlie Hannah. Any connection? I think he was often the second lorry carrying plough while Neil MacKinnon, Onich (Glenrigh Forest)was carrying the tractor. Most likely he carried in plants and fencing material as well. I remember him as a very cheerful man who worked hard and got on well with everyone. Comment left on 04 February 2013 at 20:15 by Norman Davidson

Charlie Hannah was my father and he travelled all over the country with the lorry mainly shifting ploughing tractors.He was based in Glengarry before it was merged with Laggan. He died in 1972. Comment left on 05 February 2013 at 08:38 by Robert Hannah

Aye great memories Bobby of Invergarry worked in the same forest as Bobby Hannah Comment left on 04 April 2015 at 16:16 by William Bell

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