BTD 8 tractor in trouble in Rannoch Forest
The photographs are courtesy of Ian Cameron, Ballater, who was the Forestry Commission mechanic covering the area at this time. Ian had a camera and recorded the sequence of events on film as well as in his book ‘Forestry of the 1960s in Highland Perthshire’ by Fast Print Publishing.
In sequence from the previous image No 5300 the two recovery tractors (the Track Marshall 70 driven by Dick Warrier and the Caterpillar D4C with a heavy mechanical winch - operator Ewan Ferries) begin the long pull to recovery. Unfortunately the BTD 8 stays underground, has its cab ripped back and after hitting an underground rock which broke off the hydraulic winch mounting bolts more digging had to be done and the rope reattached to a secure part of the machine. The moving mound on the top vegetation surface of the peat tracked its underground progress.
The PDF below has more images of the progress.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Groups of people, Tractors Ploughs and Drainage Machines