DEAD DOZER
Torrin is a small village on the eastern shore of Loch Slapin, about 5 miles south west of Broadford. The name Torrin comes from the Gaelic Na Torrain, meaning “the little hills”.
Torrin is also known for its marble industry, which dates back hundreds of years. Skye marble is a type of dolomite that has been metamorphosed by contact with the nearby granite and gabbro intrusions. The marble is prized for its beauty and durability, and has been used in various buildings and monuments, such as Armadale Castle and Iona Abbey.
The first commercial quarrying of Skye marble began in 1907, when the Skye Marble Company opened a quarry at Strath, near Broadford. That quarry was connected by a tramway to the pier, where the marble was exported. The new industrial sized quarry just south west of Torrin is owned by Leiths Group, and produces agricultural lime, pebbledash, concrete products and decorative stone.
Torrin had another smaller quarry at Cnoc Slapin where this image was made. It opened in 1951 and closed in 2001. The area has been partially landscaped to reduce its visual impact, but remnants of the workings and machinery remain. Among them is this beautifully rusting Michigan 45R bulldozer. It is a wheel dozer that was introduced in 1968 by the Clark Equipment Company. The 45R was an articulated steer machine that weighed about 18 tons and had a 10-foot blade. It was powered by a Cummins V6 diesel engine that produced 175 horsepower. Will it start? A bit of WD40 should sort it out.
In the foreground is a large diesel tank which has rusted through, along with numerous items of decrepit machinery and other industrial detritus.
Big thanks to Rab Kyle, whose father Robert used to run the quarry and was the owner of the now derelict dozer.
Rab was also able to confirm that the big tank was for diesel, likely for the dozer and other equipment in the quarry.
This photograph is from the early 90s and shows the dozer parked where it can be found today.
Around it you can see the light coloured marble gravel that was extracted from the quarry. In fact the pile of gravel on the right looks like it is still there in my photograph 30+ years later!