Robert Taylor / Dechmont Woods Incident (Scotland; November 1979)

[Coal]

True, but some UFO experiences have sounded very much like self-replicating probes. For example, perhaps the Dechmont Woods UFO experienced by Robert Taylor was a malfunctioning probe:

And you know this how?

 

[Paul_Exeter]

And you know this how?

Just a suggestion based on the evidence he provided, in particular that the object was translucent in places, that this translucency moved around and that he himself felt the object might be trying to disguise/hide itself. He felt he had been ‘attacked‘ by the two objects that came out of the craft and you might speculate this was a defence measure by a craft that couldn‘t prevent being seen

(Source: The Dechmont Woods Incident by Malcolm Robinson)

What is your take on this case?

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

Looking at that, I'd deduce that the sphere robots were suspended underneath the craft somewhere in the middle. They probably had only just started moving when Mr Taylor turned up.

I think those two 'probes' were sent out to gather perhaps samples (of vegetation?) and instead came across a human, poor Mr. Taylor.
Or they could be, as @Paul_Exeter stated, defending the craft.

 

[catseye]

This was the subject of a Talking til Dawn podcast.

https://getpodcast.com/podcast/talk...nd-the-dechmont-woods-ufo-incident_1843c7f26c

Very interesting but the conclusion was a likely TIA, if I recall correctly. And the marks in the ground were tracks from logging machinery.

 

[BS3]

This was the subject of a Talking til Dawn podcast.

https://getpodcast.com/podcast/talk...nd-the-dechmont-woods-ufo-incident_1843c7f26c

Very interesting but the conclusion was a likely TIA, if I recall correctly. And the marks in the ground were tracks from logging machinery.

One of the suggestions I've seen is unintentional poisoning with Atropa belladonna

 

[maximus otter]

As with the Kelly Hopkinsville UFO encounter, it's easy to run away with the idea that this sighting - In the woods! In Scotland! - occurred in the wilds, miles from anywhere. In fact, it was just off a busy motorway, in a well-populated area.

A modern OS map of the area:

Approximate location within red star. Broad blue line is the M8 motorway

Here's the area from Google Earth:

Approximate locus at yellow pin

The local council includes this incident in its list of local attractions, giving this map:

Their .PDF page with a potted version of the story.

The Atlas Obscura page with ground-level photos of the area.

maximus otter

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

Went to a 40th talk tonight and members of Bob Taylor’s family were present and I got to handle THE TROUSERS!

And what was your conclusion, when you saw Mr. Taylor's trousers?
Also, his family - did they absolutely believe his story?

 

[gordonrutter]

And what was your conclusion, when you saw Mr. Taylor's trousers?
Also, his family - did they absolutely believe his story?

The trousers were definitely ripped. I don't think there is anything more that can be said about them.

His family and friends ssemd to believe, a lot of people commenting how he was an upstanding citizen.

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

The trousers were definitely ripped. I don't think there is anything more that can be said about them.

His family and friends ssemd to believe, a lot of people commenting how he was an upstanding citizen.

And do you believe the story?
I know it's a very odd tale, but what else could have caused the physical depressions in the soil, and no entrance / exit marks, along with Mr. Taylor's experience?

 

[gordonrutter]

And do you believe the story?
I know it's a very odd tale, but what else could have caused the physical depressions in the soil, and no entrance / exit marks, along with Mr. Taylor's experience?

I do not believe we are being visited by physical Aliens at all, so no.

It's been mentioned in this thread that agricultural machinery could be responsible for the marks and health issues for the experience.

If some new evidence comes I am more than happy to reevaluate my personal take on it.

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

I do not believe we are being visited by physical Aliens at all, so no.

It's been mentioned in this thread that agricultural machinery could be responsible for the marks and health issues for the experience.

If some new evidence comes I am more than happy to reevaluate my personal take on it.

I'm surprised, after reading your book 'Ghosts 3 Caught On Film', but then the paranormal is wide in variety.
And I thought that part of the puzzle in the Robert Taylor case is the lack of any entrance / exit marks on the ground for any equipment, leaving a large question there.

 

[gordonrutter]

I'm surprised, after reading your book 'Ghosts 3 Caught On Film', but then the paranormal is wide in variety.
And I thought that part of the puzzle in the Robert Taylor case is the lack of any entrance / exit marks on the ground for any equipment, leaving a large question there.

I may not believe but I am interested. He had an experience and this how he interpreted it. I'm interest in the why part of that and there is theoretically a possibility that it might be Aliens.

Check out Malcolm Robinson's book, he's the current owner of the trousers.

Book link

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

I may not believe but I am interested. He had an experience and this how he interpreted it. I'm interest in the why part of that and there is theoretically a possibility that it might be Aliens.

Check out Malcolm Robinson's book, he's the current owner of the trousers.

Book link

View attachment 57016

Thank you, I am ordering that book on ebay!

 

[Paul_Exeter]

As with the Kelly Hopkinsville UFO encounter, it's easy to run away with the idea that this sighting - In the woods! In Scotland! - occurred in the wilds, miles from anywhere. In fact, it was just off a busy motorway, in a well-populated area.

A modern OS map of the area:

Approximate location within red star. Broad blue line is the M8 motorway

Here's the area from Google Earth:

Approximate locus at yellow pin

The local council includes this incident in its list of local attractions, giving this map:

Their .PDF page with a potted version of the story.

The Atlas Obscura page with ground-level photos of the area.

maximus otter

A good reminder.

One Skeptical response has been that passing motorists ought to have witnessed the object, I’m inclined to disagree as he described the object as seemingly attempting to conceal itself, so did it succeed in time to exit the scene and was it even in this dimension when invisible…?

 

[catseye]

A good reminder.

One Skeptical response has been that passing motorists ought to have witnessed the object, I’m inclined to disagree as he described the object as seemingly attempting to conceal itself, so did it succeed in time to exit the scene and was it even in this dimension when invisible…?

To be honest, I've driven the M8 a lot and never found it to be that busy, not when compared with motorways further sound, like the M62 or the M25. It's hardly nose to tail traffic.

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

Never heard of Malcolm Robinson before, he also wrote two books on UFO Case Files In Scotland, they look interesting:

 

[Paul_Exeter]

One of the suggestions I've seen is unintentional poisoning with Atropa belladonna

Detailed here:

https://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1120630/pg1

 

[Frideswide]

To be honest, I've driven the M8 a lot and never found it to be that busy, not when compared with motorways further sound, like the M62 or the M25. It's hardly nose to tail traffic.

Agreed! In 1979 it was less busy than it is now I think.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

Never heard of Malcolm Robinson before, he also wrote two books on UFO Case Files In Scotland, they look interesting:

View attachment 57019

View attachment 57020

Have read all of his work and caught him on a few podcasts, too.

The Pros:
He is a decent chap and an old-school investigator who gets out there ‘knocking on doors’. He is sincere and prices his books modestly to make them easily available.

The Con:

He is a diehard believer that UFOs are aliens visiting this planet and abducting humans. Thus, unfortunately there is a good deal of confirmation bias in his work (in my opinion) and as a result he tends to ask witnesses leading questions.

Definitely worth buying.

 

[catseye]

Detailed here:

https://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1120630/pg1

I grew up in the countryside, as did my children. NONE of us would ever 'accidentally ingest belladonna.' It's not something you can easily mistake for something edible, and a countryman like Robert would not be mooching about just eating stuff from the hedge randomly. The only way to accidentally eat it would be if someone somehow slipped it in already prepared food, but that seems vanishingly unlikely.

The mention of previous headaches, coming round to disrupted speech, a strange metallic taste etc etc, all shout to me of a small stroke. And I'm sure there's some kind of history of people seeing shiny circular objects as hallucinations with epilepsy/migraines etc. My migraines make me see deep black 'cut-out' shapes in darkness.

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

Detailed here:

https://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1120630/pg1

That was fascinating and enormously informative!

 

[Paul_Exeter]

Agreed! In 1979 it was less busy than it is now I think.

Also recently constructed, although I can’t find an exact date, only that the M8 was completed in 1980 (Wikipedia).

Major upheaval for that previously pretty much undisturbed area, makes you wonder if there were any archeological finds in that area during the works?

 

[gordonrutter]

Agreed! In 1979 it was less busy than it is now I think.

When you're standing at the site of the event there is very little in the way of traffic noise. If you didn't know the M8 was there you would guess it.

 

[gordonrutter]

Have read all of his work and caught him on a few podcasts, too.

The Pros:
He is a decent chap and an old-school investigator who gets out there ‘knocking on doors’. He is sincere and prices his books modestly to make them easily available.

The Con:

He is a diehard believer that UFOs are aliens visiting this planet and abducting humans. Thus, unfortunately there is a good deal of confirmation bias in his work (in my opinion) and as a result he tends to ask witnesses Ed leading questions.

Definitely worth buying.

Declaration of interest, Malky is a friend, but yes he is a believer and I do agree with the confirmation bias, but as you've said he is not an armchair researcher, he goes out and talks to the witnesses and visits the sites.

 

[gordonrutter]

Never heard of Malcolm Robinson before, he also wrote two books on UFO Case Files In Scotland, they look interesting:

View attachment 57019

View attachment 57020

He's also written on Ghosts and Nessie. He does a monthly series of talks in Alloa. On the recent anniversary he gave a talk on this case. I videoed it and it should be online somewhere.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

Declaration of interest, Malky is a friend, but yes he is a believer and I do agree with the confirmation bias, but as you've said he is not an armchair researcher, he goes out and talks to the witnesses and visits the sites.

Thanks

 

[Ronnie Jersey]

He's also written on Ghosts and Nessie. He does a monthly series of talks in Alloa. On the recent anniversary he gave a talk on this case. I videoed it and it should be online somewhere.

Could it be this video on youtube:

 

[gordonrutter]

He's also written on Ghosts and Nessie. He does a monthly series of talks in Alloa. On the recent anniversary he gave a talk on this case. I videoed it and it should be online somewhere.

Don't seem to see the one i recorded but here is another

 

[gordonrutter]

Could it be this video on youtube:

Nope it's about 90 minutes long and shot in a church hall type of place. I'll see if I still have it.

 

[maximus otter]

Detailed here:

https://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread1120630/pg1

That report suggests the Dr. Who episode City of Death as having influenced the witness. lt had been shown on UK telly the previous month, and featured a race called the Jagaroth and their spacecraft:

maximus otter