The ‘Forestry Lorry’- Achnamara c.1960
Image is courtesy of Fiona Green, North Connel, and features the very common mode of forestry transport for gangs of Forestry Commission workers all over Scotland.
The driver would do a round trip in the morning before normal work start time to pick up all the outlying workers from crofts and villages and bring them to the main starting point normally the forest office. There the day’s instructions were given and received and the teams again clambered onto the lorry and headed out to the work destinations or as near as the lorry could get. Almost certainly in many cases there would have been a substantial walk thereafter to many work sites.
The lightweight cover on the lorry made from a steel or wood frame covered with canvas was fairly easily dismounted and often left with the workers at the drop off point and could be used as a wet weather shelter if the lorry was away on other work. Bench seats along the sides and the end next to the cab were fairly basic and certainly not comfortable. Heavy braking by the driver was most unwelcome and usually elicited loud and raucous verbal responses.
Can any name the lorry type? David Green whose father worked in Knapdale Forest and he likewise is standing beside the Knapdale lorry based in Achnamara village. Note the Forestry Commission decal of its time on the vehicle door.
Can the usual driver of the lorry at this time be named?