Felling large Douglas Fir in Affric Forest
The photograph was taken by the late Finlay MacRae who was a District Officer in the Forestry Commission based in Dingwall at the time. The images are courtesy of his daughter Donna.
This is the first image in a series depicting the felling of some large Douglas fir trees in Affric Forest (Guisachan area) that were converted by Munro Sawmills (Dingwall) into special six sided poles for delivery to Scrabster.
Brian Stanger (Insch) who was based as a forester at Glen Affric some time after this event believes the feller could be Rura (originally Polish national) who had his own saw (Make of saw?). The skidder tractor driver may well have been Ian Fraser also from the Affric squad.
Please see the follow on three images in the PDF link below. Any information on the other people and the skidder type featured would be very welcome. The next picture number features measuring and loading onto transport.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Tools, equipment and clothing
Wladyslaw Rura, "Rura" (1925-1983) is operating his own McCulloch 300 (87cc) chainsaw, with a 30" bar and chain to fell the Douglas fir in this image. I do not know who is standing behind Rura. Rura used the Jonsered 621 (56cc) chainsaw, with a 15" bar and chain supplied by the FC at that time, for thinnings, but considered them too high revving and without sufficient torque to cut "Big timber". Hence his proud ownership of the Mac 300 that he had an arrangement with Jack Riddell, Chief Forester, to use for felling "Grannie pines" for seed collection and large timber orders like these Douglas fir. Whilst Rura and Iain Fraser where the only chainsaw operaters at Cannich when I was there (1973-75), until I got my ticket in Spring 1975, and Iain operated a saw and the skidder. The Timberjack featured in this series of images was not an FC machine. The Timberjack belonged to Munro's Dingwall sawmills and was used on their standing sale purchases, notably the large timber on the very rough ground out at FC Slatterdale forest.
In the first image in the attached pdf, Rura is walking along the top of the felled tree snedding off the accessible branches, with the Mac 300 and 30" guide bar. A practise definitely not in Piers Simon's (Training Forester) training courses of the time!
The second image, taken from the back of the Timberjack shows Rura nearest the camera, with a 5 litre can containing petrol/oil mix for the Mac 300. Behind Rura, with his back to the camera and wearing the cap, could be Alex ........?, Head Forester, who was in charge of the Guisichan beat at the time. Allan Cherry, pre-college student/trainee might be the helemeted individual having the conversation, with Alex. The two individuals furthest from the camera I cannot identify, but the one operating a chainsaw at the top of the stick could be Iain Fraser, using his Jonsered 621 to tidy up the snedding.
The third image is of Rura cross cutting the stick into the required lengths for Munro's order, using the Mac 300. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't a thick Old Holborn roll-up clasped between the lips as he concentrated on keeping the cut square to the stick.
Good health to Brian. Comment left on 18 September 2024 at 23:43 by Bill Rayner