Looking at Logging - Pt. 1

Logging transport has a special place in the world of trucking.

The vehicles are large, powerful and have to withstand heavy work day in, day out.

They often operate in demanding terrain on narrow mountainous roads in rain or ice.

The skills of the truckers are matched by those of the timber handlers working in cramped locations with specialised machinery. In this pair of programmes Pete Connock and Martin Phippard are offering an inside view of logging transport around the world.

This is all new footage filmed in the last four years. In Part One they look briefly at the history of timber extraction before taking us to Finland for timber hauls close to the Arctic Circle in the depths of winter. In the southern hemisphere they have filmed truck combinations coping with the rugged terrain of Tasmania and then in New Zealand's north island.

Finally, they take a look at a UK outfit where legislation makes life difficult for truck owners and drivers.