 | 1029 |
 | Norman Davidson |
 | 1954 |
 |  |
Jock Brodie on Fowler Tractor
Photographs courtesy of John Brodie, Mold, N Wales who has sent in photographs of his father ‘Jock’ Brodie who for a time was a plough operator with the Forestry Commission in the northeast of Scotland.
John goes on to say ‘My father worked with the Forestry Commission during the 1950's, firstly at Swanley, Fetteresso near Stonehaven, where, as far as I can remember he was a lorry driver, this would have been 1951/52. We then moved to Finzean when he started work as a plant operator at Blackhall near Banchory. Again, as far as I can remember he worked in places like, Rannoch Moor, Pitlochry, The Culbin Sands and the Rhynie and Tomintoul areas’.
This photograph shows ‘Jock’ working on a Fowler tracked tractor from the Marshall wheeled tractor firm which produced the Fowler brand from its Leeds factory possibly starting just before 1950. This photograph is thought to date from about 1954 or 1955. The new looking machine was powered by a single cylinder (Perkins?) engine its momentum kept going with a large flywheel which can be seen just behind the base of the trade mark Marshall exhaust. Starting was quite a performance and on decompression could be started with a handle. Duncan Jamieson of Insch, now in his 90s, recalls that the handle could be caught in the starting position and start flying around with the turning engine and a great danger to life and limb. He particularly disliked the uncovered flywheel in wet conditions as it continually showered the driver and his seat with water and peat slurry. The machine was locally called a ‘Pom pom’ from the distinctive sound of the single cylinder. What is taken to be the FC number can just be seen behind the exhaust and starts (S)18--.
The plough has a Cuthbertson arched frame with rope lifting gear and probably a single furrow ‘F’ type head but there is just a hint that it could be a double furrow ‘P’ type head from the way the furrows give the impression of lying two ways. However there is not enough detail in the photograph to be sure.
The location of the site is unknown. Can anyone identify the gentleman standing beside the tractor? John Brodie recalls his father talking about a Jim Wyness from the Aberdeen office.
Photographs courtesy of John Brodie, Mold, N Wales who has sent in photographs of his father ‘Jock’ Brodie who for a time was a plough operator with the Forestry Commission in the northeast of Scotland.
John goes on to say ‘My father worked with the Forestry Commission during the 1950's, firstly at Swanley, Fetteresso near Stonehaven, where, as far as I can remember he was a lorry driver, this would have been 1951/52. We then moved to Finzean when he started work as a plant operator at Blackhall near Banchory. Again, as far as I can remember he worked in places like, Rannoch Moor, Pitlochry, The Culbin Sands and the Rhynie and Tomintoul areas’.
This image shows ‘Jock’ at the controls of a D4 Caterpillar possibly circa 1958 climbing up a steepish knoll. The interesting bit is the directly mounted ground cultivating machinery which seems to be attached to the large lifting arm on the back of the tractor. Unfortunately again it is hard to see what configuration of heads being used but it looks wide and could be two single furrow tine plough heads, a single furrow tine head with a separate ripper tooth along side or again two sets of ripper teeth only for sub soiling and braking up an iron pan. Can anyone enlighten us? There is just the possibility that this D4 was a Road Squad machine normally used for ripping rock but on trial to the ploughing team to test some ploughing and ripping system.
The location is possibly the Drumtochty/South Fetteresso area but not certain.
Picture Added on 01 December 2011.
If you found this interesting, have a look at the following groups of pictures.
Forestry in Action
Northeast Scotland
Tractors and Ploughs