KeEping the Home Fires Burning

By Dave Cole, a member of The Ferguson Club

Here are a few photographs of my two 1953 Ferguson TEF20s in action cutting and splitting firewood to keep the home fires burning.

The tree that was cut up was a dead oak that had been given to us by a neighbouring farmer. This gave me a chance to try out my newly acquired Ferguson ALE20 Cordwood Saw, that I bought from a tractor auto jumble at Bristol.

I have converted the saw and tractor pulley, from flat belt to four V belts. This has made a world of difference over the flat belt drive that I have on my other two mark one or ALE19 Cordwood Benches.

The log splitter is made by West Mac, and saves a lot of hard work with the axe; or, should I say saves

Dad a lot of work with the axe. The TEF20 No.331327 that usually powers the log splitter is fitted wilh a Fergi Positioner that is sold by Phillip Gaunt, and works very well. I can highly recommend it, and it is easily converted back to draft control when needed. My two TEF20s are as stated earlier, both 1953 builds. One is TEF No.319284; the other, No.33I327. This one·was the first that I bought, and has an aluminium bonnet. As well as being fitted with the Fergi Positioner, it has the big PTO Shaft Conversion. The other Fergie Diesel has at sometime been fitted with a 1954 engine.

Footnote: I hope one day to acquire a 3cyl 35 or wash my mouth out with soap and water - a Dexta. These would go better on the Splitter with the benefit of more power at a slower pto speed.