ALBUM - Lew Tuck of Dutchie Gillmans bush gang,driving a bulldozer,Stillwater - Ngahere.1954.

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DescriptionVern Tuck.."F. S. Tuck & Sons bought that TD 14 in 1954 from International Harvester Co for $6000.00. Lew (Tuck) couldn’t get away from the sawmill 'the sweat factory' quick enough to drive it.

I think this photo was taken up above Stillwater towards Ngahere at ‘Dutchie’ Gillman’s bush gang . Lew finished up going over the side - very dangerous work.

When Lew finished with Tuck & Sons, about 1956, ‘Nap’ (Hylton Tuck) took over the dozer. He also was swept away up near where Lew had been.

When you cut away the steep country, to make a road, that is what happens awefull quick. The rock underneath, was papa country and what we called GREASY BACK - not good for the drivers.

It happened to ‘Nap’ up at our logging spot too, and he and I spent two days digging the dozer out of the mud, trees, and undergrowth too. Over the ridge from Lake Hochstetter up above Nelson Creek. Now all history past and gone forever!

Note: Old George Oury called Hylton Tuck ‘Nap’ , after Napoleon Bonaparte - both Frenchmen.Date of Photo1954Map^[1]Contributor David Newman

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)NgahereStillwaterPersonLew TuckDutchie GillmanEventLew Tuck on a Bulldozer.

Category Information

Category TagRoadsEngineering

From Facebook

Date Created17th February 2020CommentsRobin Spillane my husband was a bushman based at redjacks they worked at AtarauOtto Levy was the boss.Noel Clark
My first job was working with Lou pulling down the wallsend mine buildings. Used a jack hammer to drill holes in the winch housing concrete for blasting with gelignite. After one blast a piece of concrete ended up in front of the union hotel. Great for a 15 year old that was 1964, a lot of 2nd world war yarns.

John Stuart
Yes those greasy backs are ass tightening exercises. I was telling the bush gang on a wet day of a bush driver who while pushing through a new road. Right was too narrow to make normal road,so driver was trying to get past to come from top back when whole side slid away, was reckoned to be 800 ft right to bottom. But driver drove off into a big stand of pongas,at least on the right side. The gang called me a bloody liar,and another chap having smoko with us,then said. well if you dont believeJohn, here you go ask the driver himself. Deuce affirmed i was correct,then asked how the hell did you remember that?. Tight group King Country loggers. Oh and the ridge was bridged with logs bound with wire rope and filled with dirt. Still there too.
Gavin Davy
Lee was a great bloke-

Mary Fenemor
Kevin O'Regan Interesting reading...

John Coll
Lew Tuck, absolute West Coast legend!!

Mark Gillman
71 years ago

Kevin O'Regan
Lou was one of the most capable of operators. Later as an overseer for Westland Catchment Board all his years of practical experience came to good use estimating hours needed to do a river diversion or stop bank. He would tell a farmer straight out "Na can't be done for 30 hours more like 50 but allow 60 as a example. He was great at lunch time said to mo one cold windy day " go and sit in your uterus and have a sandwich, I'll keep this heap of shit going for you" he loved operating least excuse. A Gentleman through and through.

Kevin O'Regan
Ute. Bloody phone thinking out loud again.

Heather Newby
Yes..you can't beat experience

Phil Wright
That's a lot money back then..He right about the sawmills the bush is much better!

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ALBUM - Lew Tuck of Dutchie Gillmans bush gang,driving a bulldozer,Stillwater - Ngahere.1954.

Editing is temporarily disabled