Ploughing at Bennachie circa 1955

Date Added: 25 October 2009 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1955 Picture No: 533

Photographs courtesy of Duncan Jamieson, Insch.

Duncan Jamieson operating a BTD 6 International tractor and forestry plough circa 1955 at Back o'Bennachie in Bennachie Forest. The FC registration number of the plough is 55 – 2492 and therefore similar age to tractor. Duncan is operating a grease gun possibly attending to the bearing of the large coulter disc. No hydraulics at this time and the plough was lifted by a steel rope pulled in by winch on tractor. The head appears to be a Clark of Parkgate tine plough with changeable boards. The furrow boards could be unbolted and another one fitted on the other side to accommodate varying slope conditions. Possibly two boards could be fitted at one time but likely to be beyond the capacity of the tractor. Note the deep penetrating replaceable tine sock at the bottom front of the plough head central plate. (Comments on this type of plough very welcome)

As he was born up in Glass, Duncan remembers as a boy seeing his first Forestry ploughing in Clashindarroch in around 1935 or 36. His first ploughing in Clashindarroch was around 1948 with two other operators helping him - Geordie Young and Bill Martin.

See story of unexploded shell placed in Head Forester's car in comments below!

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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Northeast Scotland , Tractors Ploughs and Drainage Machines

2 Comments

The plough is a Curthbertson with its characteristic rounded arch. As a mechanic I remember having to frequently straighten the vertical guide bar on these ploughs, mostly because forgetful lorry drivers hit them off bridges, but also if the tractor driver didn't disengage the winch dog-clutch at the critical moment it would pull the plough onto the back of the tractor. County tractors had a cab of sorts and the bar bent on the cab roof.

Curthberson also made the Buffalo tractor. Once met Curthberson as a child when visiting the Ried family in Strathaven. George Ried was a ploughman. Comment left on 18 November 2009 at 23:20 by Jeffrey Livingston

Speaking to Duncan again, he recalls the second time he was ploughing in Clashindarroch Forest (circa 1950) in the place known as 'the shell area' - Moss of Essie locality at the very south of the forest. He was one of five tractor drivers in this area at the time - some of the others being Bert Legge, Jim Connell and Jock Riddell.
The Moss was in earlier war time a practice area for shelling, fired from a battery near Lumsden, three or four miles away over the hill. Because the possibility of the plough setting off unexploded shells, the tractors cabs were all guarded with a thick sheet of steel plate fixed on the back of the tractor from above the draw bar, with a few small lookout holes for the driver to look back to see how the plough was working.
The story goes that the drivers were supposed to get a dangerous working conditions supplement to their pay but Kennedy the Head Forester adamantly refused to pay it saying that there were no unexploded shells in the area. In time however Jim Connell came across a 28lb unexploded shell and picking it up, put it in the boot of the Head Forester's car which happened to be unattended nearby. Next week apparently, when the Head Forester appeared again, Jim asked for the danger money and when the he was told there were no shells he directed the forester to look into the boot of his car!!
Seemingly the danger money was paid thereafter with no arguments and Duncan recalls finding about 20 large unexploded shells in total at that time.
Comment left on 05 December 2009 at 11:23 by Norman Davidson

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