Hydrostatic Skidder designed and tested by Forestry Commission
This leaflet was kindly provided by Jo McAuley , Forestry Commission, Edinburgh and gives a small insight into the origin, design, production and testing of the innovative skidder.
Prototypes were produced between 1969 and 1973 varying in power from 43 to 75 brake horse power (BHP). It appears that they used Carron or should it be Caron NEL ball motors to power the two winches but no mention of what powered the wheels. Origin of the Ball Motors not certain but most likely Caron (American?)
The images show the first and also Mark III versions, mentions engine types tried and also that the two winches were radio controlled. Was this a first radio controlled?
Trials were carried out at Alice Holt, Dean, Kielder, Wauchope, Glentrool, Rheola, Dunkeld and Solway Forests and these along with regular working from the machines based at a few forest indicated reasonable production outputs and it was decided to pass production to Roadless Traction Ltd, of 717 London Road, Houslow, Middlesex in 1974. The Commission intended to purchase the first 12 machines produced in the first seven months but supply was delayed at time of writing.
There is no great mention of initial details other than that R B Ross was the designer, his staff built it and it was tested by Athol Wayman and his experimental team. The author of the booklet is W O Wittering, head of Work Study branch.
Lots of detail missing and who were all these people?
R B Ross may have been mechanical engineer in the North Scotland Conservancy at one point but can anyone confirm?
How many machines were produced and where does the Malvern fit in with some hint of production by JHB of Thatford for Forestry Commission based on Ford County?
The driver in many of the views was Mike Turner see his history of the tractor development in Picture No 3906
See PDF below for images of the leaflet pages.
Download Large Version (1.4MB)
Groups: Forestry Records, Booklets and Reports, Timber harvesters, processors, forwarders and cable cranes
I believe it is myself who is driving the machine when some of these photographs were taken' Comment left on 22 February 2022 at 10:55 by Norman Davidson (Website Curator)