A Blast From The Past....

[Ivan...]

Hope this is the right place, was poking about in mothers loft, and came across these, yeah that is me! When i had black hair and was as fit as a butchers dog, the aftermath of the great storm of October 1987, the beech was the most dangerous and biggest tree i had tackled at the time, it took me a week on my own to cut up and produced a record 72 loads of logs, and boy some serious burning up.

The next few are of some big windblown sycamore, i left the stumps etc, just as the owner asked.

Another reason, i posted this is because it is at Colehayes Field Study Centre, where i am holding the next meet, at the end of the month.

If it does not bore too many, i have other pics, from my days as a tree surgeon.

Ivan...

 

[santaman2000]

Far from boring. Thanks for sharing. I was there for that storm; I'd just moved from Filkins nr Lechlade to Cirencester and my furniture had't caught up yet. I was sleeping on the floor and didn't really realize how big thee storm was until the next day.

 

[Goatboy]

Good pics and memories Ivan, that's a fair sized tree. Big kid that I was I always liked turning the saw off and lifting my ear defenders to hear the creaks/groans and final crash of a big un coming down. How many ton you reckon in that? Have to winch/dig any branches that had been driven into the ground?

(PS have you got your fire bucket home yet?)

Keep 'em coming,
Colin.

 

[Ivan...]

Far from boring. Thanks for sharing. I was there for that storm; I'd just moved from Filkins nr Lechlade to Cirencester and my furniture had't caught up yet. I was sleeping on the floor and didn't really realize how big thee storm was until the next day.

Hi Santaman, it was absolute carnage, i didn't know where to start, a very sad time to see such beautiful and mature specimens wiped out over night, i was offered serious money to travel to Sevenoaks, but had more to contend with, right on my doorstep.

Ivan...

 

[Ivan...]

Good pics and memories Ivan, that's a fair sized tree. Big kid that I was I always liked turning the saw off and lifting my ear defenders to hear the creaks/groans and final crash of a big un coming down. How many ton you reckon in that? Have to winch/dig any branches that had been driven into the ground?

(PS have you got your fire bucket home yet?)

Keep 'em coming,
Colin.

Hi Colin, it was a beast, partly uprooted and split right up the middle, really challenged me as a young (know it all) But remembered what i had been taught, I reckon with limbs and all the burnt up stuff, it must have been close to 80 plus ton. Did that one for the wood!

Been too wet, and with TB testing, for the bucket yet, but you know me, there will be many a pic and mouthing off, when i complete the move.

Ivan...

 

[crosslandkelly]

They were some serious trees to handle. Top man.

 

[Goatboy]

Hi Santaman, it was absolute carnage, i didn't know where to start, a very sad time to see such beautiful and mature specimens wiped out over night, i was offered serious money to travel to Sevenoaks, but had more to contend with, right on my doorstep.

Ivan...

Young capitalist that I was I moved to Sevenoaks from Scotland for it. There was a lot of work and money at the time. It is always sad when a big tree ends, but it can go on in handles, carvings, chopping boards, bowls and wood to heat you. I apologised to every tree I cut when I was a feller.

 

[British Red]

Great piccs - nothing wrong with "doing it for the wood" - I'm scooting out to harvest up a cherry tree "blow down" next week. Been dead several years apparently - should be just a saw and timber jack job. I may offer some nice seasoned cherry up to the the wood turners locally who want it

 

[Ivan...]

Young capitalist that I was I moved to Sevenoaks from Scotland for it. There was a lot of work and money at the time. It is always sad when a big tree ends, but it can go on in handles, carvings, chopping boards, bowls and wood to heat you. I apologised to every tree I cut when I was a feller.

It was mental! I was starting on a tree blocking the road, to claim the clearing fee, then moving on to the next one, so capatalist i must have been, winch one to the side , anything to bill the council, took forever to pay but when all those cheques hit the mat, i thought you have cracked this lark, and fortunately i had a yard, being paid to fill it with firewood!

May even dig a few more pics out.

Ivan...

 

[addo]

Your not boring me Ivan, its very interesting. Great to see pics from the days of basic kit and hard work.
I was sat in a music class at school (staring out the window board to bits) during that storm but it wasn't nearly as bad up here.

I had to climb, fell and convert 10 large Beech that size a few years ago that were full of Meripilus and honey fungus. It nearly killed me, literally. The 11th I left to the other lads to finish while I put my feet up for a few months. Luckily there were large replacements planted and many other trees in the area to take over.

Good pics and memories Ivan, that's a fair sized tree. Big kid that I was I always liked turning the saw off and lifting my ear defenders to hear the creaks/groans and final crash of a big un coming down.

Keep 'em coming,
Colin.

Haha, I still do that too after all this time doing it

 

[santaman2000]

Great piccs - nothing wrong with "doing it for the wood" .....

Mind you when Katrina went through, the logging company paid me for the salvage timber. Unfortunately as there was so much downed timber everywhere, the prices plummeted. I only got about $35,000 for what should have been $200,000 worth of timber. And that was on the miniscule amount salvaged before they abandoned the rest as being down too long and a glut of easier downed timber everywhere.

The remaining tangle was left to re-seed the forest.

 

[Ivan...]

Well! You asked for it! Been up the loft again, they are a bit all over the place, but more blast's from the past, brought back some very happy memories, obviously have not listed them! But any comments/questions welcome.

Thanks for looking.

Ivan...

The October 87 Storm enabled me to buy a new Hilux, then blow me (excuse the pun) The Jan 90 Storm allowed me to buy another!

 

[British Red]

Is that a PTO splitter on the tractor?

Love the Swan dive in the aerial work

 

[Ivan...]

Is that a PTO splitter on the tractor?

Love the Swan dive in the aerial work

Hi Mate, no a hydraulic one, i bought it already fitted to the little 35, it was a bit slow but very powerful and safe, boy that tractor would be worth some money today, i gave £500.00 for the combo!

RE aerial work, young and foolish, more like, i weighed 9 stone sopping wet, and my power to weight ratio, and confidence in my own ability was, clever, i thought!

Ivan...

 

[British Red]

35?

As in MF35?

They aren't too bad - my buddy just restored one and sold it on (it was known as Noddy's tractor - red with a smiley face!). Nice tractors - I like his Fordson Major more though - very capable machine for its size


Tractor and fire_1 by British Red, on Flickr

 

[Goatboy]

Wee bit overloaded Hilux in those pics Ivan!, looks like your taking off.

 

[Ivan...]

Yeah Red, the 3 cylinder one is the one they all want, mine had working headlights and was in good nick, I have had several Majors, good solid tractors, i did have a Super Major once fitted with cradles for extracting pit props, that thing would pull a house down!

Nice pic, saves a lot of work burning up, even with a trip loader.

Ivan...

 

[Ivan...]

Wee bit overloaded Hilux in those pics Ivan!, looks like your taking off.

Oh yes, it was compulsory in those days! No, not really i was working at Rora, just a mile from home, so at the end of the day a going home load to the shed was silly!

Ivan...

 

[British Red]

<chuckle>

My wife doesn't understand "tractor porn" as she describes it.

Its a man thing!

 

[EdS]

Fordson Major was the first tractor I drove - still had the fly wheel, taught me to look where you put your feet.

Remember the storm of 87 - spent most of it being tossed around on a channel ferry.