Draining part of Flanders Moss with Priestman Cub

Date Added: 25 January 2014 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1962 Picture No: 2300

Forestry Commission copyright image of Forest Research photographs courtesy of Glenn Brearley, Roslin. B4449

Preparatory drainage work on part of Flanders Moss, Loch Ard Forest, Comp 482, prior to the trial ploughing of the peat with the Scottish version of the Glenamoy Plough. The Priestman Cub dragline was used with a side boom but no indication of that in the image. It is possible with the complex rigging it may have worked simply by dragging the lowered boom sideways? The machine had to sit on timber mats to deepen the existing drain which ran beside the railway.

The finished drain measuring 3.5 feet deep, 8 feet across top and 15 inches on the bottom running straight through the moss in photographs taken by D W Henman in 1962.

See PDF for view of the completed drain.

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Groups: Forest Research, Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Other Vehicles and Machines

3 Comments

Billy Ore was the operator of this machine a short time prior to the date of the photo. He undertook similar work at Achaglachgach on the south side of West Loch Tarbert, three miles south of Kennacraig.The area was called Leam - na- muich (spelling is guess-work, the translation " Pig`s Leap") and adjacent to the main road A83 ( Tarbert Loch Fyne - Campbelltown). Comment left on 28 August 2022 at 19:48 by Bill Stewart ( Head Forester) Aberfoyle

I was very fortunate to own a priestman cub 5 in 1965. it arrived second hand, removed from the low loader with me left to remove it, an increadable FR3 Lister water cooled diesel which started on high compression, and worked when warm. It arrived with the dragline complete also which I never did get to check out.
I fabricated 3 work decks, 18 feet long, 6 foot wide, 14" depth, in hard wood. A centered truck axel shaped like a hook, sneaking chain above the bucket, with practice 12 hours could be endured with out a miss. It being a real technic often creating a large audience while in operation. Walking onto the first, swing neutral, and travel at the same time adjusting the boom dipper and bucket to catch the hook, lift and swing to set but be in digging mode at the same time. In reasonable times this machine good dig a 4' 6" drain,7 chain in one hour repetitive. It was transported on a 162 International petrol low loader plus in the kit I had a 990 David Brown to carry the decks.
I have tried to find photos of this Cub 5, it had a cranked boom but to no avail. It was used and maintained by myself for 8 years, finally having to part with it for family reasons. With the arrival of the cub 6, first with partial hydraulics for boom lift only, plus an air cooled engine. But the Five was much more nimble, a little lighter and was faster in the same swamp conditions in NZ.
Do you think a photo may be a possibility please. Comment left on 09 November 2023 at 06:28 by Mike Feaver

My comments are in the above note, from NZ.
Would really appreciate a photo of this machine if someone has one.
This is a great site, great reading. Comment left on 16 April 2024 at 05:57 by Mike Feaver

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