Clearing 1953 windblow in Deeside
Photograph courtesy of Sandy Tough, Huntly.
One of a series of 7 high quality photographs showing the blown timber clearing up operations progressing after the devastating storm in Jan 1953 that wiped out most of the medium and older aged forests in North East Scotland. The location is not identified but thought to be somewhere in Deeside and the people featured are unnamed. Any help to identify location or people would be greatly appreciated.
A scene on a public road with ongoing operations to clear all the fallen trees and Alexander Wood of Lumphanan’s lorry weaving its way between the wood wagons closely followed by a car. The GPO staff are busy re-erecting the telephone wires torn down by the fallen trees.
Note the four wheel rubber tyred wagons used by the horse men with short bolster pins on either side to hold the logs aided by chains and dwangs. Can anyone say if this type of vehicle was built as a pole wagon which would be lengthened to whatever type of produce was being carried?
The front horse with its wide deep chest looks more like a Percheron or Suffolk Punch – can anyone confirm? In behind on the load appears to be the piece bag for horseman and feed bag for horse. The individual harness items are seen very clearly along with long and short reins.
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Groups: Forestry Areas, Forestry in Action, Gale 1953, Groups of people, Horses at work in Forests, Northeast Scotland , Other Vehicles and Machines, Tools, equipment and clothing
The Photo must have been taken shortly afterwards as the GPO Linesman is still at work.
I remember that our Farm Line was repaired a few Weeks afterwards and the Linesmen came all the way to Aberdeenshire from Hemmel Hempstead Hertfordshire!
I have never seen that type of haulage done by Horse before, I think it would be "late in the day" for that.
In 1953 there were lots of old Tractors around and also many War surplus Lorries were available.
It is impossible to say without a side view if they are using a proper Pole Wagons or just something pressed into service for the occasion.
I wonder if Alexander Wood’s Lorry was delivering the Horses each Day? it was sometimes a problem getting Grazing near the Woods and usually the Boy in the Felling Gang got the job of walking the Horses to work.
Not a popular job if the walk was several Miles, and an early start too! Comment left on 06 July 2011 at 11:06 by Jimmy Thain