1940s Cat

That would be an RD6

Wide gauge too!

Wide gauge too!

I'd say about a 1938 -up 2H (D6). That's when they came out with that duck bill pre-cleaner with jar.

I think it has 6 cylinders as there is no gap under the hood

Nope they're a 3 lunger motor and low rpm's but chug a lug like no tomorrow.😄

Hi Richard,
As the others have said, its a three cylinder D6, the truck in the background is a Foden timber tractor with a timber carraige behind it, a strange position for the tractor to be in when loading timber, but I would guess that it has pulled the truck back into position ready to load. I would also guess that the tractor and Foden belonged to T.T. Boughton of Amersham, I know they used to run a D6 (not very common) and Foden lorrys and were big hauliers through the 1940's and 1950's. I would even guess that the Foden driver is on the right of the picture, John Brightman, I have seen later pictures of him and his twin brother, Sid.
I have a picture of a D6 found in recent years near Fordingbridge, is it just possible its the same tractor?

Thanks for the replies! 😊 Cleared that little mystery up.



Catsilver,
The photo came out of an archive of photos relating to the D-Day landings and explained that during the preparations land was cleared to make way for camps - I think the assumption the book wanted us to make (certainly the one I had made) was that the Allies brought with them crawlers like this to help landowners clear the land but it is quite possible the machine already existed in U.K. prior to this.

Certainly my father can remember them taking out some hedges on our farm with dozers

It aint no 6cyl. and aint no 3cyl D6 If you look at top of rad it has =RD6= in the middle if it was a D6 it would have Caterpillar all the way across the top tank and a badge on the bottom of Rad side D6. Heres a 1935 with same precleaner Only diff in the 2 are mine has a gen. mounted on it