Forestry Memories

Ford County with flotation tyres — W6X59W

Ford County with flotation tyres — W6X59W

Date Added: 19 January 2017 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 2004 Picture No: 3472

John Ireland , Fort William sent the images and comments:

‘These were taken in 2004 by Neil Gresswell, when he was still a trainer.

He had travelled to Scotland to run a series of tractor courses including doing the skills tests and green card for one of the mechanics from Inverness who drove this seasonally - not full time - and had no record of training.

Site proved to be a long way north, not a great distance from Betty Hill but the actual site name escapes him now.

Tractor is (I believe) a 974, clearly on flotation tyres. I think it was ex roads branch – hence the hydraulic ram to adjust the right hand linkage instead of the “standard” screw threaded arm.

The sharp eyed will note the lack of PTO guard, the operator brought the new one and fitting that was their first job. Tractor was mowing the rides / fire breaks.’

Check out the PDF for two other views of the machine. From personal experience I wonder if this was the original tractor that pulled the Dondii ditcher (for cleaning plough drains in deep soft peat) and also swiped traces on the flow areas of Caithness and Sutherland in the 1980s. Operated by Innes Macleod of Achany, Lairg, it worked in many parts of North Scotland. The tractor had quite a large hydraulic spool block to operate the rotary ditcher and the special wheeled carriage it was latterly fitted on to keep it clear of the tractor in high risk bogging situations. It was an amazing machine on very soft ploughed peat.

Can anyone remember the original tractor and verify if this is the same? Any photographs of the Dondii Ditcher in action would be very welcome.

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Groups: Caithness and Sutherland, Tractors Ploughs and Drainage Machines

7 Comments

Innes brought this machine to Torrachilty during 1983 and 1984 when I was Forester there. We used it to swipe the rides throughout the Glensgiach Block, including the deep peat flats to the north of Cnoc na Gearraisich. The intention was to improve access along the rides (where in places the heather was rank and two to three feet tall [60cm - 100cm]), for deer control and muirburn control, if required. Applying some 'surplus' NPK soon had the rides greening up and deer numbers were reduced, as it also made it a favoured haunt for a local, un-authorised rifle user!

The main problem was transporting the tractor to site as the terri tyre wheels had to be removed to allow it to be loaded onto Martin's, Longman Workshop based Brymec 6 wheeled lorry and carried on the public highway between forest blocks. In the vastness of the Sutherland and Caithness blocks this wasn't a problem. Comment left on 24 January 2017 at 21:30 by Bill Rayner
Innes was my dad ,the county is a 1164 spent many school days going out with dad. Need to find the photo of it with the drainer in action and some of the places he could go with it. Happy days when getting a shot of it. Comment left on 26 September 2019 at 22:30 by AlanMacLeod
The registration is WSX 59 W
The tyres would have been 66 x 34, measured by their overall width and height, an unusual method but they were from the USA Comment left on 10 December 2019 at 20:58 by Matthew Hodder
we ran this tractor for a few years after buying it off F/C and then sold it to a chap called Cash Mcauly who has since restored it to a very high standard( shown at the Tain rally this year) we still have the wheels and tires and one set are on a Ford 7840 at the moment and still have around 40% tread left Comment left on 18 December 2019 at 19:18 by john mackay
Great to hear that the tractor has been restored. Would love to see it again for old times sake. Comment left on 19 December 2019 at 10:53 by Ann Cameron
I got to know Innes when I used to visit my parents in Invershin. My parents Miles and Freda Mason lived in a house called "Balchraggen" near to the Invershin Hotel. I believe their house was built by Canadian foresters.I live in South Cumbria and remember Innes with his County tractor coming to Foulshaw mosses to do some work. This area has now been clear felled and returned to moss land.My wife Wendy and I met up with Innes in the evening when he did this work. A really nice man. Comment left on 24 November 2020 at 19:05 by DAVID CRITCHLEY
I believe your find, The Tractor is a 1164 / 1174, I use to work at County's, I would have put that cab on, Maybe the Wherls &Tyres, My guess is the Serial plate would be from memory, somewhere around 31,000 - 32,000, It May have a Roller Draw Bar, Brilliant Tractors, She looks in Great Condition, Thanks for Sharing, Tony Comment left on 07 February 2024 at 20:03 by Tony Crawford
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