Restored Scottish Logging Tractor
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Photos of a restored 1960's Scottish-built logging tractor caught our attention in a recent issue of Classic Tractor magazine (www.classictractormagazine.co.uk). With half-tracks, twin winches and an innovative weight transfer system that allowed all the weight to be shifted to the rear axle, the Highlander 60 was a tractor designed for working in the woods.
It was manufactured by James Jones & Sons Limited in Stirlingshire, Scotland, a company that started in the late 1800's and is still strong in the forestry and sawmill industries.
The Highlander 60 started with a standard 2-wheel drive Ford 4000 with Scandinavian half-tracks on a frame bolted to the rear axle with a bogey wheel.
The tractor had tremendous grip according to Declan Harkins, whose Uncle Dan purchased a used Highlander in 1985 to thin timber for the Forestry Service on the northern tip of Ireland. It didn't spin or give when it hit a stump and something had to give - namely a stub axle, which the Harkins broke twice in a decade of logging.
Another issue with the tractor was that it threw the track if the front wheels were up and the tractor was turned too sharply. With manual steering it was also difficult to steer and dangerous when the front wheels hit a stump.
Harkins recalls that the Highlander got stuck almost once a day in the soft peat soils, and he remembers three broken half-shafts that had to be fixed in the forest. However, the winches could pull 3 tons of logs at a time (up to 30 small trees), and the Harkins used the tractor until 1996.
In honor of his uncle, who passed away, Declan Harkins overhauled it three years ago with his father and son. The engine, gearbox, back end and brakes were in good condition. A local paint company mixed paint based on a couple of patches off the tractor, and the refurbished tractor preserves a piece of history.
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Restored Scottish Logging Tractor TRACTORS Antiques Photos of a restored 1960 s Scottish-built logging tractor caught our attention in a recent issue of Classic Tractor magazine www classictractormagazine co uk With half-tracks twin winches and an innovative weight transfer system that allowed all the weight to be shifted to the rear axle the Highlander 60 was a tractor designed for working in the woods It was manufactured by James Jones & Sons Limited in Stirlingshire Scotland a company that started in the late 1800 s and is still strong in the forestry and sawmill industries The Highlander 60 started with a standard 2-wheel drive Ford 4000 with Scandinavian half-tracks on a frame bolted to the rear axle with a bogey wheel The tractor had tremendous grip according to Declan Harkins whose Uncle Dan purchased a used Highlander in 1985 to thin timber for the Forestry Service on the northern tip of Ireland It didn t spin or give when it hit a stump and something had to give ù namely a stub axle which the Harkins broke twice in a decade of logging Another issue with the tractor was that it threw the track if the front wheels were up and the tractor was turned too sharply With manual steering it was also difficult to steer and dangerous when the front wheels hit a stump Harkins recalls that the Highlander got stuck almost once a day in the soft peat soils and he remembers three broken half-shafts that had to be fixed in the forest However the winches could pull 3 tons of logs at a time up to 30 small trees and the Harkins used the tractor until 1996 In honor of his uncle who passed away Declan Harkins overhauled it three years ago with his father and son The engine gearbox back end and brakes were in good condition A local paint company mixed paint based on a couple of patches off the tractor and the refurbished tractor preserves a piece of history
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