Cross draining with Cuthbertson round arch frame plough
Photograph is courtesy of Jim Christie, Crook of Devon, a former senior mechanical engineer in the Forestry Commission.
It is likely that this single furrow plough was used to plough and drain the forest area but the nearest ploughing has been carried out with a shallow double furrow plough head. Across the ride the ploughing looks more like that from a single furrow machine.
The plough is being pulled by a wide track County tractor with mechanical winch at the rear. Difficult to make out but possibly a ‘long’ County. Certainly running with one track on the ride and other over the edges of the double furrow ploughing, the tractor pulls the plough fairly easily.
Further over is another drain already in place which crosses the deeper ploughing. This may have had to be carried out by unhitching the plough, running ahead empty but with the winch rope on the draw bar and then winching the plough up to the tractor. This sequence would be repeated over the full length of the drain if it was slightly uphill.
Any information on the machines and location would be very welcome.
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Groups: Forestry in Action, Tractors Ploughs and Drainage Machines