The Highland Bear on Panmure Estate

Date Added: 14 March 2016 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1976 Picture No: 3267

Photograph courtesy of Leslie Phillip, Perth.

The Highland Bear operated by Leslie with a full load mill wood heading to the sawmill in a snowstorm, Panmure Estate near Carnoustie in the 1970's.

Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Timber harvesters, processors, forwarders and cable cranes

7 Comments

This forwarder had many modifications over the years such as hand operated differential lock - handy in line thinnings where the ground was soft and ditches had to be crossed with a full load. Comment left on 30 April 2016 at 16:28 by Leslie Phillip

This was one of many loads of mill wood from a clear fell with a hideously dangerous narrow road in and out in some parts with sheer drops of a hundred feet or more into a river. My brother in law, Bill Mason, came on only one trip standing in the cab next to me, panicked, opened the door and jumped out with the forwarder still moving. Comment left on 15 November 2016 at 19:34 by Leslie Phillip

Driving this machine was a continual adrenaline rush, good pay but with continual time limits. The head forester's war cry was "we are just breaking even".? Comment left on 15 November 2016 at 19:47 by Leslie Phillip

This run to the sawmill necessitated a steep down hill road with a river crossing at the bottom. Two fir trees were left by the cutters at the top of the drop. Both winch ropes were run out underneath the timber trailer and attached to the trees. The winch then became a second brake. Comment left on 02 December 2016 at 20:02 by

This was also the clear fell where a stout branch managed to get in through the opening for the front wheel drive prop shaft and strip off the screw on backend filter draining the oil in seconds. Comment left on 19 March 2019 at 19:53 by Leslie Phillip

My Dad and Uncle worked on the estate as foresters in the early 80s . My uncle stayed at East service lodge and my brother worked there too Comment left on 06 July 2020 at 19:57 by Andy Nicholson

How ironic Andy the east lodge house is where I lived for the first three years as forester forwarder driver on the estate, I think I have a photo of the highland bear parked outside it I will have a look for it. Comment left on 08 July 2020 at 17:11 by leslie phillip

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