Heritage Tractor Issue 6 by Sundial Magazines

TRACTOR H E R I TAG E

C E L E B R A T I N G T H E W O R L D O F V I N T A G E FA R M M A C H I N E R Y

DEXTA RANGE FOCUS ON LITTLE FORDSONS S P L U FA R M

THRESHING CONTRACTORS

THE GANGS AND THEIR GEAR

MARSHALLS ON BELT WORK WHY THEY WERE SUCH A SUCCESS

S U RV E Y 4-45 O F 1 9 4T OF I M PA C A R THE W S YEAR

UK £4.60

FULL REPORT ON VINTAGE EXHIBITS AT HUGE SHOW

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SALESMAN IS THRILLED TO BE BACK ON A NUFFIELD

SEEN AT NEWARK

WINTER 2018

RETURN TO 1962

ISSUE 6

AUS $ 10.50 CAN $13.25 NS $11.30

ROW-CROP REVOLUTION FEATURES OF THE EARLY IH FARMALLS

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A heritage brand that spans every generation: from exceptional scale models for the seasoned collector, to exciting toys and pedal tractors for the kids. Shop over one hundred original Massey Ferguson products for the whole family. Browse the collection online at shop.masseyferguson.ccom or order from your local Massey Ferguson dealer. facebook.ccom/masseyfergusonmerchandiseshop instagram.ccom/masseyfergusonmerchandiseshop

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TRACTOR

Upfront

H E R I TAG E

TRACTOR H E R I TAG E

C E L E B R A T I N G T H E W O R L D O F V I N T A G E FA R M M A C H I N E R Y

DEXTA RANGE FOCUS ON LITTLE FORDSONS

THRESHING CONTRACTORS

THE GANGS AND THEIR GEAR

MARSHALLS ON BELT WORK

PL US

WHY THEY WERE SUCH A SUCCESS

OF IMPA CT THE WAR YEAR S

Winter 2018 Issue 6 Cover image

UK £4.60

FULL REPORT ON VINTAGE EXHIBITS AT HUGE SHOW

ISSUE 6

SEEN AT NEWARK

WINTER 2018

SALESMAN IS THRILLED TO BE BACK ON A NUFFIELD

www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

AUS $ 10.50 CAN $13.25 NS $11.30

RETURN TO 1962

Ken Topham

ROW-CROP REVOLUTION FEATURES OF THE EARLY IH FARMALLS

EDITOR Jim Gerrard

editor@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk MANAGING EDITOR Rory Day ART DIRECTOR David ‘Spike’ McCormack DESIGNERS Sarah Mortimer, Claire Trent ADVERTISEMENT SALES

020 8 639 4412 ADMINISTRATOR Martin Attis

020 8639 4409 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Paul Cosgrove

020 639 4401 Heritage Tractor is published by Sundial Magazines Ltd, Sundial House, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 5JS TEL 020 8639 4400 FAX 020 8639 4411 EMAIL info@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk WEB www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS Heritage Tractor subscriptions Trinity House, Sculpins Lane, Wethersfield, Essex, CM7 4AY TEL +44(0)1371 853636 EMAIL heritagetractor@escosubs.co.uk NEWSTRADE Seymour Distribution 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT TEL 020 7429 4000 REPRO Design & Printing Solutions Ltd The Coach House, 101 Northwood Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 2HE TEL 01227 770034 PRINTING Precision Colour Printing Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, Shropshire TF7 4QQ COPYRIGHT Sundial Magazines Ltd 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the express permission of the publishers. ISSN 2515-2726 Sundial Magazines Ltd Registered in England no. 4134490

CONDITIONS FOR ADVERTISING All advertisements are accepted subject to the publisher’s standard conditions of insertion. For a copy of advertising terms & conditions, please write to Paul Cosgrove at Sundial Magazines Ltd, Sundial House, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 5JS

TALKING VINTAGE

Passing the baton

IX ISSUES IN and Heritage Tractor is going well and finding its way into the hands of an ever-increasing number of readers. On a personal level I feel I’ve achieved what I set out to do, so I’m stepping down as editor from this issue. If I’m honest, being based in Scotland made it difficult for me to keep in touch with the vintage movement south of the border. This isn’t the last you will hear from me as I shall still be heavily involved in contributing to Heritage Tractor, a title that I firmly believe has the best interests of vintage farm machinery enthusiasts at heart. Relinquishing the editor’s role will allow me to spend more time researching farm machinery history and heritage, which is something I really enjoy. Before I hand over to new editor Jim Gerrard, I would like to say a big thank you to the readers, the publishers and the team of contributors for all the help and encouragement they have given me over the past couple of years. Pete Small

FEEL INCREDIBLY PRIVILEGED to be taking on the editorial responsibilities of Heritage Tractor and to be continuing all the great work undertaken by outgoing editor, Pete Small. I will strive to live up to the high standards that have been set by Pete and this publication. Vintage tractors, traction engines and related machinery are my hobby and at the heart of the Gerrard family collection. After studying agriculture at the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester and multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University, it’s now time for me to put what I’ve learned into practice. It was good to meet so many readers of Heritage Tractor at this year’s outstanding Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show, where the enthusiasm and passion for preserving Britain’s agricultural past was clearly evident. The efforts made to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, both by exhibitors and show organisers alike, were admirable and also very poignant, especially given that the Sunday of the event fell on 11 November, exactly 100 years after the guns fell silent. We shall continue to mark agriculture’s role during both wars in future issues. Jim Gerrard, Editor editor@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

MEET THE HERITAGE TRACTOR TEAM Rory Day Managing Editor Man on a mission to collect every tractor sales brochure and old farming periodical.

Stuart Gibbard Consultant Leading historian, prolific author, literature specialist and authority on pre-1920 veteran tractors.

Darren Tebbitt John Deere fan John Deeres from the two-cylinder era are a speciality of this arable farmer from Cambridgeshire.

Peter Longfoot Crawler specialist Retired farmer who has owned and operated many of the crawlers he often writes about.

Harry Henderson Veterans International Titan owner who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty working on his many projects.

Malcolm Robinson Advisor One of Europe if not the world’s leading collectors of all vintage Massey-Harris equipment.

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Upfront

CONTENTS

REGULAR FEATURES 3

Welcome Incoming editor Jim Gerrard aims to continue your magazine’s high standards

6 Heritage News The latest happenings from the world of vintage tractors and machinery

83 Subscribe & Save Get your copy of Heritage Tractor delivered direct and also save money

96 Next Time A preview of the features we have planned for the forthcoming Spring 2019 issue

114 Resting Place Your pictures of vintage tractors and old farm equipment taking a well-earned rest

HERITAGE 12 Threshing Set A wonderful photo of a Field Marshall threshing in Somerset in the 1950s COVER 14 STORY

Fordson Dexta All you need to know

about the Dexta and its Super sibling

Threshing Contractors A reminder of how the corn used to be threshed on many farms

28 Wartime Farm Study Detailed insight into the operations on a mixed farm in 1944-45

34 Dealer Show Stands Rare photographs of a Ferguson dealer’s stands at country shows

40 The Way We Were A retired farmer looks back at beet harvesting and autumn drilling

44 Marshall Power The reasons why Marshall tractors were so popular for belt pulley work

51 In The Papers A look inside the pages of the Nov-Dev 1951 issue of Ford’s Farm journal

Photo Album Readers of Heritage Tractor share their pictures of machines of the past

PRESERVATION 54

MERL Museum Tour We visit the Museum of English Rural Life, a true national treasure www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

100

Newark Tractor Show There were hundreds

of great vintage exhibits at this brilliant show

Nuﬃeld Reunion A former Nuﬃeld salesman is reacquainted with a couple of 1960s models

Working Wonders This 1965 DB 880 is still going strong on a livestock farm in Yorkshire

THE KNOWLEDGE

IH Farmall F Series Facts, ﬁgures and other

John Deere Overhaul Progress on the long-

Advice Line Our panel of vintage tractor experts

useful information on early Farmall models

term restoration of an original 1930s import

provide technical advice and answer your queries

HOBBY 90

Tractormobilia The place for collectors of farming models, memorabilia and collectables

Club World Tell us what your vintage club has been doing and what it has got planned

Ploughman’s Pages News and reports from

the world of ploughs and ploughing matches

MARKETPLACE 98

Auction Watch Round-up of vintage auction results and a list of diary dates of future sales

100 Ferguson Collection Colin Powell’s sale of Ferguson equipment generated huge interest

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Upfront

NEWS

HERITAGE NEWS

THE LATEST FROM THE WORLD OF VINTAGE FARM MACHINERY

ABOVE: Serial number of 502 confirms this was the second Nuffield Universal to leave the factory.

The Nuffield Universal M4 prior to being sold for £5800 at a farm dispersal sale in west Somerset.

Very early Nuffield under the hammer

HE SECOND NUFFIELD UNIVERSAL M4, serial number 502, to leave the company’s production line at Birmingham was the star lot at a farm machinery dispersal sale held at Leigh Farm, Dulverton, west Somerset, on 21 September. The 1948 tractor was owned by Chris Rawle and was bought new for the farm, most likely from dealer Jones’ Garage of Wiveliscombe,

Casterton event will celebrate 1919 trials 6

ABOVE: The historic Nuffield was displayed at Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show by new owners Pam and Graham Towndrow.

HE ORGANISERS OF THE TWeekend Casterton Vintage Working have announced that their 2019 event will commemorate the staging of the historic Lincoln Tractor Trials, which took place at South Carlton, near Lincoln, from 24-27 September 1919. Consequently, they are looking for examples of

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Somerset, by his father, Donald. The family still have cine film footage of the tractor baling on the farm in the 1960s, which showed it having the registration number KYC 509. Leyland themselves showed interest in the tractor in the late 1960s. The firm was considering putting together a museum of Nuffield and Leyland products, although this never materialised. Soon after that, the tractor was ‘put out to grass’ at Leigh Farm, where it remained until the auction. Despite being in dilapidated condition and in need of a full restoration, the historic Nuffield M4 was sold by auctioneer Gethin Rees of Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auctions Ltd for a resounding £5800, much to the amazement of many onlookers. The new owners, Pam and Graham Towndrow, best known for their long-standing involvement in the Nuffield & Leyland Tractor Club, later exhibited the historic tractor at the Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show in November.

the tractors and implements that would have taken part in the Trials. Manufacturers represented at the event included Austin, Blackstone, Case, Crawley, Fordson, IH (Mogul, Titan and Junior), Overtime, Saunderson and many others. The organisers are also hoping to attract many of the matching ploughs, such as those

of Cockshutt, Oliver, Massey-Harris, Ransomes, Howard and Roberts. Included are self-lifting and ride-on models, all of which should have been built in 1919 or earlier. Many trade stands attended the Trials, so the intention is to attract as many other implements, binders, carts and items of equipment that would have been

Kent dealership closes its doors ONG-STANDING AGRICULTURAL LMassey engineering business Arter Bros, a Ferguson dealer for almost six decades, finally closed for business last summer, reports Martin Rickatson. The closure follows a gradual winding-down ahead of the directors’ retirement, and brings to an end more than 130 years of service to farmers in east Kent. The company’s history stretches back to 1880, when Augustus Arter founded a contract threshing business near the village of Barham, between Canterbury and Folkestone. It soon expanded to offer machinery repairs and then sales, and by the 1950s the company held concurrent

agencies for Case, Fordson, Nuffield and Massey-Harris. Arter Bros was a sole agent for Massey Ferguson from 1958 until 2007. Following AGCO’s decision to move its Kent franchise elsewhere, a brief period as a Deutz-Fahr dealer followed, before the business slimmed down to become a parts sales-only operation. Current Arter Bros directors Cliff and Tom Arter are the fourth generation of the family to run the business. However, as their children have chosen to follow different career paths, they and cousin Don decided to sell the site for development.

ABOVE: Arter Bros’ dealership premises at Barham back in the mid-1950s. LEFT: This is how Arter Bros’ site looks today, following its recent closure. shown on the stands in 1919. The Casterton Vintage Working Weekend will take place at Little Casterton, near Stamford, Lincolnshire, over the weekend of 21-22 September 2019. If you have a tractor or implement that is suitable for the display, please contact Willie Chatterton on 07736 243202.

Display inspired by IH dealer

SPECIAL DISPLAY commemorating the contribution of ACambridgeshire, former IH dealership F. T. Ruston & Sons of St. Ives, to the local farming area was one of the highlights at this year’s Haddenham Steam Rally, held near Ely, on 8-9 September, reports Darren Tebbitt. The Ruston business started life in the mid-1800s, focusing on ironmongery as well as selling farm implements. The commencement of the First World War saw International Harvester’s Mogul and Titan models being sold by Rustons, along with Massey-Harris products, although the M-H connection ended in the 1950s. The business, known to most simply as Rustons, continued trading until 1991. A comprehensive selection of IH tractors, many of which were local examples that had originally been supplied through Rustons, featured in the display at the Haddenham Steam Rally. Jerry Bosworth’s 1956 IH B-250 was one of the first of this model to be sold by the company and was originally bought by Haddenham farmers Dennis Ltd. The B-250 was built until 1961 and there were many restored examples displayed on the Rustons’ stand. The showcase also included an IH TD-9 crawler, plus a very well restored IH Farmall H, registration MEW 483.

Hand-built tractors appear at Toytrac OF HAND-BUILT tractors made by veteran Aat theCOLLECTION model maker Gordon Ockwell, 93, created lots of interest Toytrac show at Wincanton in Somerset, reports David Pullen. Gordon, a first-time exhibitor at the show, won the ‘Best Scratch-Build other than 1/32’ category with his IH Titan 10-20. He started building this tractor in the 1970s, but work commitments and the need to scratch build every part meant it took him 20 years to finish the project. He later went on to build a 1918 Waterloo Boy, 1938 IH 10-20 and a 1926 Fordson F, and these were also on display at Toytrac. His models, made to a scale of 2in to 1ft, were based on tractors in his late son’s collection. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

Upfront

NEWS

NEWSINBRIEF The Yorkshire Museum of Farming at Murton Park near York recently played host to BBC’s Countryfile programme to film a piece about women who helped to shape the countryside. Women’s Land Army veteran, Iris Newbould, was interviewed by Anita Rani about her time with the force during WWII on a farm near Hull. Iris, 93, still fits into her original uniform and visits schools and history groups to share her story. Anita took the museum’s 1945 IH Farmall M for a drive. This machine was imported into the UK in 1949 and spent the next 68 years with the Knapton family, prior to arriving at the museum in 2017.

DEERES ARE IN GREAT DEMAND Vintage John Deeres have been making high prices at auctions in the USA this autumn, reports Sandy Cox. The first production John Deere GP, built in 1928, made $78,750 (£60,500) at Aumann Auctions’ sale at Nokomis, Illinois, on 27 October. A restored 1937 John Deere 62 tractor, number 48 of only 78 built, made $24,675 (£19,000) while a 1925 John Deere D achieved $21,000 (£16,100). At Mecum Auctions’ sale at Davenport, Iowa on 8-10 November, a 1919 Waterloo Boy N in original condition made a resounding $78,750 (£60,500).

SERVICE VAN GETS RESTORED Robert H. Crawford & Son of Frithville, near Boston, Lincolnshire, has restored one of its original service vans. The 10hp half-ton capacity Ford van was purchased by the business in 1950. As part of its complete refurbishment, the interior of the van has been kitted out with the tools, spare components and reference material that would have been required by an agricultural engineer in the 1950s. Robert H. Crawford & Son now operates a fleet of 130hp 3.5-tonne capacity Ford Transit vans in the same livery. The dealership now handles McCormick, but still restores and sells Field Marshalls and Track Marshalls, as well as parts for these machines.

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RIAN KNIGHT AND HIS father, Bcombine Ron, are famed for their restorations. Ron once

said that a combine wasn’t worth restoring if he didn’t need to first sweep it off the trailer with a brush. This was certainly true of their latest restoration – a self-propelled Grain Marshall, which made its working debut at the recent Great Casterton event, writes Stuart Gibbard. “I first encountered the Marshall in Robert Crawford’s yard,” recalls Brian. “It was more of a bramble bush than a combine, and even my father decided it was probably past saving! Robert Coles rescued it and later sold it to the Ingall brothers at Rand. Dad purchased it at their sale in 2012. It was in a poor state.” The combine is a prototype Marshall E7, which underwent trials in 1942. It had a 7ft cut and was powered by two Ford petrol engines, one to drive the threshing mechanism and the other to power the

The Knight family’s prototype Marshall E7 making its post-restoration debut at Great Casterton.

transmission. Evidently the field tests were fairly successful, but production was shelved due to material shortages. A revised version of the machine was released as the Marshall E9 in 1945. “The design was a real bodge of bits,” says Brian. “I can’t see how Marshall hoped to sell it without a lot of sorting out. It has taken us years to restore it, and I still wouldn’t call it finished. We still have the engine covers to complete.

Rare crawler gets refreshed 1928 HOFHERRASHUTTLEWORTH SCHRANTZ-CLAYTON(HSCS) SL

50-55 crawler has just been put on display at the Rahmi M. Koç Museum in Istanbul, Turkey, reports Jim Gerrard. The unusual crawler is fitted with a 20hp ‘hot bulb’ diesel engine and was built in HSCS’s factory at Budapest in Hungary. It was previously owned by the Garanti construction company and was used near the city of Iskenderun for construction work on an irrigation project. It is believed Garanti had owned the crawler since 1948, but all its paperwork and its serial number have been lost, so it is unknown when the crawler arrived in

Turkey. Recently it was subjected to a three-month cosmetic restoration by staff at Düzey, part of the Koç Group, Turkey’s largest industrial conglomerate.

Following its restoration the HSCS crawler was delivered to the museum in October and is now displayed alongside other tractors, including two vintage Caterpillar crawlers.

ABOVE: Refreshed 1928 HSCS SL 50-55 crawler has gone on display at the Rahmi M. Koç Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.

Photo: Stephen Watson

COUNTRYFILE GOES TO MUSEUM

Marshall combine stars at Casterton

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Upfront

NEWS

big Fordson Standards are needed for ort Show. display at Kent’s Heritage Transp

The Rowberrys’ revived IH Farmall H stretching its legs on a set of gang mowers.

Standard is being celebrated

O CELEBRATE 90 YEARS of the Fordson Standard Model N, Tshowcase the Kent County Agricultural Society is planning to the tractor at its 10th Heritage Transport Show. The organisers are trying to gather 90 examples at the event, which will take place on 6 April 2019 at the Kent Showground, Detling, near Maidstone. Steve Pike, chairman of the society’s Heritage Committee, said: “The original idea was to get 90 tractors to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Model N, but it seems that this number may well be exceeded. All types of Fordson Standards are welcome and we already have several specials booked in, including a Cork-built 1929 Model N and an ex-Southampton docks shunter.” To find out more on the show and to enter a tractor, visit www.kentshowground.co.uk or call 01622 630975.

Presentation caps amazing year for Berwick St. John Country Fayre REMARKABLE £50,968 has been raised for charity by the AShaftesbury latest Berwick St. John Country Fayre, which was held near on 15-16 September. A presentation evening recently took place in Berwick St. John village hall, where the organisers presented a cheque to doctors and representatives of Salisbury District Hospital’s Stars Appeal. It capped a great year for the Country Fayre, whose Salisbury Plain tractor road run in April raised over £7000 for the Stars Appeal.

Farmall H nursed back to health

NEGLECTED 1940s IH Farmall H Aconversion with a Perkins P3 engine has been brought back

to life by a family of enthusiasts from Worcestershire. Vernon Rowberry and his sons James and Chris acquired the tractor from a sale held by auctioneer Hix & Son at Wisbech in Cambridgeshire in October 2017. It previously belonged to a collector who had rescued a large number of tractors and implements from a scrapyard over a period of several years. At some point in the very distant past, the tractor had been fitted with a front loader, which had then been cut down to allow the tractor to be used with a RIGHT: The IH front-mounted pea Farmall H in its cutter. It entered as-purchased the collection of a state, having vintage machinery spent many years enthusiast from Wisbech, but after standing outside.

Farming funnies The more machinery you own, the more there is to mend, or at least that appears to be the point that the late Norman Thelwell, one of the country’s leading countryside cartoonists, is making in this humorous portrayal of mechanised farming in the mid-1950s. The latest machinery did not guarantee this farmer’s happiness.

It’s going, all of it, we’re going back to horses!

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many years of standing outside its condition had deteriorated badly. When the Rowberrys got the IH home they freed-off its seized engine with a pry bar. The fuel injectors were also freed off and once these jobs were done, the engine started and ran well without requiring much other work. The rear wheel rims and a few other parts were replaced. This tractor is believed to be one of the first of a small number of IH Farmall H models to receive a Perkins P3 engine conversion.

Share your news with others This is your place to share your news. Help us to keep the vintage farm machinery world informed of what’s happening in your area and even in your collection. Send your news to: editor@ heritagetractormagazine. co.uk or contact us by telephone on 020 8639 4401.

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Upfront

IN THE PICTURE

SET UP FOR THRESHING In this threshing scene, thought to have been taken at Blaze Farm at Haselbury in Somerset in 1952, a Field Marshall Series 2 is providing the power for a Foster drum fitted with a combing attachment. The straw is being bunched and stacked Photo: Museum of English Rural Life

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for thatching and the fact that the stack is sheeted, even during the operation, shows the value that was placed on the straw. The ‘second rate’ straw is being baled with a low-density baler with a rubber

belt bed, suggesting it could be a Claas, while the grain is being bagged and weighed into 18 stone sacks supplied by the West of England Sack Contractors Ltd. There are various tins standing around the Field Marshal Series 2 tractor, no

doubt containing oil and fuel. The tractor, which received its Somerset registration of JYC 209 sometime between December 1947 and the end of February 1948, is fitted with lights, wide mudguards and a Marshall winch, so it could be an early

Series 2 Mk2 or a Contractors model. The unknown owner of the machinery was probably a contractor who specialised in supplying thatching straw and could have had the crop grown specifically for that purpose.

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Heritage

DEXTA & SUPER DEXTA

COVER STORY

The major gets a

workmate The Fordson Dexta was Dagenham’s answer to the ‘grey menace’, otherwise known as the rising tide of Ferguson TE-20 tractors found on British farms. Stuart Gibbard details its development and lists all the main model changes

Lewis McBride’s 1961 Fordson Dexta ‘facelift’ model and his father Lee’s 1962 Fordson Super Dexta. Both machines were restored by Lewis, who runs his own tractor restoration business, L. McBride Tractors & Machinery, at Altrincham in Cheshire (Tel: 07788 628 184). Photo: Ken Topham

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he Fordson Major got a workmate at the Smithﬁeld Show in December 1957, which marked the public unveiling of the company’s eagerly awaited answer to the Ferguson TE-20 and FE-35 models. The company was making a concerted effort to regain the market share it had lost to Ferguson, and the tool at its disposal was a worthy contender. The Dexta had an economical three-cylinder engine, a handy six-speed gearbox and draft control hydraulics – dubbed Qualitrol – for the first time on a Fordson tractor. The official launch for the press, dealers and trade delegates had been held a month earlier at London’s

Alexandra Palace from 19-26 November. This high-profile event was accompanied by a revolving stage and an indoor marquee, called the ‘Dexta-Drome’, housing an extensive display of tractors and ‘approved’ implements. No one was left under any allusion as to what Fordson’s plans were: it was throwing down the gauntlet and meant business in the small tractor market. The introduction of the Dexta had the desired effect, and more than 22,000 units were sold during 1958, allowing Ford to snatch back its position as UK market leader from Ferguson, or Massey Ferguson as it had then become. The export demand was also strong and 5000 Dextas were shipped to the USA the following year. Export sales for the Dexta remained impressive throughout its production run, the greatest demand coming from France, the USA and Finland. Satellite assembly for the Antipodean market was also carried out by Ford New Zealand at Lower Hutt in the Wellington region.

“Developing the Fordson Dexta, designated 957E, was a mammoth task” BELOW: A pre-production Fordson Dexta on trial. The tractor is badged as a ‘Cadet Major’.

Development

During the late 1940s, several proposals were put forward for a

ABOVE: Ollie Schjolin’s experimental 5315 prototype was the Dexta that never was. Built in 1953, it had a Ford Consul four-cylinder petrol engine and three-speed gearbox mated to a Thames truck rear small tractor to complement the Fordson Major. In 1951, Ollie Schjolin, the American chief engineer of the British Ford Motor Company, suggested developing a tractor using a four-cylinder petrol engine and three-speed gearbox from a Ford Consul Mk 1 car mated to a rear axle from an ET6 Thames truck. Two prototypes were built between 1952 and 1953, including experimental tractor No. 5315, but the design was deemed to be unsuitable for production. When Mick Ronayne took over as chief engineer, John Foxwell was appointed executive engineer in charge of the project to design a small tractor. The plan was to base it on the American Ford 8N, but with a diesel engine and a six-speed gearbox. After evaluating an Austin engine, it was decided to use a Ford-ised version of the Perkins P3 power unit. The P3 was modified to suit Ford’s requirements. It was fitted

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Lamborghini 2R, 1958, 3-cyl, a/cooled, gd runner

David Brown 50D, one of the best on the market

International 1466 Turbo, very good runner

Lamborghini 4R, very rare, largest of all models

Case 50hp steam tractor, very good boiler

County 1164, low hours, extra new spare parts

Big Bull tractor, 1912, fully operational & original

John Deere 4020 row crop, 1969, good runner

Nufﬁeld 470 Super

Merlin portable, good boiler, 1935

Hornsby model L engine, barn ﬁnd

Pampa 55hp, engine overhauled, high speed gear

David Brown 990, good runner

David Brown 1210, good runner

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Heritage

DEXTA & SUPER DEXTA

ABOVE: The official launch of the Fordson Dexta at Alexandra Palace in November 1957. The tractor was shown on a revolving turntable, and the display included the full range of ‘approved’ implements and equipment. LEFT: The 1957 launch brochure for the new Fordson Dexta tractor, designated 957E.

Specification (957E Dexta) Engine Ford F3 three-cylinder diesel Capacity 144cu. in (2.36 litres) Bore & stroke 3.5in (89mm) x 5in (127mm) Compression ratio 16.5:1 Power 32hp Rated engine speed 2000rpm Transmission 6F/2R (forward 1.72-16.8mph, reverse 7.42mph) Clutch Standard, 11in single-plate dry; Live, 9in double-plate dry Fuel tank 7 gallons (31.9 litres) Dimensions Wheelbase 73.5in Length 118in Height 46.5in Weight 2980lb

with a pneumatically-governed Simms inline fuel injection pump, and the cylinder sleeves were changed from alloy steel to cast iron to improve oil consumption. The displacement of the engine, which developed 32hp, was 144cu.in. It was designated F3 and the main castings were made at Dagenham’s Thames Foundry. The rear axle was carried over from the 8N tractor, as were the hydraulic system and three-point linkage with top-link draft control. Several changes were made to avoid infringing any Ferguson patents. A Plessy gear pump in the axle housing was driven from

the PTO shaft. The latter passed through the gearbox’s hollow layshafts, allowing ‘live’ power take-off and hydraulics when the optional double clutch was installed. The six-speed gearbox was configured on the successful E1A Major layout, which was basically a four-speed design; the four highest gears (3, 4, 5 and 6) and high reverse underwent two reductions while the two lowest gears and low reverse underwent four reductions. When combined with the 6.66:1 rear axle ratio, the overall reduction to the wheels from the engine varied from 204:1 in first gear to 16.8:1 in sixth gear. The gearbox was operated by two levers.

straight front axle with a single drop-arm steering box was abandoned because of the vulnerability of the front-mounted track rod. The swept-back axle from the 8N was then adopted with a double drop arm steering box www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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Heritage

DEXTA & SUPER DEXTA Model changes

What’s in a name? There has been much speculation over the years as to why the Dexta name was chosen for the workmate to the Major. Several names were considered before the final decision was made. Fordson ‘Minor’ was the obvious choice, but it was thought to be too ‘public school’ in inference, and it was also felt that ‘Minor’

could imply a product of lesser stature. Several titles of a military association to harmonise with ‘Major’ were also discarded, the preferred choice being Fordson ‘Cadet’. However, this didn’t translate well into some languages, and in some it was even found to have unfortunate connotations.

with side-mounted radius rods. The steering box was developed by Burman & Sons Ltd of Birmingham. The design was cost effective and it gave light and effortless steering. The sheet metal was scaled down from the Major and incorporated a fuel tank at the rear, through which the steering column passed. The axle-mounted dual servo brakes were made by Girling. The Dexta, as the tractor was named, turned out to be as reliable as the Major, and the weight distribution between the front and rear axles meant it was well balanced. It was also designed for easy servicing as both the engine and the rear axle could be easily detached from the gearbox. Its range of speeds and low fuel consumption suited the smaller farmer and its performance

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Eventually, someone coined the name ‘Dexta’, but nobody knows who or why. The sales department claimed the name was derived from ‘dextrous’ meaning agile, while the engineers always claimed it was a contracted form of ‘Dexter’, a breed of small cattle.

as a yard tractor was outstanding. Developing the Dexta, designated 957E, was a mammoth task involving more than a quarter of a million man hours for the designers, who produced over 2000 drawings. A total of 25,000 parts had to be hand-made for the prototypes, which clocked up more than 35,000 hours on test. Tooling-up the Dagenham factory for the production of the new tractor was a major expense costing £4.5mn.

BELOW LEFT: Based on a modified Perkins P3 design, the 2.36-litre, three-cylinder Ford F3 engine used in the Fordson Dexta produces 32hp at 2000rpm. BELOW RIGHT: The Dexta’s six-speed transmission is controlled by two levers and has a nippy top speed of just under 17mph. The proofmeter was optional. This 1961 model has a handbrake, left of seat, whereas earlier pre-1959 machines had a brake-locking latch.

The Dexta went into full production in February 1958. The basic agricultural model cost £525. The standard specification included electric starting, parking latch, tipping seat, vertical exhaust, nonlive power take-off and hydraulic lift/ linkage with Qualitrol, and an auxiliary service control for operating external equipment. The version with ‘live’ PTO and hydraulics could be had for another £30. Other options included a choice of tyres, an extra comfort seat, horizontal exhaust, belt pulley, electric lighting and horn, proofmeter, wheel weights, drawbar, pick-up hitch, pressurised radiator cap, starting handle and a DAR (double-acting ram) valve. Several changes to the Dexta were made during its lifetime, beginning with the introduction of a handbrake to replace the earlier brake-locking latch during 1959. From 15 August 1960 (at No. 63953), revisions were made to the gearbox ratios to improve working and PTO speeds. The ‘facelift’ Dexta with revised styling to match the new Super

“The Dexta, as the tractor was named, turned out to be as reliable as the Major”

Dunlop Tractor Spares FP_NEW:Dunlop Tractor Spares FP

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Major was introduced at No. 68355 on 31 October 1960. The most noticeable change was the relocation of the headlamps from the sides of the radiator cowling to an inboard position enclosed within the front grilles.

Serial numbers Year

Number

1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1961 (Nov) 1962 1963 (Feb) 1964 1964 (last)

0001 0144 22588 46216 71921 09A 312001 09B 700001 09C 900001 09D 900001 09D 924433

he headlamps remained on the side of the cowling on some export models to ABOVE: The Dexta was given a facelift in 1960 to bring its styling inline with the new Super comply with the traffic Major tractor. The most obvious change was that the headlamps were relocated inboard. legislation in certain European countries. RIGHT: Designated 960E, the Fordson Super ABOVE RIGHT: ‘Live’ version of the These tractors were Dexta was launched in 1962. The bore was ‘facelift’ Dexta. A deep-pan then fitted with increased to deliver nearly 40hp, and a new cushioned seat was now standard horizontal bars in the Note: The serial number is located on the nose-cone accommodated a larger radiator equipment and the hydraulic system grille to signify the left-hand side of the engine-mounting to improve cooling. incorporated a flow-control valve. model change. flange of front transmission housing. Other cosmetic improvements made to held in Hamburg from 8-11 November Super Dexta, went into production at the ‘facelift’ Dexta saw new chrome 1960. No. 09B 710530 on 24 April 1962. The badges affixed to the bonnet sides The 1961 Smithfield Show saw the model was unveiled to the press at a and the deletion of the vertical introduction of a differential lock as pre-production demonstration on 18 emblem on the front cowling’s centre standard equipment for the Dexta. May 1962 prior to a public launch at strut. A deep pan cushioned seat was Preliminary announcements were the Royal Show in July. now standard equipment, and a also made at the show for an uprated The Super Dexta, designated 960E, flow-control valve was incorporated version of Dexta with an enlarged had a larger displacement version of into the hydraulic system. The new engine, which would appear during the standard Dexta engine with a model was launched alongside the the following year. This more swept volume of 152cu.in. This was Super Major at a Ford convention powerful small tractor, called the achieved by simply fitting thin-wall

This publicity picture, taken in Cambridgeshire in the summer of 1961 shows the Dexta with a Ransomes TS1051 single-furrow reversible plough from the F-R range of ‘power matched’ implements.

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Heritage

DEXTA & SUPER DEXTA

cast iron liners together with larger diameter pistons and rings. The cylinder head was unchanged, although a new head gasket was required. The new engine, which developed 39.5hp, was fitted with a mechanicallygoverned Simms P4588 Minimec pump. Ford called it the ‘Super 3’ engine while Perkins, which supplied the internal components, referred to it as the F3.152 as opposed to the F3.144 fitted to the standard Dexta. To cope with the extra power, the transmission was strengthened and revised components were fitted in the gearbox and rear axle. A stronger crown wheel and pinion with a 6.16:1 ratio (as opposed to 6.66:1 on the standard Dexta) meant that the Super Dexta had very slightly faster ground speeds. A larger capacity radiator, provided to improve cooling, was accommodated by a new nose cone. The standard Dexta remained in production and also gained a mechanically-governed Minimec

“The basic agricultural model cost £525”

pump. The Super Dexta only cost £25 more than the standard model and now accounted for the bulk of sales. The final incarnations of the Dexta line appeared with the launch of the ‘New Performance’ range at the Royal Show in July 1963. Most significant was the new blue and grey livery, but there were further changes under the skin. The Super Dexta gained an uprated P4696 Minimec injection pump, which boosted the power to 44.5hp. This intermediate model in the range of three ‘New Performance’ Fordson tractors also benefited from the addition of a new automatic pressure relief valve, similar to that fitted to its larger brother, the Super Major. This was located in the hydraulic top cover and allowed a sustained lift under all operating conditions. Sales of the basic Dexta had gone into decline since the introduction of the Super Dexta, but the model remained part of the line-up. Except for the new colours (and cost-saving bonnet decals), nothing else was changed for the ‘New Performance’ version, apart from the addition of an automatic relief valve in the hydraulics to bring it into line with the other tractors in the range. Priced at £620, the standard Dexta was now only £46 cheaper than the Super Dexta and very few were sold in the new livery. Consequently, it remains a scarce model and often overlooked. A phased run-down of Fordson production began in late 1963 in readiness for the introduction of the new 6X range from Basildon. Plans were made to build up a cushion of stock so that the tractors could be cleared out of Dagenham in the summer of 1964 to make way for a new engine line for the Ford Cortina car.

Derivatives & conversions Model

Manufacturer

Golf Course Dexta Ford Motor Company Industrial Dexta Ford Motor Company Highway Dexta County Commercial Cars Ltd Narrow Dexta Stormont Engineering Petrol Dexta Ford Motor Company /Turner Manufacturing High-Clearance Dexta Gates of Baldock Roadless Dexta/Super Dexta Roadless Traction Ltd Super Dexta Timber Tractor County Commercial Cars Ltd Dexta Rotaped Leeford (London) Ltd the 25hp to 40hp bracket accounted for 40 per cent of the market. The campaign had the desired effect, and Ford actually ran out of tractors to sell before Basildon came on-line. The last Dexta was built in July 1964. However, the Dexta and Super Dexta designations didn’t disappear immediately and were applied to the new 2000 and 3000 models for a short time in the UK. In addition to all the main Dexta production models, there were several other variants including golf course, industrial/highway, narrow and petrol derivatives, as well as conversions from Roadless, County and others, but these are another story for a future issue.

nfortunately, Ford had miscalculated. In early 1964, it had an undersupply of Super Majors, which were in great demand on the home market, but was overstocked with Dextas. To rectify the problem, Ford Tractor Operations launched the Dexta Grand Prix, a concerted marketing campaign targeted at mainland Europe where tractors in

ABOVE: The ‘New Performance’ Super Dexta was fitted with an uprated Minimec injector pump, which increased power to 44.5hp. Sales of this model now eclipsed those of the standard Dexta by quite a wide margin. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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The beat of

the drum

In the days before combines took over the harvesting, the threshing of grain on the farm was usually carried out by contractors. Stuart Gibbard looks at their work and the tools at their disposal as steam gave way to tractors

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HERITAGE

THRESHING CONTRACTORS

“The arrival of the threshing contactor on the farm was a greatly anticipated event” LEFT: A Saunderson Model G tractor threshing in Cheshire at around the time of the First World War. Saunderson claimed that the 25hp Model G would drive a full-size drum. BELOW: The American steel threshing machines were uncommon in Britain, although several peg drums were brought in by International Harvester during the 1930s. This machine, fitted with a ‘wind stacker’, is belted to an International 22-36 tractor.

The David brown VTK1 ‘Thresherman’ was the latest in power sources for the drum in 1946. This tractor is using its front-mounted belt pulley to drive a Marshall threshing machine in Yorkshire. The baling press is a Jones Tiger.

oday, little thought is given to how the harvest is gathered. Massive combines sweep the ﬁelds and the task is accomplished in the shortest possible time. However, the days when horses cut the corn and steam power threshed the grain are still within living memory. The idealistic image of a horse-drawn binder striding through fields of golden corn paints a romantic picture, but the reality was not so idyllic. The work was hard and the days were long for both the men and the horses. After the binder had cut the crop, the sheaves were stooked in the field. When the corn had dried and ripened, which could be anything from a few days to a few weeks, the sheaves were carted to the stackyard. In the yard, the sheaves would be built into stacks or ricks. Building the stack was a skilled job and great pride was taken in its appearance. The finished stack would be thatched to keep out the rain until the threshing gang arrived. The arrival of the threshing contactor on the farm was a greatly anticipated event, heralding a period of intense activity. Excitement would mount as the traction engine turned into the gate with its train of equipment in tow. The steamer was a magnificent sight, but its dominance of the threshing scene was already being eroded as early as the 1920s by the arrival of the internal combustion engine on the farm. The transition from steam to tractor power had already begun, albeit in a small way. After the First World War, quantities of tractors, ploughs, traction engines, threshing and baling www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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A Claas Super combine being used for stationary threshing sheaves from the stack. The combine, driven by a 1957 Fordson Diesel Major, is fitted with a trusser, and DB and Ferguson tractors are on hand to cart away the straw. equipment, wagons and motor vehicles had been disposed of by the Ministry of Munitions. Several contractors took this opportunity to equip themselves with the latest farm motor. It was a very slow and gradual change; most stayed with steam, and the traction engine remained the mainstay of the threshing contractor into the 1940s. One of the problems with the early tractors was that they hadn’t got the power to drive the big drums. The standard threshing machines of the time were heavy and bulky, designed for steam power and not very handy for tractor operation. Early tractor pioneer, Saunderson & Mills, marketed its own drums, the No.1 single-blast 3ft 6in model and the No. 2 double-blast 4ft machine, but only for a short time. Following the launch of its British Wallis tractor in 1920, Ruston & Hornsby introduced its Tractor Thresher, a lightweight machine with all the working parts running on roller bearings. Although compact in design for tractor operation, weighing just 3.5t, Ruston & Hornsby’s machine was a full-size thresher with a 54in drum.

The threshing bill

An International W-30 on the road with a drum and elevator in tow. The outfit was owned by R. P. Watts Ltd of Thorpe Latimer, near Sleaford, in Lincolnshire, and the tractor was used for threshing duties well into the 1960s. The design was later taken over by Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies. As tractors became more powerful and more capable, an increasing number of contractors were persuaded to make the transition. The International 10-20, 15-30 and W-30 models were popular tractors for driving drums. To drive a drum, a tractor engine needed to be able to run all day with minimal attention, have

RIGHT: An invoice for threshing issued by a South Lincolnshire contractor in 1944. The cost of 33 hours of threshing, including labour, was £47 17s 3d.

Most contractors belonged to the National Traction Engine Owners & Users Association, which was later renamed the National Traction Engine & Tractor Association to reflect the change of motive power. This body offered guidance on rates of hire for the threshing tackle. Most contractors charged by the hour, the bill being calculated on the type of equipment used (drum, baler, trusser, chaff cutter or elevator) and the number of men required. However, some farmers preferred to pay on output with the rate calculated per bushel, sack or quarter of grain.

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plenty of torque at a steady engine speed, and a responsive governor.

ther popular models of tractor for driving drums during the Second World War were the International W-9, Case LA, John Deere D, Oliver 90 and Minneapolis-Moline GT. M-M importer, Sale Tilney, offered a special contractor’s version of the GTA with cast-iron rear wheel

HERITAGE

THRESHING CONTRACTORS

An Allis-Chalmers Model U powers the drum on a farm in Devon in 1937. The Model U’s responsive governors made it an excellent threshing tractor, and it was also one of the first machines to be fitted with pneumatic tyres.

“Foster threshers, made in Lincolnshire, were the first choice for contractors” centres and an improved braking system to handle a heavy drum. These big tractors could pull and drive the same heavy drums as the steamers. Foster threshers, made in Lincolnshire, were the first choice for contractors. They were a quality product that produced a quality sample but, more importantly, they were well designed and easy to feed. Ransomes came a close second to Foster, but all the others were alsorans. The drum that was least liked was the Marshall, especially its wartime steel threshers, usually referred to as ‘tin’ drums. Small numbers of steel threshing machines were also imported from the USA. The only one that sold in any quantity, and even then numbers were extremely low, was the International Harvester peg drum. Case, Oliver and Massey-Harris also marketed their machines in Britain, but hardly any were sold. The trusser and baler were the other tools at the contractor’s disposal. Straw was a valuable commodity, particularly the long-strawed varieties for thatching. In the Fens, straw was in demand for potato clamps and the onset of the potato harvest often governed the timing of the threshing

operation. In the same way, threshing in the stock areas would be timed to meet the chaff and straw needs of the over-wintered cattle. Even during the Second World War, with combines only available in limited numbers, it was still the binder that did the lion’s share of the work when it came to gathering Britain’s vital wartime cereal crops. Nearly 3.5m tons of wheat was harvested in Britain in 1943, and there were 144,000 binders on British farms, so the threshing machine was still in great demand. The arrival of the tractor not only sounded the death knell for steam, but it also threatened the livelihood of some contractors; tractors and tractorthreshers were more affordable than steam outfits and many farmers bought their own machines. In the post-war years, many contractors used Field Marshall or Fordson E27N Major tractors to power their drums. Marshall offered special Contractors models complete with winches and other equipment. David Brown also marketed its VTK1 Thresherman from 1946-47. Despite its popularity for belt-work, a Field Marshall was thought by some not to govern as well as it should. One fenland contractor modified his Marshall with the governors off a Massey-Harris 726 combine. Although a cheaper proposition, if an E27N Major was in constant use on a drum, its governors had to be renewed periodically. Binders and threshing machines were still made in Britain into the

1950s, but the relentless march of the combine would soon bring their era to a close. Foster built its last threshing machine in 1961. Most of the later drums supplied by the various firms were fitted with pneumatic tyres and were designed for tractor use. Many contractors made the transition to combines, but several shut up shop and went out of business. For those farmers that persevered with the binder, it was not unusual for a contractor to use a combine for stationary threshing. Some of the last drums to be used commercially in Britain were clover hullers for grass seed.

THE THRESHING DAY

A typical threshing gang would normally consist of eight men. If the drum had no self-feeder, an extra man would be required to cut the bands on the sheaves. The contractor normally supplied just the driver and the feeder, with the rest of the gang being drawn from the farm’s full-time staff or casual labour. The feeder would double up as the steersman in the steam days, but the arrival of the tractor meant that he had to ride behind on a bicycle when travelling on the road. While moving from farm to farm, the driver and the feeder were paid shift money, normally about half-a-crown. When the outfit arrived in the yard, it would pull between the stacks. An average stack would be about eight yards long by six yards wide and contain about ten acres of www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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HERITAGE

THRESHING CONTRACTORS LEFT: A Massey-Harris 12-20 tractor driving a Ransomes Medium threshing machine near Stratford-onAvon in 1936. The Ransomes drum had a good reputation and was popular with contractors.

catching was an important sideline for the threshing gang, who were customarily paid a penny a ‘tail’ by the farmer. Many of the gang would keep dogs, usually Jack Russells, just for this purpose. The dead rats would be dropped in a barrel and were counted up at the end of the day. Some large stacks could harbour as many as 500 rats so it could be a profitable exercise, provided you remembered to keep the bottom of your trouser-legs tied up with string. So important was the need to control the rodent population that it was not unknown for the local police to check on the threshing contractors to ensure they were setting up their rat wires correctly.

sheaves – enough for a day’s threshing. The tractor would then run around the drum to line up for the belt. Manoeuvring in the yard was much easier with a tractor than a steamer, with less risk of getting stuck. Lining up to the belt was also ost threshing gangs easier with a tractor, which could welcomed the move away be reversed to tighten the belt. from steam to tractors because Positioning a traction engine was they no longer spent their day a skilled affair, and it was often working in the smoke. It could be lined up using a piece of string cut ABOVE: If you were not wearing your Wellington boots, then it particularly bad on a foggy day was customary to keep them upturned on the end of the pitchfork when the smoke hung low in the to the correct length of the belt. handle to keep the mice from nesting inside. On some early tractors, where stack-yard. Some of the dedicated the belt pulley ran constantly, engine drivers bemoaned the it was a two-man job. The belt loss of their steamers, and had to be tensioned as it there are tales of contractors began to revolve, and a man offering to sell the drivers their had to be ready to chock the engines for as little as £15 in tractor’s rear wheels as the the 1950s. driver reversed into position Once he had filled his tank (a commenced, the rat wire was and dropped it out of gear. Difficult typical petrol/paraffin tractor used erected. This 3ft high netting was and dangerous! about two gallons of vaporising oil an very important in the Fens where the Next, the drum was prepared for hour when threshing and its tank many ditches and watercourses work, and it was the feeder’s job to would need to be filled twice during harboured a rodent problem. set-up the tables and cross-boards the day) the tractor driver had very The wire was to contain the rats while the gang took out the thatchlittle to do. This was not always an that came out of the stack so they advantage: the engine driver could pegs on the stack. Before threshing could be caught and killed. Rat

“A typical threshing gang would normally consist of eight men”

Contractors model

RIGHT: A sales brochure for the Field Marshall Mark 2 Series 2 Contractors model, introduced in 1947.

The Mark 2 version of the Field Marshall, introduced in 1945, was a special Contractors model with a built-in winch, rear wheel brakes, a canvas canopy and lighting equipment. Aimed at the threshing contractor, the tractor had a top speed of 9mph and cost £840. The winch, driven by an auxiliary gearbox, was mounted beneath the driver’s platform. Launched in 1947, the Field Marshall Mark 2 Series 2 was another Contractors model with a heavy-duty Marshall winch. A light-duty Hesford winch was offered as alternative equipment. The tractor, priced at £870, was primarily aimed at threshing contractors, but sales were also made to timber merchants and the industrial market.

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David Brown ‘Thresherman’

ABOVE: A Field Marshall Mark 2 Series 2 Contractors model with a heavy-duty Marshall winch. The tractor belonged to South Lincolnshire threshing contractor, W. Taylor & Son of Sutterton. The Marshall was popular with the threshing fraternity, although some were critical of its governors. busy himself with coal and water, while the tractor operator might be expected to help the feeder. Unlike the engine man, the tractor driver didn’t have to arrive 45 minutes early in the morning to get steam up (two hours earlier on a Monday when starting from cold, which meant a 5am start). He could also leave at the same time as the rest of the gang without needing to stay behind to let the steam out. Neither did he have to cycle out to his engine on a Sunday to wash the boiler out. Threshing, which normally commenced at 7am, was dusty and tiring work. The men would usually have just a bottle of cold tea or ‘dregs’ for refreshment. The sheaves scratched hands and arms, which were already irritated by awns and the odd thistle, so experienced labourers kept their sleeves rolled down. There was a break for lunch, usually called ‘dinner’ or ‘docky’, at 11am or

ABOVE: A rare colour image of threshing in South Lincolnshire in the 1950s. The machine is a late Foster drum, which is being driven by a Field Marshall Mark 2 Series 2 off-camera. A 1953 Ferguson TE-F20 tractor with a Scottish Aviation cab is also in attendance.

David Brown’s ‘Thresherman’ was officially the VTK1 Heavy Duty Tractor (Threshing Model). Based on the company’s wartime Air Ministry tractors, it was fitted with a petrol/ paraffin engine to the latest VAK1/A specifications. The equipment included a David Brown winch, sprag, rear towing hitch and a front-mounted shunting socket, ideal for manoeuvring or recovering a threshing drum on soft ground. Heavy-duty electric starting and lighting was standard. A belt pulley with its own gearbox was mounted at the front of the chassis frame. Priced at £750, approximately 85 VTK1 models were built from 1946-47, with others being based on reconditioned aircraft tugs.

11:30am. Sustenance was probably a thick wedge of bread, covered with a piece of fat bacon or a slice of cheese, topped off with a thin slice of bread known as the ‘thumb piece’. It would be cut with the same knife that had probably just gutted a rabbit or even possibly dealt with a rat!

here would usually be another break, called the ‘smoke break’ because smoking was banned on the stack or near the drum because of the fire risk, at about 1pm in the afternoon. The threshing would finish about 4pm, which was a long enough day when the wheat was in 18-stone railway sacks. Modern combines can cut as much in half a day as the old threshing gangs would do in a season. But can progress replace the bustle and excitement once generated by working to the beat of the drum?

ABOVE: Sales literature for the David Brown VTK1 Heavy Duty Tractor (Threshing Model), produced from 1946-47.

“Most threshing gangs welcomed the move away from steam to tractors” | 27 www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

New House Farm ran a Fordson N and binder combination, similar to this one. This is an Albion Yeoman binder, whereas the farm ran a 4ft 6in Massey-Harris. According to the NIAE study it achieved an output of 1.17 acres/hour.

RIGHT: This booklet was the result of an NIAE study into machinery usage at New House Farm, a 200-acre farm in Dorsington, south Warwickshire. BELOW: A 1937 Fordson N ‘water washer’ ploughing with a Ransomes Midtrac with YL165 boards. A similar outfit was used at New House Farm at Dorsington.

ABOVE: New House Farm comprised 200 acres of which just over half (108 acres) was down to arable at the time of the study. There were 15 individual fields.

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HERITAGE

WARTIME FARM STUDY

Wartime workings

uring the Second World War, the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering (NIAE) carried out four case studies as part of what was described as a Farm Mechanization Enquiry. These studies investigated the use of machinery on farms at a time of advanced mechanisation and a rapid shift from horse power to tractor power. The NIAE farm study we are focusing on here was the one that was done on New House Farm, a 220-acre mixed farm in the village of Dorsington in south Warwickshire. The data was collected, and activities logged, between June 1944 and May 1945, with the final publishing of the study in August 1945. The tenants had worked the farm since 1898, and until 1939 the farming techniques and management system had remained largely the same, apart from a break during the First World War. The majority of the farm comprised 15 fields of sizes ranging from 8.5 acres to 13.5 acres. The study claimed the fields were ‘very suitable for arable purposes.’ Fields not used for cropping were under permanent pasture or used as accommodation fields for stock. Great emphasis was made of the importance of drainage: ‘Drainage is an important problem on this type of land and all the fields are in ridge and furrow with the drains down the furrow. Water furrows are drawn across the arable fields in the autumn. Drains have to be kept in good order and attention is paid to the ditches annually.’ The Second World War evidently had a huge impact on the farm. In 1898 only four fields were in arable cropping, and by 1939 this had gone down to just three, consisting of 23 acres. At the time of the study in 1944/1945, there were 108 acres under the plough. ‘The war has therefore altered the

A recently unearthed booklet produced by the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering (NIAE) provides a detailed insight into machinery usage on a south Warwickshire farm during the final years of the Second World War, writes Jim Gerrard

policy of the farm considerably and the management of the greatly increased arable acreage has been made possible by a tractor,’ noted the study.

Technological changes

Four horses had worked the arable land prior to the war, normally using a single-furrow plough, and contractors were brought in occasionally to plough out the clover leys using steam ploughing equipment. Half of the arable acreage at New House Farm was wheat and the rest split between oats, mangolds and clover ley. Until the beginning of the Second World War, the crop rotation had traditionally been vetches, wheat, beans, oats or barley. The farmer, whose name we sadly don’t know, clearly preferred pasture and livestock to arable cropping ‘If farming doesn’t prosper during the next few years the farm will revert to its pre-war arable acreage,’ noted the NIAE study. ‘In any case more grass is required than at present for carrying additional livestock. ‘The farmer is very attached to horses and doesn’t believe that the tractor can be more eﬃcient, particularly on this type of heavy clay land where mismanagement of a tractor may easily cause damage. Owing to the keenness of his son he bought a tractor in 1941, but

The Second World War evidently had a huge impact on the farm

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he maintains that he would still prefer to go back to the horse. He considers that the quality of tractor work is lower than that of horses.’ In terms of the total number of hours spent in the fields, the horses were still doing considerably more than the tractor. New House Farm had three horses and the study found that: ‘The cost of maintaining the horses over the slack season in the winter was considerable’.

Tractor & implements

The wartime plough-up campaigns had resulted in a large increase in arable acreage, so a Fordson tractor had been purchased for £175. ‘A Fordson was chosen as it was available, and though the driver has only limited experience he considers it the most useful machine for the purpose,’ noted the NIAE study.

A family aﬀair at New House Farm The whole family played their part in this business, but during harvest time and other busy periods there was a strong reliance on seasonal labour, noted the study. ‘The system of farming (winter corn and few root crops) creates a very uneven seasonal labour demand but during the winter months gives ample opportunity for maintenance tasks, hedging, ditching etc. The farmer would like some light land to reduce labour peaks. He takes an active part in all farm work besides managing the farm. His son with the aid of one regular man carries out the field work. His daughter looks after the poultry and helps on the land in rush periods, while his wife is fully occupied with household and dairy duties. Casual labour is employed when required. The son drives the tractor and either he or the man, according to circumstances, works the horses. In rush periods the tractor is kept going for long periods by working shifts over meal times.

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Heritage

WARTIME FARM STUDY LEFT: New House Farm’s Fordson N, similar to this early ‘water washer’ Fordson N, spent 66 hours working with a Martin’s 9-tine cultivator during the course of the year. BELOW LEFT: The study concluded with an analysis of both the tractor and horse work on the farm in five key operations of the farming business. Carting had become one of the main jobs for the horses.

Owing to the keenness of his son he bought a tractor in 1941

IMPLEMENT

Tractor Plough Cultivator Corn Drill Binder Mower Hay Loader Drag Harrows Harrows (medium) Harrows (light) Seed Harrows Skim Horse Hoe Wheat Drill Horse Plough (1-furrow) Hay Rake Hay Rake Cart Cart Cart Trolley Trolley Trolley

A two-furrow Ransomes plough was purchased at the same time for £42, as this was considered to be the most suitable tractor plough. Shortly after, a Knapp drill and a Martin’s cultivator were also purchased for £49 and £39 respectively. The Knapp replaced a wooden-framed Gilbert five-furrow wheat drill, and the study stated that it wasn’t as ‘handy’ as the previous drill, but that drilling could be carried out in a shorter space of time. The Martin’s cultivator was described as ‘entirely satisfactory’. Several former horse implements were also converted for use with the Fordson N. Some of these were built by firms such as Larkworthy, Gilbert, Archer, Crosskill and Preston. During the study, a Cambridge roll and manure distributer were also borrowed on the odd occasion. A schedule in the study’s appendix estimated that the cost of all New House Farm’s machinery – at 1945 prices – was £919.

Costs compared

The total running cost of the Fordson was calculated at £75. 14s for the duration of the study, based on a total of 555 hours in use that season. Running costs were calculated from fuel consumption, regular maintenance, repairs, spare parts and depreciation. No tax or insurance was charged, as the tractor didn’t travel on the road. The cost per hour was calculated at 2s. 9d. excluding the driver’s wage.

Equipment usage

MAKE

Fordson Ransomes Martin’s Knapp Massey-Harris IHC Unknown Larkworthy Local Local Howard Larkworthy Gilbert Gilbert Hutchins Bamford Bamford Crosskill Preston Local Unknown Unknown Archer

ACRES HOURS WEEKS DAYS --106 78 43 67 24 --49 61 46 72 1.5 7.5 21 --10.5 10.5 -------------

555 306 66 34 57 21 6.5 39 33 49 69 2 13 54 2 7 7 187 183 81 145 96 73

25 13 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 5 6 1 3 2 1 2 2 15 13 6 15 9 4

81 41 9 5 8 4 2 6 6 11 15 1 4 7 1 3 3 35 30 14 21 14 9

In comparison, an estimate of £40. 3s. was calculated for the ‘running’ cost of each horse, based on fodder, grooming, day-to-day attention, tackle and vet bills. The three horses on the farm worked 1126 hours at a cost of 2s. 2d. per hour, excluding the horseman’s wage. In terms of ploughing, in desirable conditions the horses and plough could average half an acre a day, whereas the Fordson averaged 2.75 acres per day. ‘The farmer’s son is definitely in favour of the tractor and maintains that it enables the heavy cultivation to be performed at the right time and much faster than with the horses,’ said the study. The study concludes with a detailed comparison of tractor and horse work carried out under five main headings. It notes that the Ransomes plough was used for most of the ploughing. The analysis concludes with a number of observations: ‘It is interesting to note that the ploughing peak is reached towards the end of August at the same time as the horses are busy carting the harvest. It is profitable to plough this land as www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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HERITAGE

WARTIME FARM STUDY

The wartime plough-up campaigns resulted in a large increase in arable acreage soon as possible after harvest to be ready for the sowing of the winter corn. Corn is sown by the tractor with the Knapp drill, and roots by the horse, but owing to the wet season the horses drilled a portion of the corn at the end of October and beginning of November. The row-crop work performed by the horses was hoeing. ‘Other cultivations are fairly evenly distributed between the tractor and horses; the tractor’s share of these is cultivating and drag harrowing. Mowing and binding are tractor operations but a little raking at harvest time is done by the horses.’ What is clear from the study is that the tractor, while costing a little more to run per hour than a team of three horses, could achieve so much more work. The resident farmer at New House Farm, possibly set in his ways, was reluctant to embrace

ABOVE FAR LEFT: Most of New House Farm’s buildings were replaced by houses in the 1980s, but the farmhouse in Dorsington village centre hasn’t changed. LEFT: The total number of horse work hours was still far greater than the tractor at this stage, with six-hour days being the most common for the former. the new era of mechanical horse, whereas his son was an enthusiastic tractor user. History would show that, as far as the horse versus tractor debate was concerned, there would be no return to the old days. The tractor was here to stay and the NIAE’s study proved beyond doubt its value to the industry.

Recent history of the farm What happened to New House Farm and its tenants in the years after the war is unclear. What is clear is that by the 1980s the land and its buildings had been split up, with most of the farm buildings being replaced by houses and the farmland becoming part of a large estate owned by the late publisher Felix Dennis, who owned several houses in the village of Dorsington. Dennis, whose main interests were publishing, poetry and planting trees, established a new woodland on the land that once formed part of New House Farm. He founded a charity, the Heart of ABOVE: What was once a England Forest, and by the time of his death in 2014 it had 12-acre arable field in the planted one million trees on 3500 acres in Warwickshire. The centre of New House charity’s dream of expanding its woodland area to 30,000 Farm is, along with the acres received a huge boost in 2018 when it received rest of the land, now part late the £150mn from the sale of Dennis’ publishing business. to orial mem and e statu This of the Heart of England ABOVE: A larger-than-life resin statue of Felix Dennis, much Forest’s Dorsington publisher Felix Dennis now stands in a new Wood. woodland on what was once the farmland to like the man himself, now stands in what is known as Dorsington Wood. New House Farm, Dorsington.

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29/11/2018 12:15

A selection of Ferguson tractors, including TE-D20 models, one of which is fitted with a Scottish Aviation cab (despite Henderson manufacturing its own cab for the tractor), can be seen in this view of Geo. Henderson’s stand at a Royal Highland Show. Two Ferguson implements on show are the single-furrow reversible plough (T-AE-28) and the Hammermill (H-LE-A20). Also on view are two front loaders for the Ferguson, while in the background is what appears to be a Massey-Harris combine. Reference to IH is made at the back of the stand and samples of wire and sheep netting are fitted to the stand’s uprights.

Heyday of

Hendersons A cache of old photographs relating to Geo. Henderson, once one of Scotland’s largest farm machinery dealers, notably for Ferguson, and a sizable manufacturer too, has just come to light. Pete Small has been busy identifying the products and places shown in the pictures

t was one of those ﬁnds that you dream about, but rarely get oﬀered – a cache of old farm machinery photographs. When Ross Yeaman, a keen vintage enthusiast from Coupar Angus in Perthshire, was offered some old farm machinery photos by an ‘agrijumble’

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dealer, he snapped them up, without really knowing much about the company that featured prominently in them. The photos related to the one-time Ferguson and Massey Ferguson dealer Geo. Henderson. Ross has kindly allowed Heritage Tractor to publish some of these fabulous images. They span an era from the

HERITAGE

GEO. HENDERSON

ABOVE: A Ford-Ferguson fitted with Bower wheel strakes and carrying a Wigton-shire registration can be seen outside Geo. Henderson’s Stranraer branch. The tractor is fitted with lighting that suggests it is a 9N. The unknown service van has a Roxburghshire registration but seems to be assigned to the Stranraer depot. BELOW INSET: The stores department of Geo. Henderson’s Kelso branch was well-stocked with a whole host of agricultural products, including Black & Decker power tools, Swift poultry feeders, Wolseley electric fencing equipment, tins of agri-chemicals and Snowcem. Many will remember the L-shaped counter and the bell to summon service.

1930s up to the early 1960s and show many of Geo. Henderson’s stands and displays at local events. The business was originally established in 1884 by George Henderson of Kelso, who initially supplied iron and steel, as well as specialising in metal for horse shoes. By 1908 the founder’s eldest son James had joined the business, which was working out of a shop in Horsemarket in the Borders market town of Kelso. A foundry in the town was purchased in 1913 and new oﬃces were built next door in East Bowmont Street. At the end of the Great War George’s youngest son Tom joined the business. George died in 1925, by which time the business was trading in farm machinery as well as iron and steel nails and fencing wire. In 1936 the company took on the agency to sell the new Ferguson Type A tractor, making it Scotland’s first Ferguson dealer,

although it is likely that it was already selling International Harvester equipment. The founder’s second son, Stamford, joined the business in 1937 when it became a limited company. The collapse of the German economy in the inter-war years resulted in many firms selling off assets for cash. James Henderson went to Germany to purchase a nail-making machine, and he duly built a dedicated factory on the Spylaw Road to produce nails for the Scotch whisky industry, which used them to make packing crates.

“In 1936 the company took on the agency to sell the new Ferguson Type A tractor”

n 1939 the ﬁrm built a new foundry next to Kelso railway station, freeing up the old foundry in the town for the manufacturing of machines such as turnip scariﬁers, cutters and corn grinders. The old foundry was also used for tractor servicing and repairs, which www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

| 35

HERITAGE

GEO. HENDERSON RIGHT: Items of sales literature for equipment built by Geo. Henderson. The Henderland plough leaflet is tatty but rare.

“An important part of the business was producing castings of non-original wearing parts”

by the time of the Second World War had become increasingly important. Another important part of the business was producing castings of non-original wearing parts for ploughs, cultivators and ridgers. It also resulted in the Henderland Plough, which may have been on a Henderson constructed frame, or Henderland bodies fitted to another more common frame. The mechanisation of farms during the Second World War led Geo. Henderson to open an East Lothian branch at Kingston, near North Berwick, in 1942. In 1962 this branch was relocated to Haddington. Branches were also opened in the south west of Scotland at Stranraer and Whithorn. Stranraer became very important as the ferry port for Northern Ireland where a great many Ford Ferguson tractors came ashore. As Geo. Henderson was heavily involved with Ford Ferguson a depot at their entry point on to the mainland was very useful.

ABOVE: In this view of a Geo. Henderson stand it is possible to pick out one of the company’s Jubilee thistle cutters at the front alongside fencing wire, troughs feed bins and hay hakes. There is also a turnip cutter, a Petter A Type engine and an IH 10/20 tractor.

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The Edinburgh branch moved from Forth Street to Gorgie Road close to the capital’s livestock mart complex. The new site had oﬃces, workshops and stores. A branch was also opened at Belford in north Northumberland during this period. At some point the Edinburgh branch opened a small factory at Peterhead in the north-east of Scotland to manufacture barrel hoops for the export of herring to Russia.

fter the Second World War ended Geo. Henderson began to handle the new Ferguson tractors built at Banner Lane in Coventry, along with all the dedicated items of Ferguson System equipment. At this time, the dealership was still offering International Harvester equipment, but this arrangement came to an end probably after the Massey-Harris buyout of Ferguson in 1953. Geo. Henderson continued to sell Massey Ferguson equipment very successfully alongside its own range of machines.

ABOVE: A packed Geo. Henderson show stand, the high point of which is a wind pump tripod rick lifter. On the ground, the Waverley manure distributor was made at Kelso and, more interesting for tractor enthusiasts, an IH 10/20 tractor. Geo. Henderson must have been selling IH tractors and equipment before it began handling the Ferguson Type A tractor.

A post-1953 Royal Highland Show stand promoting Ferguson and Massey-Harris. At least one tractor is a TE-F20 while a Ferguson three-ton trailer (F-JE-A30) is placed next to a Whitsed root harvester. A Massey-Harris combine harvester and a Massey-Harris Dickie hay turner are also on show alongside some of Henderson’s own products.

ABOVE: An early Ferguson tractor at work planting potatoes with the early type of Ferguson planter. It has the openings for the seed potatoes to be picked and dropped down the chutes at the front of the hopper, as opposed to the more common side openings. Note the closed centre patterned tyres on the tractor. RIGHT: A Peter Standen sugar beet harvester at work behind a Ferguson tractor. This looks like it may be a demonstration event and a Fordson E27N and trailer sit on the headland. The eastern region covered by Geo. Henderson was a big beetgrowing area, with the crop being destined for Scotland’s only processing factory at Cupar in Fife.

BELOW: This pre-war Highland Show picture depicts a busy Geo. Henderson stand with all types of implements and farming sundries. Implements include a Tumbling Tam hay collector, Henderson Jubilee thistle cutters and Waverley fertiliser distributors, along with some of the company’s feed kits and wire netting.

ABOVE: This 1950s picture shows Geo. Henderson’s stand at a Royal Highland Show. Two Ferguson tractors are visible: the one on the left is hitched to Henderson’s turnip cutting cart, while the one on the right, fitted with Ferguson Tyre Tracks A-TE-113, is hitched to a Henderson scarifier. On the back wall is some of the non-original plough metal made by Henderson. LEFT: Geo. Henderson sold both IH and Ferguson equipment for a period of time. This picture dates from the late 1940s and was probably taken at the Border Union Show at Kelso. IH products include a crawler, wheeled tractors, a seed drill and a binder under a cover. An unknown manure spreader sits behind the seed drill while on the far side are several early Ferguson TE-20s. They appear to be Continentalengined models with solid wheel centres. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

| 37

Heritage

GEO. HENDERSON

Henderson equipment 1 TURNIP CUTTER

3 CATTLE CRUSH

One of Geo. Henderson’s turnip cutters powered by what appears to be a Lister D engine. The cutting blades are sitting out from the frame so that wheelbarrows can be filled underneath.

A studio image of a Geo. Henderson cattle catching crate (crush). After the war, when brucellosis and TB testing became more common, these were ideal for administering treatment to a restrained animal. The crates, which were also useful for de-horning or clipping cattle, could be carried on a tractor three-point linkage.

2 TURNIP CUTTER An example of one of Geo. Henderson’s range of turnip cutters. The type shown is likely to have been used in fields where turnips were lifted and cut for feeding the sheep on the ground, such as lambing ewes in springtime. The chain allows the cutter to be pulled to a new area when needed. It is set quite low, making it easier to load, possibly from a cart or trailer.

ABOVE: Possibly taken at the Border Union Show held at Springwood Park, Kelso, this picture shows several MF 35 and 65 tractors. One 65 is fitted with a loader and there is a 35 with a Victor Stormguard cab. Other items on the stand include an MF 735 combine, 711 potato harvester, and 721 fertiliser spreader. At the rear of the scene is an MF 788 combine.

4 SCARIFYING HOE A catalogue shot of a four-row Geo. Henderson scarifying hoe fitted to a Ferguson tool bar. This was used for cleaning drills (rows) of turnips and sugar beet; the turnip types usually had diablo wheels to follow the ridges.

ABOVE: This Royal Highland Show view features an industrial MF 205 backhoe loader alongside a Massey Ferguson 35 with Victor Stormguard cab and a Henderson cutting cart. In the centre is a Henderson two-row scarifier, behind which is a selection of Henderland plough metal. The signage on top shows all the various branches of the business. 2

The firm branched out into farmingrelated electrical engineering and undertook the installation of grain dryers and grain bins, as well as offering a range of garden machinery.

he company held the Massey Ferguson franchise until 1986. In 2001, the directors of the business, which included two of the founder’s great grandsons, decided to restructure Geo. Henderson, a move that led to the sale of several depots and the formation of Henderson Grass Machinery. This dealership now operates from sites at Haddington, Selkirk and Kinross, selling a wide range of agricultural, horticultural and amenity equipment.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Our thanks to Bob and Alasdair Henderson, Ross Yeaman and Duncan Robertson.

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HT06_039.indd 39

| 39

30/11/2018 15:29

LEFT: A Fowler Challenger 22, just like the one operated by the Longfoots, pressing on with autumn ploughing with a Ransomes TS69.

Corn goes in,

BELOW: A County crawler could just about manage a set of 10ft 6in Pettit in 4th (2nd high) gear. Left turns were made most of the time as closing the discs for a right turn did not work very well.

beet comes up Turning the clock back to the early 1960s, retired farmer Peter Longfoot recalls some of the key machines his family were using to drill winter cereals and lift sugar beet on their farm in Huntingdonshire.

ell, autumn and now winter are upon us once again and the work continues. Back in 1963, the autumn drilling, which had taken place during October and just into November, was wrapped up and, as always, it was a relief to get all the planned winter wheat in the ground. That is except for the beet land which was ploughed, worked down and drilled as the beet was lifted. It was unheard of to drill wheat in September back then, maybe the winter barley in the last few days of the month, but definitely not wheat. The first wheat to be drilled in early October was on the ‘seeds’ ground that had been worked as a bastard fallow since the seeds hay crop had been taken. If it had remained dry then

RIGHT: This Caterpillar D7 is like the one that a local contractor used to do some heavy cultivating on the Longfoots’ farm. “Flat out at 1000rpm, it was impossible to rush these old girls, which plodded on at their speed regardless,” says Peter.

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on our farm this ground would have been pulled through several times with an old steam cultivator behind a Caterpillar D7, both owned by a local contractor. These steam cultivators would face anything, no matter how hard the ground. Even the road itself was no contest if the thing happened to drop down on the way to the next field! No one bothered about crawlers running down country roads in those days! If there had been a wet period of weather then the clover in the aftermath from the seeds mixture would have grown well, maybe to over a foot high, and this was then ploughed in. It was first rolled down and care was taken to roll it in the same direction as the

HERITAGE

THE WAY WE WERE

No one bothered about crawlers running down country roads in those days

Beet harvesting the mechanised way using a Standen harvester behind a Ferguson TE-20. On level ground and lovely black Fen, soil the job was a doddle, says Peter. LEFT: Pulled behind a Caterpillar D7 (or D8), an IHC TD18, Allis-Chalmers HD14 or even a Vickers, these steam-era drags would face anything, no matter how hard and dry the land. BELOW: The Catchpole Cadet sugar beet harvester was a godsend, notes Peter. “A simple machine, it saved so much work and the hassle with seasonal labour. You soon learnt that the topping knife had to be razor sharp.”

plough was going to take. That way it would go through the plough with few problems, but try going against the rolling and very soon the plough would get bunged-up. All the winter corn land was ploughed and then disced down with a set of 12ft Pettit discs behind a Fordsonbased County crawler. The drilling was then done by a 20-row Massey-Harris 728 drill pulled behind another County crawler.

nother major job we had to deal with besides drilling was lifting sugar beet. About 30 acres of beet were grown then and lifting it seemed to take forever in those days. In the

1950s the crop was always handlifted by seasonal labour, which was about as reliable as the weather. When these herberts were on the farm it was father’s continuous job to keep them ‘at it’. The crop was pulled and knocked, the beet first being loosened in the ground by lifting shares mounted in an old Ransomes tool-bar. Then it was pulled up by the labourers who banged two roots together to knock the soil oﬀ. The roots were then laid in a row, all facing the same way, and the tops were chopped oﬀ by another person armed with a beet knife. Some of the tops were even loaded into the Land-Rover and given to the sheep. What a palaver that all was. Nowadays 30 acres of beet is nothing and can be lifted and heaped in a few hours.

y 1963 the beet harvester had arrived! A second-hand Catchpole Cadet joined the ﬂeet and what a godsend it was; no more problems with seasonal labour. It was now just possible to lift one acre a day, but it had to be a good day! When the harvesting started in early October the Fordson Diesel Majors could cope with the conditions. The start of lifting depended on the allocation of permits by the beet factory in Peterborough. Whatever happened, a permit could not be missed! Somehow that load had to be delivered because later in the season the issue of these permits could be restricted, especially if there were problems at the factory, which were quite common. As the season progressed, and if there had been a lot of rain, the Majors couldn’t cope. Spud-wheels were tried but the one that ran in the crop www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

| 41

would dislodge the beet and then the topper on the machine just pushed the roots over and didn’t cut the leaves oﬀ properly. The Countys came to the rescue again! We had one with hydraulic lift and PTO and that went on the harvester. The track that ran in the crop was cut down to about 10in wide and with another County towing the Major on the trailer the problem was solved. Not quite, because when our clay soil was wet more of it went through the beet harvester than actual beet.

he only way to deal with this was to clamp the beet and wait until it had dried out, then put the whole lot through a cleaner/loader, which got most of the now dry clay oﬀ. The soil had to be almost dry before it went through the cleaner/loader otherwise the machine just rolled the set clay into balls and loaded it with the beet. When it was wet, the opal

BELOW LEFT: In the early days of mechanical beet lifting, reference to Catchpole Cadet’s instruction book was advisable, but the machine was so simple to understand it was rarely used.

wheels fitted to the harvester were next to useless as they just took the beet and soil up in a strip, leaving a small trench where the row of beet had been! Once the beet was in a heap it then had to be sent to the factory. Right from 1947 our farm had always run a lorry. The first was an ancient Thorneycroft, but that was before my day. The next was a Canadian Ford, complete with ﬂat-head V8 engine, petrol powered, of course. I can just remember this lorry and usually managed to hitch a lift to the beet factory on a Saturday when there was no school. It had no tipping gear so we had to go through the wash-out, which was always seemed to me to be good fun at the time. With all that wash-out water under pressure it went everywhere and even got in the cab with the windows closed. By the time all the beet had been washed oﬀ, the

During the 1960s, the Longfoots hauled beet to the factory using a Bedford S Type. According to Peter, its Perkins R6 engine wouldn’t start and ran like a bag of nails when ticking over.

ABOVE: A 1967 weighbridge ticket from the Peterborough beet factory. The Longfoots’ Bedford S Type truck had a tare (empty) weight of 4t 5cwt and on this load it carried almost 8t.

CHOICE OF GRAIN DRILL

fter we had been over the ploughing with discs, the winter crops were drilled using a 20-row Massey-Harris 728 pulled by a County crawler. The 20-row version of this drill on steel wheels was too much for a Fordson Major so it was a crawler job (the Majors could only manage a 15-row Massey-Harris 728). Harrows were always pulled behind the drill but there were times when a cobbly seed bed required an extra rolling and harrowing after the drill, again all done with County crawlers.

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The corn was always combine-drilled and the fertiliser went down the spout with the seed. Damp mornings could be a nightmare because the dust in the fertiliser would absorb moisture and then stick to the inside of the drill seed tubes and block them up. It was essential to have a man riding on the drill to watch for problems. If they weren’t spotted there would soon be some missed rows as the blockage would stop the flow of seed too.

20-ROW MODEL The Massey-Harris 728 (20-row) drill had two gearboxes, one for each 10 rows, so there were two trip ropes to pull each time. They were good machines.

HERITAGE

THE WAY WE WERE water had found its way into the engine’s ignition system. I wondered why father always had plenty of revs on! Sure enough we would limp out of the torrent of water on anything from four to six cylinders. Six out of eight wasn’t too bad, but with four cylinders out, power was a bit short. There was no point ﬂapping so we would just pull to the side and sit and wait until the warmth from the engine had dried out the plugs and wires. When the engine went back to at least seven cylinders we were away. At no time was the engine stopped on purpose. You have to remember these Ford V8s only had 6v electrics, which struggled at the best of times, never mind with wet plugs.

beet on, greedy boards accepted! Then the lorry was parked on a suitable slope and a County crawler placed at the ready with a chain. In the morning the thing was towed oﬀ and, with the engine cover open in the cab, copious amounts of Easy Start were sprayed into the air cleaner. Eventually the thing would decide to start, not that it had much choice in the matter. We grew beet until the season of 1968, which if you remember was a very wet harvest and autumn. That year lifting beet became almost impossible on our clay land and after a continuing battle with the conditions Father suddenly decided enough was enough. He turned the sheep on to the remaining 12 acres of un-lifted beet and tore-up the beet contract. That was the end of our sugar beet growing years. Not a bad move I thought because it did away with the job I most hated. Tractor-hoeing sugar beet on a freezing cold day was mind numbing.

A second-hand Catchpole Cadet joined the fleet and what a godsend it was

hen Father decided that petrol had become too expensive, a big move up was made to a diesel lorry. Various makes were tried but it was a big Bedford that replaced the old Ford. The lorry was up to the usual Bedford standard but its Perkins R6 engine, oh dear, what a pain. It might decide to start on a warm summer’s morning, but in the winter beet season more times than not it refused point blank to start before the batteries were run ﬂat. Once warm it was OK, and this lorry had hydraulic tipping gear so there were no more trips through the wash-out. Another feature of the Perkins R6 was that at tick-over it rattled the lorry so much that if the doors were left open they gave every impression that they were going to fall oﬀ. So this is how it went. The vehicle was loaded the afternoon before the day the permit was due. Now when I say loaded, I mean loaded. The plan was that as long as there was a gap between the rear tyres and the mudguards you kept piling the

COULTER CHECKING

It was standard practice to have a man riding on the drill to check that all the coulters were running with no blockages.

ABOVE: A 1960s Catchpole Cadet sales brochure. What it doesn’t mention is the amount of soil that, on heavy land, was lifted with the beet or what was required of the tractor in wet conditions.

Multiple Countys We ran an army of County crawlers, the first being an E27N Major with a Perkins P6. Father bought complete tractors, parts machines and any spares that turned up in farm sales. Steering clutch problems were endemic until the old type shoe clutches gave way to the later disc type. They were little bother provided the tractors were not used for ploughing, which they weren’t up to. We usually had three Countys operational, plus a spare ready to take over when one broke down. The ploughing tractor at this time was a Fowler Challenger 22.

CRAWLER POWER The Longfoots ran a number of County crawlers very similar to this one. “They were cheap to buy and could be used later for spares,” says Peter.

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n o r e w o P Heritage

MARSHALL POWER UNITS

THE PULLEY Marshall single-cylinder tractors were a popular and successful source of stationary power on the farm and in forestry too. Peter Longfoot discusses their design and looks at some of their most common belt pulley applications

oday, when we have an almost reliable supply of electricity that can be counted on 24 hours a day, every day, and electric motors of all shapes and capacities to turn that power into useful work, it is easy to forget that this wasn’t always the case. The provision of electricity to farms and country businesses was a long time coming and some outlying farms remained unconnected to the mains until the early 1960s. Of course, such farms were not without electricity as practically all had provided themselves with a generating set for lighting. The earliest form of mechanical power to reach the farm was the portable steam engine, whose main application was for power to drive a threshing machine. Portable steam engines even supplied the power for the very earliest cable ploughing systems. It was not unusual to see a windmill with a pulley on a shaft on an outside wall, this arrangement enabling a portable steam engine to be used to provide power to the windmill when the conditions were very still. When the same conditions prevailed there were instances when a portable steam engine was belted to a drainage windmill in the Fens to drive the scope wheel to prevent local flooding. All this demonstrates the

ABOVE: The Marshall T20 stationary power unit was based on the engine used in the 15-30 and 18-30 tractors. Marshall had high hopes for its two-stroke full diesel engines, but the numbers sold could be counted on one hand. importance of portable stationary power before the general distribution of electricity. As steam power gave way to the tractor, this importance did not diminish to any great extent. The design of practically every early tractor incorporated the provision of a belt pulley, this attachment even being available as a standard item on most crawler tractors.

There are stories of Ransomes’ own Caterpillar Diesel 50 driving a dynamo by belt to supply power to crucial parts of the Ipswich factory during power shortages. International Harvester sales literature of the 1930s focused heavily on the ‘Triple Power’ features of its tractors, namely the drawbar, power take-off and belt pulley. Many manufacturers quoted belt horsepower as well as drawbar and brake horsepower in their literature. The Nebraska Tractor Tests included belt horsepower test figures from their instigation in 1920 until the late 1950s, when PTO horsepower began to replace the belt test.

lthough farms usually had a generating set for lighting, mainly for the house and also if there was a poultry enterprise, the available power was not sufficient to drive such barn machinery as grinding and rolling mills, chaff cutters, root slicers and occasionally a water pump. Although these tasks on many farms were carried out by small petrol stationary engines, it was here that the tractor with its belt pulley came into its own. The tractor could easily be moved around the farm to provide power for the barn machinery and the firewood saw bench. And of course the tractor wasn’t slow in replacing the traction engine to drive and move the threshing outfit,

“ When a Marshall traction engine was retired it was almost always replaced with a Marshall tractor”

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A Kent-registered Marshall Model M driving a Marshall drum. The drum is on factory-fitted pneumatic Dunlop wheels. Thrashing from a barn was a little unusual. The straw is being bunched and the bunches put back in the barn. The man with the feed bowl in his hand is adjusting the weight of corn in the bag standing on the weighing machine. As the bags come off the drum they will be catch weight and he has to add or take out grain (that’s what the 40-gallon barrel is for) until the scales just tip. Photo: MERL

A rare and early photograph of a 30bhp Marshall Type A two-cylinder ‘Oil’ tractor driving a similarly early drum. Note the bottle jack against the tractor back wheel; this would be hooked under a cleat on the wheel and wound-up when the belt needed tightening.

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whether the farm’s own set or that of a contractor. It must have caused consternation among the old ‘steam’ men to see one of these early tractors weighing less than three tons happily doing the same job as their 10-ton traction engine. The tractors’ lack of weight, however, was a serious problem when it came to moving the threshing set around the farmyard or on the road. In fact a steel-shod tractor moving a ‘set’ on the road on anything other than almost level going was dangerous. So where does the Marshall diesel tractor fit into this? Marshall had dabbled in the internal combustion engine tractor market from the very early 1900s with its ‘Colonial’ range of tractors. These machines were primarily aimed, as the name partly implies, at areas of the world where water and coal happened to be in short supply, but by a quirk of nature oil was relatively plentiful. They made little impact on the market as similar products from the American manufacturers

had already penetrated these areas. Marshall therefore gave up until interest was revived in the early 1930s when, after studying a Lanz tractor, the company designed and built its first diesel tractor, the 15-30.

LEFT: The heavy construction of the Marshall T20 stationary engine is very evident. Starting one of these was all a man on his own could manage.

he history of the development of the Marshall range of tractors is not a feature of this article as it has been covered in other books and articles. Here we will concentrate on the reasons for the success of its later machines. The design of the Marshall low-speed, single-cylinder diesel engine with its close governing properties made it a very successful source of power for the threshing set and other stationary applications.

On entering the market place, the Marshall tractor had several advantages over other available makes and the early 15-30 and 18-30 models should have had more success than they did. But being very expensive and beset by mechanical problems, they basically failed and production remained at very low levels. The take-over of Marshall by Thomas W. Ward from Sheffield gave the tractor programme a new impetus and the smaller, less costly 12-20 set the pattern for the future. It was followed by the model M and then the Series 1, 2 and 3 machines,

The Marshall could extract the biggest trees from the most difﬁcult areas of woodland

Marshall 18-30 tractors on the line at Gainsborough. Just 74 of these models and the early 15-30s were sold. They were too expensive, too heavy and prone to fuel problems and broken crank-shafts.

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Heritage

MARSHALL POWER UNITS

Marshall Model M and Field Marshall Mark 2 Contractors models at Trent Works, Gainsborough, in 1945. It is worth noting that the Series 1 was never known as such, it was either a Mark 1 (Agricultural) or Mark 2 (Contractors). Photo: Stuart Gibbard Archives all of which became firm favourites with the farming fraternity. As a power source for stationary work they were ideal, with the added advantage that they were heavy enough to handle a full threshing set on the road in most terrain. In addition to that, when fitted with a winch, either Marshall’s own or by manufacturers such as Lainchbury, the Marshall tractor could manoeuvre threshing machines in the most difficult farmyard conditions with ease. With the belt pulley arranged on the end of the crankshaft it was comparatively easy to line the belt up. The Marshall Series 3 tractor engine ran in the opposite direction to the previous models and allowance had to be made between the models with an un-crossed or crossed belt. One minor disadvantage was that when the tractor

RIGHT: The Marshall 12-20 was welcomed by customers and set the Marshall diesel tractor on the way to becoming a house-hold force in the tractor market.

reversed to tension the belt the pulley had to turn with the transmission. To the old steam-era men this was of little concern as the same happened with the flywheel on a traction engine.

t should be said at this point the Marshalls enjoyed a high degree of customer loyalty and when a Marshall traction engine was retired it was almost always replaced with a Marshall diesel tractor. The only modification required to the threshing machine to change from steam to tractor power was that the pulley on the main drum shaft had to be changed to allow for the higher speed of the tractor’s pulley. Of course, the Marshall wasn’t perfect, no machine ever is, and we mention a few of its minor shortcomings elsewhere – see ‘Marshall foibles’ panel. On

Marshall foibles Marshall and Field Marshall tractors, as the later models were called, did have a few foibles. The exhaust, which was designed to minimise the effect of oil being blown out with the exhaust gases, would collect oil and soot. This was especially likely to happen during long spells of constant speed half-load running. The Marshall engine was not under anything like full load when threshing or other stationary jobs and if these deposits were not removed now and again they could catch fire – a dangerous and embarrassing situation when near stacks of corn. There are tales of Marshall men who would remove the exhaust stack from the tractor and set fire to it to clear these deposits out. The engine oil reservoir had to be checked regularly as the engine lubrication system was of the total loss type; failure to do this could result in serious engine problems. Marshalls and Field Marshalls were just about the only tractors that were capable of wearing their steering gear without moving. The continuous vibration from the engine was a source of considerable wear to the steering components. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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Heritage

MARSHALL POWER UNITS the upside it had no magneto to give trouble, and the whole machine was simple and strong, even if some users referred to the transmission as being made from ‘Mangle Cogs’. The tractor would thresh all day on less than five gallons of cheap diesel fuel and water consumption was negligible.

BELOW: A view of the Marshall stand at the 1951 Royal Show. A Field Marshall Series 3 with a Fisher-Humphries plough can be seen in the foreground, along with a Fowler Challenger III, Fowler VF and a Challenger III with a blade.

ABOVE: As this advertisement states the Field Marshall was very economical, simple in design, reliable and long-lived.

here is one more application of the Marshall diesel tractor that we should mention here and that is its role in the timber extraction industry. Again, fitted with a winch, the Marshall could extract the biggest trees from the most difficult areas of woodland. Also the winch could be used to load the timber on to the timber ‘drugs’, which then pulled it up on to a hard road for transport to the sawmills by road-going timber tractors such as the Foden. The Marshall would also drive the saw benches, which were sometimes used on site to reduce the timber to useable dimensions and then saw up the off-cuts for firewood. It was also

“The tractor would thresh all day on less than ﬁve gallons of cheap diesel fuel ”

A Field Marshall Series 3 working with a Foster drum and Lanz press in February 1956. Photo: Stuart Gibbard Archives

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in the timber industry that these tractors were subjected to the most abuse. Winching tree stumps out was the greatest cause of trouble. Severe winch loads could cause cracks to appear in the transmission casings and there is one record of a tractor being pulled clean in half when the front was anchored to a tree while trying to get a ‘hold’ to winch out a particularly stubborn stump. All in all the Marshall tractor was very successful as a stationary power source, helped to a large extent by

loyal customers who stayed with it until the end. Marshall did produce purpose-built stationary versions of its tractor engines but they sold in tiny numbers and remain extremely rare as collectors’ items.

Marshall handled a threshing set no better and no worse than other tractors of its day. An old Fordson could drive a drum with no problem, but wasn’t so suitable when it came to moving the set. Even with the arrival of tractors such as the IH W-9, the MinneapolisMoline GT and GTA, the Oliver 90 and the John Deere model D, the latter being a dream to listen to when threshing, the Marshall stood its ground and stood it well.

Call Matt on 07966881985 Tavistock, Devon Nationwide delivery available

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Heritage

THE ARCHIVIST

In the

papers

QUOTE OF THE ISSUE Building nearly 434,000 tractors in the last 20 years has provided us with a wealth of experience Unidentified contributor discussing Dagenham production

Farming periodicals of yesteryear from Gordon Day’s library

rior to the launch of ‘Farm’ in July 1950, Ford didn’t have a dedicated magazine aimed specifically at customers of its Fordson tractors. It was left to ‘Ford Times’, which covered all the company’s automotive products, to occasionally mention the Fordson model N. Ford ‘Farm’ changed all that and between 1950 and 1978 it kept customers updated on changes within the company, to its dealer network and most importantly to its tractors, as well as including user testimonials and a range of farming topics. It was published six times a year for the majority of its life, then quarterly. The Nov-Dec 1951 issue of Farm was devoted to the New Fordson Major. The new tractor’s features were highlighted and there was a fascinating account of the test and development work that took place.

The New Fordson Major was introduced to the readers of Farm by F. W. Daniels, sales manager of Ford’s tractor division, who provided a brief outline of its main features.

Ford brought a splash of rare colour to the centre pages of this issue of Farm, using a process called hand-colouring to make these images of Major Farming more noticeable.

Ford Farm Nov-Dec 1951

BEHIND THE SCENES ● Meeting to discuss outline plans for New Major is presided over by Sir Patrick Hennessy. ● After the drawings for the New Major had been finalised, a wooden mock-up was made. ● New Major prototypes were tested at field stations at Dagenham and in Norfolk and North Wales. ● Prototypes No.4 and No.6 had completed 1677 and 874 hours of work by 5 June 1951.

Roadless announced the availability of its D.G.4 half tracks for the New Fordson Major. Tracks used on an ‘old’ Major would fit a New Major and vice versa, said Roadless.

Vigzol Oil Co. Ltd of London was still showing the ‘old’ Fordson Major in its otherwise very attractive advertisement for Y40 tractor oil on the outside rear cover.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH The Fordson New Major was officially launched at a series of previews held at Southend-onSea in Essex on 21-23 November 1951. It was attended by the press, dealers, company staff and a number of government and foreign trade VIPs. The public launch took place at the Smithfield Show on 3-7 December.

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| 51

YOUR SNAPSHOTS There’s lots of variety in the latest batch of old farm machinery pictures submitted by Heritage Tractor readers for the enjoyment of others

Wiltshire farmer Harry Maidment of Batts Farm , Gurney Slade, using his Fordson E27N and Horndraulic loader to colle ct and stack bales on a farm somewhere between Warminster and Longbrid ge Deverill. The year is 1964. Photo: Roy Bailey

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A good example of farm improvisation. The late David Armitage used binder canvas to extend the Winsam cab on his 1952 Fordson Major. The extension provided some much needed protection during winter drainage work, says his son Neil, who still owns the tractor.

Malcolm Haywood’s late uncle, Charles Watson, of Waddington, near Lincoln, using a IH 15-30 and four-furrow plough on heathland close to the local village of Wellingore. The tractor is believed to be a very late example and could date from 1928. Photo: Malcolm Haywood

Roy Bailey learned to drive this ex-Milk Mar keting Board Dennis lorry during his time working for Wiltshire farmer Harry Maid ment. The bales were loaded using a Fordson Major E27N and an elevator, the latte r towed behind the lorry to farms across south Wiltshire. Photo: Roy Bailey

Heritage

PHOTO ALBUM

This Field Marshall Series 2 was run by Arthur Sidwells, a thrashing contractor from Clifton Campville, Staffs. The business previously ran four steam engines, but these were sold for scrap (£1/ton) when Arthur purchased the Marshalls from dealer Holdrons of Ashby de la Zouch.

This Field Marshall Series 2, possibly registration PRF 818, was one of two operated by Staffordshire-based threshing contractor Arthur Sidwells between 1948 and 1969. In this 1954 picture, the tractor is pulling a Ransomes 54in drum, a Davis baler and a trusser.

Sending pictures

David Sidwells’ late father Arthur with one of his two Field Marshall Series 2 tractors, registration PRF 413. It was belted up to one of his threshing drums in the village of Clifton Campville in 1964. This tractor remains in David’s ownership.

We would like to see inside your farming photo albums. If you have some nostalgic pictures of the machinery that was being used on farms over 50 years ago, please share them with Heritage Tractor and its readers. E-mail us at: editor@heritagetractormagazine. co.uk or telephone 020 8639 4401. If you are scanning your pictures, set the scanner to at least 300dpi and save the images in ‘jpg’ format.

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P r e s e rvat i o n

RURAL LIFE MUSEUM

NATIONAL

TREASURE

“MERL was the brainchild of academics at the Department of Agriculture”

The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) at the University of Reading is renowned for its extensive collection of agricultural and rural objects and archive materials spanning several centuries. Jim Gerrard has been to see how its display galleries and storage areas have changed since a recent £3.3mn redevelopment

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BELOW: The impressive ‘A year on the farm’ gallery is split into four sections, each with its own seasonal theme. The highlight of the Autumn section is a 1918 IH Titan 10/20 and a Ransomes RYLT threefurrow riding plough.

major redevelopment of the galleries at the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) at Reading, made possible by a grant of £1.8mn from the Heritage Lottery Fund, commenced in 2014 and was completed in October 2016. Isabel Hughes, associate director of MERL, explains: “Previously we had a few films showing in the galleries, but there are now lots of digital interactive presentations to engage visitors more. The redisplay that has taken place has resulted in the integration of some of our larger pieces of technology, such as our tractors, with a broad range of artefacts including delicate textiles, ephemera and smaller personal and domestic objects. We have been able to display more objects, more images and more documents from our archives.” Every object in the museum’s vast object collection, accumulated since 1951, is stored on one site. “The emphasis of the redisplay has been to interpret the collections for a new generation that will not necessarily have any direct connection with agriculture or the countryside, past or present,” adds Isabel. “There is also an increased emphasis on telling the story of individuals within the rural landscape.”

he impressive Victorian brick buildings that house part of MERL were originally built for Sir Alfred Palmer of the Huntley & Palmer Biscuit Company in the 1880s, but they were later gifted to the University of Reading and became the St. Andrews Hall of Residence. A modern extension was completed in 2005 and this now houses the museum’s non-paper objects.

ABOVE: The Victorian buildings that house MERL were originally built in the 1880s for Sir Alfred Palmer of the Huntley & Palmer Biscuit Company. They later became the St. Andrews Hall of Residence and finally the home of MERL in 2004. Visitors to MERL are greeted by a huge glass display case containing a wonderful cross-section of exhibits, from horse drawn implements and hand tools to textiles and signs. One of the most notable machinery-related items is a large-scale working model of a Reeves elevator, manufactured by R. &. J. Reeves at its Bratton Ironworks, near Westbury, in Wiltshire. Promotional cards would have been hung on the forks of the model when it was displayed at shows, with

LEFT: MERL’s redeveloped galleries now contain more visual imagery. This particular poster advertises Ransomes’ range of steel chill horsedrawn ploughs. the mechanism being powered by a battery hidden within a wooden transport box. Anyone who visited MERL a few years ago will not recognise the display area that now houses its objects. Splitting what was previously one large space into separate

RIGHT: Visitors to MERL are greeted by this huge display case containing a selection of objects that represent a cross section of its collection, from hand tools and rural clothing to a horse plough and a unique scale model of a Reeves elevator, left. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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LEFT: This new display recalls the formation of MERL in 1951. It contains some of the museum’s first artefacts, such as a Kent turn wrest horse-drawn plough and a selection of hand tools.

Timeline

1951 | The Museum of English Rural Life is founded by academics of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Reading. 1952 | A threshing frame is donated by a Devon farmer at the 1952 Royal Agricultural Show, becoming one the museum’s first large items.

1955 | Some of the collection is displayed to the public at Whiteknights House, Reading, but is later moved to temporary buildings on the Whiteknights campus. 1955 | Re-enactment of the first Royal Agricultural Show of 1839 in Nottingham. 1956 | MERL visits the World Ploughing Championships in Oxfordshire with a horse-drawn plough. 2004 | The MERL collection moves

to the London Road campus with the help of a grant of £5.17mn from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

2014 | Redevelopment of the galleries begins. 2016 | The museum reopens following its £3.3mn redevelopment.

1936 Lister-Cockshutt No. 6 plough, manufactured by the Cockshutt Plow Company of Brantford, Ontario, is tucked away in the spring section. This plough was imported to the UK by R. A. Lister & Co of Dursley, Glos, and originally worked at Low Farm, Hemingfield, Barnsley, later passing

to J. E. Theaker when the contents of Low Farm were dispersed by auction on 30 May 1979. The next gallery, called ‘Showing Progress’, tells the story of how farming transitioned from horse power to steam power, the latter being represented by a Lincoln-built 1877 Clayton & Shuttleworth portable steam engine, serial number 15635. The engine was delivered on 30 January 1877 to Ball & Horton of Stratford-upon-Avon, a business described as ‘engineers, iron founders and proprietors of steam ploughing and threshing machines’. The horse-drawn engine was last used by an Oxfordshire farmer before joining the museum’s collection in 1951, becoming one of its first objects. The ‘Town & Country’ gallery is focused on the countryside, horticulture (there is a nice growyour-own display featuring a Barford Atom garden tractor) and ‘Rural in Vogue’, the latter theme aiming to show the British countryside in modern culture and the media. This gallery contains one of MERL’s most recent additions, a Land-Rover Series 1. This early off-roader was originally purchased new by Gloucestershire farmer Ivor Norris on 29 April 1949, the supplying dealer being Windmill & Lewis of Clifton, Bristol. Mr Norris initially used his Land-Rover to tow a trailer to Avonmouth Docks to collect biscuit waste for his cattle from a mill. It was last used on the road by Mr Norris in 1972, but it remained in use on his farm for many years. It did return to the road under new ownership and when it arrived at

Fordson tractor to power the saw bench but it had proved unreliable and tended to stall. The IH’s former driver Ian Forrest recalled that only the spark plugs needed replacing, but it was also decided to replace the magneto with one from a Morris Commercial. “For belt-driven work the Titan was much better than the Fordson, and it proved extremely reliable and hardy,” said Ian. The veteran IH

would run for five days a week from 8:30am to 4pm each day on timbersawing duties. When the business was wound-up in around 1956 the tractor was sold to International Harvester, which presented it to MERL later that year. The tractor was restored at Rycotewood College at Thame between 1977 and 1980 and has now developed a mellowed patina.

galleries has enabled the curators to create sections devoted to specific themes and sectors. One of the most interesting from a farming and machinery perspective is the ‘A year on the farm’ gallery, which not only explains where food comes from, but contains a representative selection of the machines that were used to produce it during the 19th century and first half of the 20th century. Exhibits in this area are arranged in seasonal sections. The autumn section contains a 1918 IH Titan 10/20, serial number TV26806 – see ‘MERL’s Titan’ panel – and a Ransomes RYLT three-furrow riding plough. The plough, which is believed to date from around 19151917, was used up to 1939 at Bridge Farm, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, with an IH Titan and then with a Fordson N until 1943. It entered MERL’s collection back in the 1950s.

MERL’s Titan The IH Titan 10/20 displayed at MERL was discovered abandoned with at least three other examples in an old quarry in Reedsmouth, Northumberland. This particular machine was rescued because it was the only one that would start. It was purchased in 1951 by Andy and Robert Thompson, who ran a small sawmill in Sidwood, near Greenhaugh in Northumberland. They originally used a

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RURAL LIFE MUSEUM

The museum’s 1877 Clayton & Shuttleworth portable steam engine, serial number 15635, is part of the Town & Country gallery. The engine was built for Ball & Horton of Stratfordupon-Avon but later ended up on an Oxfordshire farm. BELOW: This 1950 Barford Atom Motor Hoe was used on a large garden in Lancashire before being donated to MERL by the owner’s son in 2010. The Barford, with its ridger plough, hoe and cultivator, are displayed in the ‘Grow Your Own’ section.

ABOVE RIGHT: These metal signs once formed part of R. & J. Reeves & Son Ltd’s collection at Bratton Iron Works, near Westbury, Wiltshire. The company donated its collection to MERL after it went into receivership in 1970.

MERL a few years ago it had an up to date tax disc and MOT. A new area of the museum explains how the collection itself came into being in 1951. MERL was the brainchild of individuals in the Department of Agriculture who strived to record stories and collect artefacts as agriculture rapidly developed after the Second World War. Curators and individuals representing the museum scoured the countryside and attended agricultural shows in their search for items, in the process receiving many donations, sometimes even whole collections, from farmers, dealers and manufacturers.

ewspaper cuttings from that time provide an insight into the early work of MERL and they are accompanied by pictures of MERL’s stand at shows and some of the first objects that were donated to its fledgling collection. The ‘Modern Machinery’ gallery is actually anything but modern as its youngest exhibit is a 70-year old Ferguson TE-20 with a petrol Continental engine. This 1948 tractor, serial number 21184, was discovered in a derelict state on a scrap heap at Aylesbury by Arthur Williams, a former staff member at Rycotewood College. The tractor was then restored to working condition by Mr Williams and students at the College. It became part of the MERL collection in December 1980 after being purchased for £250. Displayed alongside the tractor is a Ferguson TE-20

“The Fordson tractor’s contribution to British agriculture has not been forgotten” www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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RURAL LIFE MUSEUM

Key exhibits

The following is a list of all the tractors and some (but by no means all) of the farm implements on display at MERL. THRESHING DRUM Edward Humphries C.1 type, serial no.11473, circa 1900 PLOUGH Ransomes RYLT threefurrow riding type, circa 1910-1917 TRACTOR IH Titan 10/20, serial number TV26806, 1918 BINDER Albion No.5, made by Harrison McGregor & Co Ltd, circa 1930s TRACTOR Fordson model N/ Standard, water washer, circa 1930s PLOUGH Lister-Cockshutt No. 6, 1936 TRACTOR Ferguson TE-20 c/w Continental engine, serial no.21184, 1948 OFF-ROAD VEHICLE Land-Rover Series 1, 1949 HORTICULTURAL Barford Atom Motor Hoe with attachments, 1950 TRACTOR Ransomes MG6 crawler, serial no. 9642, 1954

How to find it

glish Rural Life The Museum of En e University of at th (MERL) is located ds Road, Reading, Reading on Redlan agricultural is free but RG1 5EX. Admission ly received. engineer and ul ef donations are grat ation visit merchant, is attached For more inform or to one of the rear uk c. .a ng di www.merl.rea mudguards, suggesting . 60 86 8 call 0118 37

model that was used by salesmen to demonstrate the benefits of the company’s famous three-pointlinkage. MERL’s remaining tractors and the largest of its implements are contained in the airy ‘Forces for Change’ gallery, a double-height space overlooked on two sides by a mezzanine walkway. The Fordson tractor’s contribution to British agriculture has not been forgotten. This stalwart of the farming scene is represented in the collection by a Dagenham-built model N water washer with the registration number of 235 VJO. This tractor has lost its serial number but it is possible it may be 794367 dating from 1936. It was acquired by a Mr J. Long from a collector in Farnham in 1975, and then restored to working order. MERL purchased it from Mr Long in 1980 for £550, with half of its purchase price being covered by a grant from the Science Museum. The early history of the museum’s Fordson appears to be unknown, but a supplier’s plate from Curtis & Horn Ltd of Oxford and Aylesbury, an

LEFT: This 1949 Land-Rover Series 1 is a recent addition to the MERL collection. It was originally used by a West Country farmer to collect biscuit waste for his cattle from Avonmouth Docks. BELOW LEFT: MERL’s 1948 Ferguson TE-20, serial number 21184, with a petrol Continental engine was restored by Arthur Williams and students at Rycotewood College. It is displayed with a rare Ferguson salesman’s demonstration model.

“The quality of the exhibits at MERL has always been exceptional” www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

it worked around the Home Counties. The tractor complements the story of Betty Merrett who, as a member of the Women’s Land Army during the Second World War, operated Fordson tractors on a number of Sussex farms.

ext to the Fordson, and representing the market gardening sector, is a 1954 Ransomes MG6 crawler. This little tracklayer, serial number 9642, was supplied new to Townlands Hospital at Henley-onThames, Oxfordshire, where it worked on the hospital’s four-acre market garden. When the garden was grassed over in 1975, the Ransomes crawler, which had been painted green at some point in its working life, wasn’t needed and was acquired by MERL in September 1981 from the Berkshire Area Health Authority. The largest object in the museum is a rare Humphries C.1 threshing machine, serial number 11473. This 4ft 6in-wide drum was despatched from Edward Humphries’ works at Pershore in Worcestershire on 6 September 1900. This particular machine shares its specification with an earlier model from the late 1800s and it is believed that it was either kept in storage at Humphries for a long period of time following a cancelled order, or perhaps built to a specific design for its first owner, Mr S. Taylor of Sinton Green, Worcester. The drum was later used at Dunnington Heath Farm of Alcester, Worcester, before being acquired by MERL. As part of MERL’s recent £3.3mn redevelopment, the main gallery area has gained a double-height extension which, among with other exhibits, now houses a huge textile wall hanging called ‘Fruit and hops: Kent’. This massive textile, along with nine others, was shown in the Agricultural & Country Pavilion at the 1951 Festival of Britain. An Albion No.5 binder,

The main exhibition hall contains various implements and a range of barn equipment, plus a 1930s Fordson Model N and a 1954 Ransomes MG6.

ABOVE LEFT: The early history of this 1930s Fordson Model N water washer is unknown, although it did pass through Curtis & Horn Ltd of Oxford and Aylesbury. It complements a display documenting Betty Merrett’s experiences of working in the Women’s Land Army. ABOVE: The view looking down from MERL’s new mezzanine walkway into the ‘Forces for Change’ gallery that houses, among many other exhibits, an early Humphries C.1 threshing drum. LEFT INSET: This 1930s Albion No.5 binder was made by Harrison McGregor & Co Ltd of Leigh, Lancs. It was originally horse drawn, but later received a drawbar conversion for tractor work.

manufactured in the 1930s by Harrison McGregor & Co Ltd of Leigh, Lancashire, is also displayed in the new extension. This particular binder was originally horse drawn but was converted for tractor use later in its working life. It was restored by Don Tidbury after he acquired it from a farm sale in the early 1970s. It was rallied only once before joining the MERL collection in 1980. Twenty-two of the museum’s 25 horse-drawn carts are displayed in a long row – the impressive Wagon Walk. A map painted on the floor identifies the county of origin of each wagon. The three remaining wagons are displayed in other areas around the museum. A similarly impressive line-up of animal-drawn ploughs through the ages, possibly one of the finest in the

country, is located in a new secondfloor storage area, along with marvellous collections of hand tools, textiles and many other smaller farming and rural artefacts.

notable feature following the redevelopment of the museum is the focus on capturing the imagination and attention of younger visitors. Throughout the museum there are a whole host of vintage farm toys, models, books and literature. Most noteworthy is a very detailed toy farm set dating from 1926, complete with farm animals,

buildings, tools and fencing. A few of the items in the set, or diorama as it would now be called, were made by Britains, but the majority of pieces were made or repainted by a Mrs Bruce from Aberdeen. In summary, a visit to the ‘improved’ MERL is definitely recommended for anyone with an interest in early farming history. The quality of the exhibits has always been exceptional, but the way they are now displayed is a huge improvement. Even if you have been to the museum before, you won’t recognise its interior following its recent £3.3mn makeover. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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2018 NEWARK SHOW Many of the Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show’s premier restorations and nominated exhibits are housed in the George Stephenson Exhibition Hall.

WELL UP TO

EXPECTATIONS The Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show lived up to its normal high expectations, this year celebrating all things Nuffield and John Deere. Held at the Newark Showground over the weekend of 10-11 November, there was also a wartime theme as the Sunday coincided with the centenary of the end of the First World War. Jim Gerrard, Rory Day, David Laley and Ken Topham were there for Heritage Tractor

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tandards were once again very high at the Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show, which featured a great variety of top class restorations and original ex-farm workhorses. Nuffield tractors undoubtedly stole the show in their own marquee, but there were several other very notable displays. Showcased inside the George Stephenson Exhibition Hall were some of the finest restorations alongside some recently unearthed original gems and some super rare veterans. The club stands didn’t disappoint as the Friends of Ferguson Heritage, Blue Force and several of the regional NVTEC groups laid on some excellent displays.

NUFFIELD

Seventy years of Nuffield was one of the show’s main themes and well over 40 tractors were on display in

one of the showground’s marquees, along with the Nuffield & Leyland Tractor Club stand. Many visitors were drawn to Pam and Graham Towndrow’s recently acquired and very much as-found 1948 Nuffield Universal M4. This tractor, serial number 502, was only the second Nuffield to leave the Birmingham production line, making it a highly significant and historic machine. It previously spent many decades standing outside on a farm at Dulverton in west Somerset, so a full restoration is now required. Also turning a lot of heads was David Yates’s 1966 Nuffield 10/60 fitted with a weather cab and rear cage wheels. The tractor was bought new from Nuffield distributer and agricultural engineers T. Shipside Ltd of Newark, and then spent the rest of its life with Dennis Riman of Netherfield Farm, Epperstone. It worked seasonally between the farm’s dairy and arable enterprises before David purchased it at the farm’s auction in March 1995. Continuing the original Nuffield theme, another first appearance at Newark was Mark Maybee’s very straight 1956 Nuffield DM4 in its original paintwork. It was supplied new to the Gass family of Highbridge, Somerset, who worked the tractor until it was traded in at agricultural dealer Boulters of Bramwell in 1990 for a newer machine. The tractor still resides in nearby Bristol, being a Somerset machine through and through. Rarities included Steve Scowne’s 1948 three-wheel Nuffield M3 and David Morgan’s restored 1966 prototype of the Nuffield 3/45, the latter believed to be unique.

ABOVE: The 2018 Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show’s tribute to 70 years of Nuffield attracted over 40 tractors, including a sprinkling of Leylands and Marshalls. LEFT: Running at intervals during the weekend was an ex-Beeby Brothers’ 1951 Ransomes AM54 threshing drum and a late 1940s Jones baler, both powered by a Nuffield Universal and run by members of the Vale of Belvoir Machinery Group.

JOHN DEERE

The show’s second special feature was meant to celebrate the first 50 years of John Deere tractors, but it actually turned into a celebration of the first 100 years. On the vintage side, Paul and Eileen Ducksbury presented a number of early John Deere models from their collection, including a 1944 row-crop model BN that was imported from

ABOVE: David Yates’s Nuffield 10/60, left, complete with a Lambourn weather cab and rear cage wheels, was originally supplied new by dealer T. Shipside Ltd of Newark to Dennis Riman of Netherfield Farm, Epperstone.

ABOVE: The highlight of the Nottinghamshire NVTEC club stand was this 1947 Fordson E27N and Catchpole C. E. C. bale elevator. The rare combination, which was found rotting away in the Cotswolds, has been fully rebuilt by J. A. Crowder Restorations.

“Nuﬃeld tractors undoubtedly stole the show in their own marquee” www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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2018 NEWARK SHOW

Vintage class winners AWARD

EXHIBIT

Best Grey Ferguson

Christopher J. 1955 Ferguson TE-F20 Turner

Best Grey Ferguson Implement

Ferguson Mk1 tipping trailer

Colin Taylor

Best Ferguson TE-20 Continental

1948 Ferguson TE-20 Continental

Colin Taylor

Best Ford & Fordson

Fordson E27N

Laura Harbour

Best European

1960 Fahr D133N

Malcolm Johnson

Best Marshall

Marshall 12-20

Andrew Hearn

Best Lanz Exhibit

1956 Hela Lanz

Paul Price

Best Steel Wheel or Tracked

1944 Fordson N Roadless

Mark and Sam Ducksbury

Best NVTEC National Member’s Vintage Tractor

Fordson E27N

Laura Harbour

Best Notts NVTEC Member’s Tractor

1949 Fordson E27N

Philip Gibson

Best Feature Marquee Exhibit

Nuffield M4 and Bamfords mower

Don Gibson

1949 John Deere D

Gordon Carson & Bryan Beba

Best John Deere

OWNER

Best Nuffield Tractor from Nuffield & Leyland Display Nuffield 10/60

David Yates

Best Featured Horticultural Exhibit (Ransomes)

Matthew Johnson

1950 Ransomes motor mower

Best Tractor Pre-1930 1919 Cletrac H crawler Oliver West Oldest Vintage Tractor 1917 Samson Sieve Grip

Gordon Carson & Bryan Beba

Best Unrestored Vintage Tractor

1956 Bolinder Munktell 425

Arthur Wilkinson

Best Tractor & Implement Combination

1948 Ferguson TE-20 Continental and Mk1 tipping trailer

Colin Taylor

Best Nominated Exhibit 1927 Fordson F

Nick Bryne

Best Collection of Tractors

Ferguson & Massey Ferguson

John McGann

Best Collection of Exhibits

Crawlers and other outdoor exhibits

Adam Fox

Concours D’Elegance

1957 Ferguson FE-35

John McGann

“Several of the regional NVTEC groups laid on some excellent displays” 62

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ABOVE: The John Deere theme, promoted as the first 50 years of tractors, but ultimately bolstered by many later classics, attracted 30 tractors and could have been better given that it coincided with the centenary of Deere’s entry into the tractor business.

Canada and a 1949 model AN, serial number 593121. A John Deere with rather more English provenance was David Leech’s mighty 5010, one of a small handful sold in the UK by the then distributor Lundell. This tractor was the first one in the country and it was displayed at the 1962 Smithfield Show in London. After its moment in the spotlight, the tractor went to work in Norfolk, spending the next 20 years there before finding its way to contractor David Leech in Lincolnshire in 1982. It was used with a Hesston 4800 big baler for a number of years but has been in retirement for over 25 years. What was notable in the marquee was the absence of a club to represent John Deere enthusiasts. All the other major brands now have their own club or clubs.

LEFT: Ashley Boyle’s 1919 International Harvester 15-30, serial number EC1853, was one of the star attractions on the stand of the Nottinghamshire branch of the NVTEC.

Made in Lincolnshire

BELOW: Blue Force celebrated 60 years of the Fordson Power Major with a display that included a standard model on a plinth along with Matbro, Whitlock, Doe and County conversions.

ABOVE: The scene inside the Friends of Ferguson Heritage’s packed marquee. It was easily the club’s biggest and best display yet at the Newark event. BELOW: Lee Gilbert’s 1924 Rumley Oil-Pull H 16-30, which was discovered in Ireland earlier this year after 20 years in storage, towered over Michael Hart’s 1923 IH McCormick Deering 10-20. LEFT: Colin Taylor’s 1947 Ferguson TE-20 was judged to be the best Continentalengined model in the show and his Ferguson Mk1 tipping trailer won the ‘Best Ferguson Implement’ award.

FERGUSON/MF

The vast range of exhibits in the Friends of Ferguson Heritage marquee did not disappoint. The point of conversation for many was Colin Taylor’s Ferguson TE-20 petrol Continental, serial number 27976, and Ferguson Mk1 tipping trailer. The tractor is still on its 71-year-old tyres and was only ever used with a transport box on a Lanarkshire sheep farm until purchased by Colin a few years ago. The trailer was found in France, and apart from a few fresh boards of wood, it is otherwise 100% complete and untouched. Both the tractor and trailer won numerous awards at Newark. Standing tall above the rest was a Massey Ferguson 65 aboard a 1962 Morris FF ﬂatbed lorry. David Golding of Tolleshunts Farm, near Maldon, Essex, purchased the lorry new and

used it mainly for corn carting, straw and hay haulage and other local milling operations. It is still owned by the Golding family and remains untouched. The MF 65 on the back, owned and restored by Neil Cooper, spent all its life in Essex, working at Blossomwood Farm, near Elmstead Market. At the head of the Ferguson Club stand was a 1960 Massey Ferguson 65 Mk1 that was recently unearthed at Bodmin in Cornwall by Ashley Ablett. Other than some attention to the brakes and rear end seals, the tractor remains just as it was on the farm. David Harris’ 1954 Ferguson beet topper, serial number 66, also took pride of place on the stand. This rare implement has been subject to a nut-and-

Highlights on the Carrington Rally stand included a 1921 British Wallis and matching 1921 Ruston & Hornsby two-furrow plough owned by Robert Crawford. This Grantham-built tractor was brought back to the UK from Australia in around 2000. The total number of these tractors in the UK is now five, but a few years ago there was only one Lincoln-built British Wallis in Britain. The special tractor and plough combination complemented Carrington Rally’s extensive ‘Made or supplied in Lincolnshire’ display, which was promoting the theme of its 2019 event. This included a number of makers’ plates, cast seats and other memorabilia all produced by Lincolnshire firms such as Hornsby, Blackstone, Clayton & Shuttleworth, Edlington and Cooke. Another centrepiece was a restored horse plough made by Hodgson of Louth. The 2019 Carrington Rally takes place over the Sunday and Monday of the May bank holiday.

ABOVE AND LEFT: On the Carrington Rally stand, Robert Crawford’s 1921 Ruston & Hornsby British Wallis and matching 1921 Ruston & Hornsby plough were being used to promote the ‘Made in Lincolnshire’ theme at the 2019 event. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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2018 NEWARK SHOW

ABOVE: One of the stars of the FoFH marquee was David Golding’s 1962 Morris FF flatbed lorry and Neil Cooper’s Massey Ferguson 65, the aim being to recreate a combination that would have been typical of that used by dealer Eastern Tractors Ltd.

ABOVE: Peter Nutley’s Women’s Land Army display in the Blue Force marquee was one of the highlights of the show. A 1922 Fordson F and Lee Cox’s 1943 Fordson N were surrounded by Peter’s tools, photographs, literature and other artefacts telling the story of a number of Land Girls. bolt restoration and it is thought to be one of five or six examples still in existence.

FORDSON

Blue Force was celebrating 60 years of the Fordson Power Major in its marquee, where as was well as a number of standard examples there were some rare conversions. A point-of-sale display was authentically recreated using a well-presented 1959 Power Major and some signage. On one side of the Power Major was James Wood’s 1960 Whitlock Dinkum digger, built around a Super Major, and on the other side was the Fenton family’s 1958 Doe Dual Power. Equally eye-catching was Peter Nutley’s Women’s Land Army display

ABOVE: Andrew Blagg’s 1958 Claeys M80 combine, restored during 2018, was one of the larger exhibits in the George Stephenson Hall. The very early Roadless Ploughmaster 6/4 beside it, owned by Malcolm Cooke, was fresh out of Ben Craig’s paint shop. featuring a 1922 Fordson model F and Lee Cox’s 1943 Fordson model N, the latter believed to have a military history. Peter’s amazing collection of hand tools, booklets, artefacts and numerous archive photographs was a joy to behold, especially his pictures documenting the lives of Land Girls such as Marjorie Pittaway of Lincolnshire, Gwen Howland of Buckinghamshire and Joan Locke of Sussex.

Another tractor taking centre stage was Ian Goblin’s 1918 Fordson model F. This tractor’s history board summed it up with the statement: ‘The Model F did for tractors what the Model T did for automobiles’. The outdoor Ford & Fordson Association stand followed a similar theme as it too showcased a number of model Fs. New to the FFA’s stand this year was Mike Stevenson’s 1924 model F, which had very little of its original paintwork remaining due to having previously worked on the Canadian prairies. However, it is all the better for being left in its original time warp condition. The fitting winner of the Best Nominated Exhibit award was Nick Bryne’s 1927 Fordson Model F,

“The vast range of exhibits in the Friends of Ferguson Heritage marquee did not disappoint”

Horticultural The marquee leading into the George Stephenson Exhibition Hall contained a display of Ransomes crawlers, lawnmowers and implements. Exhibits included David Buttriss’s 1944 MG5 fitted with a manual blade on the front of the crawler, Gebrett Reynolds’ 1957 MG6 crawler

with a rotavator attachment and a hand-drawn Ransomes Flea Beetle Duster designed to apply insecticide to brassica crops. A fine display of other horticultural tractors and displays could be found in the Crocker Halls, with one of the highlights being Robin Day’s 1946 three-wheel

Garrett BMB Plowmate. This machine is thought to be one of only a handful built by G. J. Garrett & Sons of Dartford, Kent. Another interesting exhibit was Bill Thornburn’s 1940 Bristol 10 crawler and 1940 Robot Transplanter, which worked together on a north Kent farm in the 1940s and 50s.

ABOVE: Ransomes was the main horticultural theme at Newark, and it attracted a good selection of MG crawlers, lawnmowers and implements.

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P R E S E RVAT I O N

2018 NEWARK SHOW

Auction results

Brown & Co’s collective sale on the Saturday attracted a large number of lots. Among the tractors, a very original IH BTD-6 crawler achieved a stellar £2900 and a complete Nuffield Universal M4 went for £2000. A 1950 John Deere model A, which looked to be in its original clothes, was a good buy at £800, as was a rare Bean tool frame for restoration at just £150. A Newarkproduced Nicholson single-row hay turner for restoration, but complete, made £60.

ABOVE: This IH BTD-6 crawler in its original working clothes sold for £2900 in Brown & Co’s vintage collective sale.

“Blue Force was celebrating 60 years of the Fordson Power Major”

RIGHT: For those who like tractors in their working clothes, Ferguson Club member Ashley Ablett was exhibiting an as-found 1960 MF 65 that he recently acquired from Bodmin in Cornwall. which after being imported from the USA in 2008 underwent a thorough restoration to concours standard.

VETERANS

Visitors to the East Anglian group of the NVTEC’s stand were treated to some veteran gems in the shape of Gordon Carson and Bryan Beba’s 1917 Samson 6-12 Sieve Grip and Oliver West’s 1919 Cletrac H crawler. The Samson is believed to be the only one of six Sieve Grips imported from California in 1917, while the Cletrac worked in the Herefordshire area after being imported by H. ABOVE: Robin Day’s 1946 Garrett BMB Plowmate was built by G. J. Garrett & Sons of Dartford, Kent. Only a small number, G. Burford in 1919. The group was also promoting its Stradsett believed to be six, were produced. Park rally on 5-6 May 2019. One of the stars on the nearby still in existence and Brian now NVTEC Nottinghamshire group stand intends to use it extensively at was Ashley Boyles’ mighty 1919 ploughing matches. At 11am on 11 November the International Harvester 15-30. showground fell silent. Hung on the The Allis-Chalmers Owners Club walls of the George Stephenson Hall had a presence and one of the were boards commemorating the role highlights of its stand was Brian of the various agricultural Spencer’s 1938 A-C M crawler with a manufacturers and their machines Gardener 5LW five-cylinder engine. during the First World War. Located This tractor, a genuine UK import that worked in Suﬀolk, has received a nearby was a German WW1 ‘Gulaschkanone’ field cooker, which first-class restoration, including new was built in Austria and captured by electrics, side panels and sump British forces in 1916 who continued to guards. The crawler is believed to be use it for the remainder of the war. the only Gardner-converted example

Brian Spencer’s newly-restored 1938 Allis-Chalmers M crawler with a Gardner 5LW five-cylinder diesel engine created a lot of interest on the Allis-Chalmers Owners Club stand.

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Somerset Vintage & Classic

TRACTOR SHOW 2019

SAT 26 - SUN 27 JANUARY

INDOOR STATIC TRACTOR SHOW Special feature: INTERNATIONAL TRACTORS Tractors, implements, trade stands, toys, models & books, etc.

ND REN £4 U O GR 6QN CHILD

Raising money for local charities.

OWSET BA4£8 OAPs £6 H S ST MER DULTS

AUCTION on Saturday by H J Pugh & Co.

WAELLET, pSmOENTRY: A & TH M -3.30

BASHEPTUONNDAY: 9am &S

Y: 9

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4pm am-

Contact: Nick 01749 860514 or Mike 07976 535762

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Somerset Vintage and Classic Tractor Show

EASTERN COUNTIES VINTAGE SHOW Eastern Counties Vintage Show, is held at the Norfolk Showground, Norwich, Norfolk, NR5 0TT The showcase for vintage and classic tractors of all makes, commercial vehicles, stationery engines, heavy horses, miniature steam, vintage, veteran and classic cars. Evening dinner with entertainment.

Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st March 2019 Entrance is £10 per adult and children free. Camping for the weekend is available.

Historic Stores • Farm Museum • Acorns Café

WHERE THE PAST COMES TO LIFE! Something for everyone from 8 to 80, from the thousands of items in the Historic Stores to the impressive display of tractors and farm equipment. A fabulous and unique trip down memory lane. Take a break during your tour and visit our Acorns Café for a range of drinks, snacks and meals.

Exhibits and trade stands invited. Oakham Farm, Portbury Lane, Portbury, Bristol BS20 7SP Tel: 01275 375 236

www.oakhamtreasures.co.uk Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am – 5pm

Contact: Roger Desborough 01502 478268 Mobile 07836 620506 Mike Curtis: 07753182065 or email roger.desborough@btconnect.com

www.easterncountiesvintageshow.co.uk www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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P r e s e rvat i o n

ORIGINAL NUFFIELDS

“The orange Nuffield and blue Leyland tractor ranges became the focus of my working life”

GETTING REACQUAINTED

The Nuffield 342 and 460 owned by Brian Prime are some of the most genuine and original examples in the country. Who better to comment on the features of these outstanding machines than Tony Thomas, whose career in Nuffield’s sales department began in 1962, when the 342 and 460 were still in production Pictures by Howard Grigg

Brian Prime’s untouched Nuffield 342 and 460 tractors in a timeless hay meadow setting on his farm near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire.

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ABOVE: Many years after their first encounters with Nuffield, Tony Thomas, seated, and retired civil engineer Brian Prime remain fond of the marque they both consider to be the Rolls-Royce of its time.

he scene was set and the location could not have been better. It was a gloriously warm and sunny April spring day, with hardly a cloud in the blue sky, and I was standing in a pasture field on one of the tidiest small Staffordshire farms you could ever hope to find. The field hadn’t been ploughed for over 100 years and was lush with green grass and dotted with dandelions, all growing towards maturity for a heavy crop of top quality June hay. Then there was the owner himself, Brian Prime, and in his yard at Doveridge, near Uttoxeter, were two very special tractors, a Nuffield 342, serial number 50,318, and a Nuffield 460, serial number 40,007. These were not your highly restored machines, glistening like new, but two completely original and untouched machines, perfectly in keeping with their surroundings. So what was I doing there, in this virtual utopia, well into retirement and many years after my working association with these fine British tractors had come to an end? Well, I was reacquainting myself with two

RIGHT: The neat and compact lines of the 342. The steering wheel was slightly off-set to the driver’s right, a feature of all Nuffields up to and including the 10/42 and 10/60. highly original Nuffields of the type that were in production when I started my career with the company in 1962. At virtually the same time as these tractors were being made, I was embarking on a major change of direction. I had been working on a farm for seven years and had concluded that the ladder I was trying to climb into farming was just too long and too steep. So I decided it was time for a change. On 1 January 1962 (the first day of the year was not a bank holiday in those days) I took myself down to Cowley, near Oxford, and into the Home Sales Office of Nuffield Tractors. For the next 20 years, through what remained of the time of the British Motor Corporation and into the era of British Leyland, the orange Nuffield and blue Leyland tractor ranges became the focus of my working life. I first visited the 300-acre Bathgate factory site before the end of 1962 when the building contractors were still at work and the incomplete plant was very much in its infancy. At that time the transfer of tractor production from the Tractors & Transmissions branch at Ward End, Birmingham, was far from complete. In fact, for an initial period, 460

production remained at Ward End and only moved north when it was considered that the new workforce at Bathgate was sufficiently well trained and conversant with the technicalities of production methods on a moving conveyor line laid down to assemble as many as 750 tractors per week.

owards the end of 1962, following the end of a longish probation period with the company, I was appointed as area sales manager for the north of England and Scotland and so had the opportunity to visit the Bathgate factory on a regular basis. Who knows, these two old Staffordshire-based tractors may even have been on the production line during one of my visits? In any event, it was just a pleasure to spend time with them on Brian’s farm. The 460 was first registered on 6 May 1964, having been purchased new by local contractor Hedley Allsop of Hatton. Brian, who clearly remembers seeing the tractor at work in the locality when he was in his teens, managed to buy it in May 1997. It is currently showing 5140 hours on the clock or ‘tractometer’ as it used to be known in my day. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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Brian’s Nuffield 460, serial number 40,007, was first registered in May 1964, two years after Tony Thomas, seated, joined the company.

The 460 model designation, by the way, indicates that the tractor has a four-cylinder 3.77-litre engine rated at 60bhp. The 342 was registered on 11 June 1963 by its first owner, a Mr Buckley of Stanton, who had a small dairy farm. Brian purchased it at Mr Buckley’s farm dispersal sale in 1984 for £700, having previously made a pre-sale offer of £1500, which wasn’t accepted! The 342 has a threecylinder 2.55-litre version of the larger power unit, which is rated at 42bhp.

to be surprised at how little diesel and oil it uses. From the clutch rearwards the two tractors have a very similar technical specification: they use the same five-speed forward plus one reverse transmission, together with the same rear axle, brakes and hydraulic unit. The 342 is 12.7cm (5in) shorter in wheelbase and 279kg (615lb) lighter in all-up weight than its larger counterpart. The 460 was among the most powerful tractors available to British farmers of the early 1960s and this, together with a 20mph top

n both cases maximum rated power was achieved at 2000rpm. Both engines are of a long-stroke configuration with a bore of 100mm and a stroke measuring 125mm. They were both regarded as being right at the top of competitive comparisons when it came to hightorque, low-speed lugging capabilities and miserly fuel consumption. The 460’s power curve indicates that the maximum torque of 170lb.ft. was achieved right down the speed range at marginally over 1200rpm. Brian’s 460 is still used on a regular basis and he says that he continues

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Both of these Nuffields have virtually identical hydraulics. The linkage had adjustable length lift rods with a choice of four pin positions, telescopic and lockable stabilisers and a mechanical lift lock to hold implements in the fully raised position.

road gear, made it particularly popular with contractors. The example at Doveridge is still on its original factory-fitted oversize tyres – 14 x 30 at the back and 7.50 x 16 at the front, manufactured by Dunlop. Standard equipment would have been 11 x 36 plus 6.00 x 16, this being long before radial tyres began to be used. Every single Nuffield built prior to the early 1970s would have been equipped with tyres made in Birmingham by Dunlop. Contractors have a reputation for working their equipment hard and

“The 460 was among the most powerful tractors available to British farmers” ABOVE LEFT: Three- and four-cylinder BMC power units were both fitted with Simms Minimech in-line injection pumps. The three-cylinder engine in the Nuffield 342, pictured, delivered 42bhp. LEFT: The belt pulley on Brian’s 460 was used by previous owner, contractor Hedley Allsop, to power a Marshall threshing drum. At maximum engine speed of 2000erpm the pulley delivers 56bhp. Brian recalls that his 460 spent many hours ploughing and cultivating in the area with its contractor owner, and he still has the set of cage wheels that came with it at the time of purchase. His tractor is also fitted with a left-hand, side-mounted belt pulley, which was used by Hedley Allsop to drive the Marshall threshing drum he operated as part of the service he offered to farmers in the area. Tractors of the early 1960s came with very few of the refinements that operators now expect to be part of the standard specification. Power steering was a rarity and cabs were virtually unknown, and neither the 342 or 460 has either of these. However, from the late 1950s, Nuffield was one of the few, if not the first in the world, to introduce a fully independent PTO, operated via a hand clutch lever mounted close to the left-hand side of the transmission housing. At first this major breakthrough in PTO operation was offered as an optional extra and while Brian’s 460 is fitted with this item and is, therefore, classed as a De-Luxe model, his 342 has only a single clutch and, as a consequence, it has a nonindependent/non-live PTO.

P r e s e rvat i o n

ORIGINAL NUFFIELDS

Swapping balls One small item of interest on the Nuffield 342 at Doveridge concerns the hydraulic lift arms. In the 1960s most 40hp tractors had only category 1 linkages, simply because their pulling abilities together with limitations of hydraulic lift capacity dictated that they could only perform satisfactorily with category 1 implements. However, due to its combination of engine performance, tractive capability and hydraulic lift capacity, the 342 was able to operate with both category 1 and 2 implements and the three-point linkage on Brian’s tractor is fitted with a simple means of interchanging the balls in the link arm ends. To Brian’s credit the category 1 balls are still to be found in the toolbox of his Nuffield 342.

ow times and tractor specs have changed! As a point of interest, the chassis number prefix of Brian’s 342 reads 42B, the ‘B’ indicating a standard specification, i.e. without independent PTO. The 460’s number, on the other hand, reads 60N, the ‘N’ signifying that the tractor was built to the double clutch specification. On a general basis it is worth mentioning that the 342 and 460 marked a departure from a form of model designation that commenced in 1948 when the first Nuffield was introduced. All previous tractors, be they three or four cylinders, were known as ‘Universal’. This indicated that the design was sufficiently versatile to be used anywhere in the world and that the tractors were capable of operating with implements and equipment from a wide variety of manufacturers. This latter fact was considered important since Nuffield never had any real intention of designing and manufacturing its own in-house range of implements, unlike Harry Ferguson. By the late 1950s and certainly by the time the 342 and 460 was

ABOVE: Link ends of the Nuffield 342 provide a simple means of changing between category 1 and 2 balls. Brian has retained both sets of link arm balls. introduced, the Nuffield marque was firmly established, not only in the UK but also in all major markets around the world. Its reputation for high levels of reliability, durability and performance was well established. The 342 and 460 models also marked the introduction of Nuffield’s first draft control system. All previous models were fitted with simple lift-and-drop hydraulic circuitry that would have required the use of a depth control wheel on most www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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ORIGINAL NUFFIELDS

“Nuffield was considered by many to be the Rolls-Royce of tractors in its time”

RIGHT: The standard specification of the Nuffield 342 didn’t include a water temperature gauge, hence the left-hand blanking plate. The five-speed gearbox was controlled by a single lever. Launched in late 1961, the 42hp Nuffield 342 and 60hp Nuffield 460 marked the introduction of the company’s first draft control system. These very original examples belong to retired civil engineer, Brian Prime, of Uttoxeter, Staffs.

soil-engaging implements. Other UK-based manufacturers had, by this time, followed the lead set by Harry Ferguson and introduced systems that didn’t contravene the various patents protecting the Ferguson design. It took a while longer for Bill Whatton, design manager at the time, and his team of engineers at Ward End in Birmingham to finalise the Nuffield system and the two models of the type now working out their partial retirement at Doveridge were the first to benefit from this.

o what about cost all those years ago? A November 1961 retail price list published by Nuffield gave the price of a 460 De Luxe (i.e. complete with independent PTO) as £807, while a 342 to a single clutch specification, the same as Brian’s, would have cost £695. Both list prices would have been subject to some discount. What, I wonder, is the value today of these two highly cherished Nuffields, both of which are getting close to 50 years old? I suspect no

amount of money would persuade Brian Prime to part with them, and why should he? Having spent a very pleasant day with Brian and his Nuffields, it seems these tractors have become firm favourites and fixtures on his farm. Above all else, he appreciates all that once represented the best of British engineering and manufacturing. After all, the Nuffield was considered by many to be the Rolls-Royce of tractors in its time, but then, after all those years with the company, I suppose I would say that!

PTO benefits An excerpt from the Nuffield 342 and 460 driver’s handbook on the subject of the independent PTO makes interesting reading, as follows: ‘With this new independent power, the performance of such implements as a combine, baler, mower, potato digger, hedge cutter etc., is vastly improved, and in most cases the need for engine-driven implements is eliminated. ‘Quick clearance of tufted or bunched crops and difficult field operations may be accomplished with full implement power simply by depressing the tractor clutch pedal. When forward movement of the tractor is reduced or halted, the implement will continue running without pause. When the clutch pedal is released the tractor moves forward again. The tractor may be stopped, started or shifted into any gear without interruption of the power ABOVE AND INSET: The fully independent PTO on Nuffield DeLuxe versions , controlled by a nearside hand clutch lever, inset, was probably a world first. take-off operation.’

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P r e s e rvat i o n

WORKING WONDERS David Throup using his 1965 David Brown 880 Implematic, which has been in his family from new, to turn hay above the hills of Silsden in West Yorkshire.

STAYING IN THE FAMILY Purchased new by its current owner’s grandfather in 1965, this West Yorkshirebased David Brown 880 Implematic is still leading an active life and was busy turning hay when Ken Topham caught up with it earlier this summer

SERVICE RECORD S 53 YEAR

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avid Throup and his father Frank farm 250 acres in the hills of West Yorkshire, rearing 30 head of Hereford/Limousin beef cattle, as well as 1000 sheep and lambs. While Frank is very much a farmer, David’s interests keep him in the farm workshop. As a school leaver David knew he wanted to work on tractors and machinery. He worked part-time and then full-time for a local farm machinery dealership until it fell victim to a dip in agricultural fortunes and closed its doors in 1998. David had gained some valuable experience of working on mainly Massey Ferguson and David Brown tractors, so he put it to good use doing small repairs for local farmers on his own account, scaling things up as he became more experienced. He is a dedicated DB man and over recent years he has become well known in the David Brown world, particularly through his involvement with the David Brown Tractor Club. He carries out a lot of repairs to local DB tractors, along with other brands from the classic era, while at the same time helping his father on the farm. When people talk about the prices of modern tractors, they usually compare them to a house, and that’s what David’s grandfather Kenneth said when he wrote a cheque for £760 to pay for a new David Brown 880 Implematic in 1965. Back then that cheque would have bought a modest house in the nearby town of Silsden.

LEFT: After an estimated 20,000 hours, the dimples on the pedals have almost worn smooth. Apart from the addition of a foot throttle and new seat cushions, everything else is original.

LEFT: This 1965 DB 880 has the AD3/40 three-cylinder engine; earlier models, built between September 1961 and September 1964, used a four-cylinder unit.

RIGHT: Following a decision to make hay this year instead of silage, David Throup’s 1965 David Brown 880 Implematic found itself partnered with a PZ Haybob.

Kenneth’s farm was expanding and increasing the head count of stock meant every other element of the farm also had to grow, and one tractor was no longer sufficient. Back in the days before the farm made silage, the summer months were spent gathering as much hay as possible, which in itself was a manual task, although at least labor was more plentiful in those days. Fast forward and normally David, his wife Jess and father Frank, along with other helpers, make silage, an operation which involves a variety of tractors, most of which are David Browns. This year the family’s DB 880 Implematic, serial number 526989, returned to front-line hay-making duties after David, grandson of the original owner, decided to take advantage of the hot and settled summer weather to make hay instead of silage. So

“The 880 rolled back the years and went out turning hay with a PZ Haybob” the 880 rolled back the years and went out turning hay with a PZ Haybob. Although now back at its original farm, this David Brown has moved around during its time with the Throup family. David’s father Frank was one of nine siblings, most of them dairy and livestock farmers, and if there’s one machine stockmen always need it’s a good scraper tractor. This little 880 did its fair share of yard work on a number of David’s uncle’s farms from the mid-1970s. In 2010 David managed to re-acquire the DB and bring it home for good. The tractor had made return visits home before, notably when it received an engine rebuild in June 1988 (a new crank was fitted as part of a full engine overhaul). The engine was rebuilt again in 2011, not long after it entered David’s ownership. The original oil pump was checked and left in place as it had minimal wear. There are 16,580 hours showing on the still functioning clock, but David reckons the true

figure is in excess of 20,000. “The clocks only count full hours near PTO rpm, and this tractor has done a lot of work at a lower rpm,” he explains. This David Brown is very original, apart from the engine components that have been replaced over the years. Even the brakes, which have benefited from regular inspection and adjustment, are original. The tinwork is very straight, apart from a ding in the nose cone. “My late uncle John got a bit ambitious with the Howard 150 rotor spreader on a greasy field one day,” notes David. “He went to the top of a rather steep field and then very quickly ended up at the bottom. It was before the days of trailer brakes and the spreader pushed the tractor down into a stone wall. Thankfully it had slowed down a bit before hitting the wall so we were able to knock the worst of it out, and there was hardly any other damage.”

lthough the Throups are by no means short of tractors, their 880 is still out all year round in all weathers. It often works with a Marshall rotor spreader, feeds the sheep in the winter and, in the event of the electricity failing, it also operates a 70KVA generator. In fact this 880 probably clocks more hours than many of the farm’s larger cabbed models. Over the years, David reckons he’s had over 100 tractors pass through his hands, but it’s safe to say this 880 will be going nowhere. It clearly has a great sentimental value, but equally, he says, it remains a very fine working tractor.

Working Wonders

If you own or use a vintage tractor or machine that’s over 50 years old and is still working commercially, we would like to hear from you. Our ‘Working Wonders’ section is dedicated to these grand old machines that just keep going. Send us a few details and a good picture or two and we will do the rest. Let’s give those golden oldies some praise! E-mail: editor@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk or write to: Heritage Tractor, Sundial Magazines, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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WORKING WONDERS

CAPABLE OF WORK

1953

1963

1957

There’s just no stopping some golden oldies. Here is a selection of the vintage tractors, all over 50 years old, that are still working for a living

This Massey Ferguson 35X, serial number 334734, was delivered brand new by dealer Blashford Motors (Ringwood) Ltd to a boatyard near Christchurch in Dorset on 11 September 1963. Both the boatyard, which currently trades under the name of Bournemouth Boating Services, and the MF 35X are still going strong, the latter being used for hauling vessels in and out of the slipway of the River Stour. Unlike the tractors that went into farming, this loader-equipped MF 35X has done relatively few hours and remains in very good condition.

1963

This David Brown Cropmaster Diesel has spent its entire life at Goldwell Farm, near Crewkerne, in Somerset. The serial number of PD17614 dates this DB to early 1953. A late example, it was one of 8499 Cropmaster Diesels made at Meltham between November 1949 and March 1953. It belongs to David Swaffield, but was purchased new by his grandfather’s uncle Archie Dennett. It was supplied by Gibbs of Crewkerne, complete with a DB two-furrow plough, which is also still on the farm. It was the main tractor for several years, before gradually taking a back seat role as more modern machines took over the mantle. It never stopped working entirely and in recent years it has been used for light jobs such as driving a saw bench. One of its more notable outings in 2018 was when it helped to compact the farm’s silage clamp.

It has only been with its current owner since June, but this 1957 Fordson Major, which looks a tidy and straight example, is already proving its worth on Colin Agar’s farm near Leek in Staffordshire. Colin became the tractor’s sixth owner when he acquired it from a local farm auction at Ipstones. So far he has used it for muck spreading and apparently it was a great success. Colin also plans to use it for hay making next year and other farm jobs.

Robert Fearnley’s MF 35X was purchased new in 1963 from Barclay Motors of Bury St. Edmunds as a replacement for a Fordson Dexta on his family’s Suffolk farm. It originally had an MF loader, but this ended up on the farm’s MF 135. The 35X has been on the farm ever since and remains in very original condition. Due to its light weight, Robert says he prefers it to his MF 250 for harrowing. The tractor is used for a range of jobs including hay making, topping and sawing timber.

Working Wonders

If you own or use a vintage tractor or machine that’s over 50 years old and it is still working commercially, we would like to hear from you. Our ‘Working Wonders’ section is dedicated to those grand old machines that just keep going. Send us a few details and a good picture or two and we shall do the rest. Let’s give those golden oldies some praise! E-mail: editor@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk or write to: Heritage Tractor, Sundial Magazines, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS.

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T h e

K n o w l e d g e

KNOW YOUR IH FARMALL F SERIES

Row-crop range International Harvester shipped over 1500 Farmall F Series row-crop tractors to this country during the 1930s and a good number of these imports have survived into preservation. Harry Henderson provides an overview of the main models and their features

arly tractors tended to focus on providing power for the plough, broad-acre grain farming operations and power for belt-driven equipment. Navigating crops grown in rows was still the preserve of the horse and weed control in row crops was often done by hand. After a couple of attempts at a

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ABOVE: This 1935 Farmall F-12, right, was one of 627 sold in the UK, while the F-30 from the same year, left, was one of just 33 units to be imported between 1933 and 1939.

bi-directional motor cultivator, International Harvester launched the Farmall in 1924. It featured a tricycle wheel configuration that allowed two rows of crop to pass each side of the single front wheel and between the two rear wheels. The high seating position provided the driver with good visibility of the crop, while implements could be underslung beneath the tractor just

in front of the driver. It was a winning combination and after a steady start, the Farmall Regular set the standard for row-crop farming across the world and for the next 30 years. Offering the Farmall to British farmers was a natural progression. IH’s British subsidiary had built a solid reputation for supplying quality tractors during and after the First World War and the Farmall

RIGHT: To reduce cost and maintain crop clearance, the Farmall F-12 and F-14 models came with taller wheels, which in time became the norm on all models.

concept continued that tradition. The Farmall Regular appeared at the 1930 World Tractor Trials and while the test results were favourable, just 89 tractors were sold prior to the introduction of the F Series range. IHGB displayed six tractors at the 1933 Smithfield Show, held at the Royal Agricultural Hall, London. The smallest of these was the new Farmall F-12, which was praised by the press for its adjustable track widths and versatility. The design of the Farmall, with its two chassis rails running from the front axle bolster to the rear axle, enabled mid-mounted implements to be fitted. The engine was fitted to the chassis rails and power was fed into the gearbox via a short guarded shaft. A belt pulley and PTO were fitted as standard equipment across the range. The purpose of this guide is to look at the Farmall F Series tractors that made their way over to Britain.

and much larger diameter rear wheels standing 54in or nearly 1.4m tall, as opposed to the two larger tractors at 40in or 1m. This also made adjusting the rear wheel track straightforward, enabling infinite adjustment between 44in and 78in (110-195cm).

LEFT:The narrow waist of the Farmall F Series tractors (this is the F-30) provides excellent visibility of the crop passing beneath and through inter-row cultivator equipment. BELOW: Wide front axles were far more popular than the V-twin or single-wheel set-up.

A new transmission, featuring three forward speeds of 2¼, 3 and 4mph, proved very successful. From 1936 a hydraulic power-lift became available, which also formed the basis of future Farmall tractors and was copied by Russian tractor builders in the 1940s and 50s. The F-12 initially used a Waukesha engine before moving to an IH unit in 1933. These engines had full pressure lubrication and used replaceable shell bearings.

“OFFERING THE FARMALL TO BRITISH FARMERS WAS A NATURAL PROGRESSION” Also, improved gas flow within the cylinder head made for an easy-starting, lively and fuel-efficient engine. In the UK, wide front axle tractors were far more popular and visually attractive. The wheel choice was extensive: 4in-wide steel wheels were the most popular, but pneumatic tyres were making

FARMALL F-12

The F-12 was the lightest and most popular tractor in the Farmall F Series and it was about half the price of the F-20. To reduce cost, weight and retain rear axle clearance the F-12 didn’t use the ‘drop box’ arrangement at the axle ends, as used by the F-20 and F-30 models. The brakes on the F-12 ran on bull pinion shafts from the forward mounted differential. It used a conventional beam axle www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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KNOW YOUR IH FARMALL F SERIES

RIGHT: The Farmall F-30 engine used a part-filtration splash lubrication system that was beginning to show its age when this tractor was built in 1935.

“THE F-12 WAS THE LIGHTEST AND MOST POPULAR TRACTOR IN THE FARMALL F SERIES” Farmall specifications Model Engine

F-12 4-cyl in-line petrol/paraffin Power 16hp Rated speed 1400rpm Bore & stroke 3in x 4in (72.2mm x 101.6mm) Displacement 113cu.in (1853cc) Weight 2700lb (1225kg)

F-14 4-cyl in-line petrol/paraffin 17.5hp 1650rpm 3in x 4in (72.2mm x 101.6mm) 113cu.in (1853cc) 2800lb (1270kg)

F-20 4-cyl in-line petrol/paraffin 28hp 1200rpm 3.75in x 5in (95mm x 127mm) 220.9cu.in (3600cc) 2700lb (1225kg)

F-30 4-cyl in-line petrol/paraffin 30hp 1150rpm 4.25in x 5in (108mm x 127mm) 284cu.in (4649cc) 5300lb (2400kg)

running from the front of the tractor. The steering wheel itself was larger to provide lighter steering. Internal changes amounted to raising the engine speed to 1650rpm, which required slight modifications in the transmission to maintain forward speeds. Despite its short run, almost 32,000 F-14 models were produced, this impressive figure giving an indication of the scale of the company’s tractor manufacturing at the time.

FARMALL F-20

Annual imports Farmall model F-12 F-14 F-20 F-30

Wheel equipment Steel Rubber Steel Rubber Steel Rubber Steel

Years imported 1933 to 1939 1934 to 1938 1938 to 1939 1938 to 1939 1934 to 1939 1935 to 1939 1932 to 1939

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Number imported 627 77 154 62 518 47 33

inroads, hence the availability of French & Hecht spoke wheels for the F-12.

FARMALL F-14

Replacing the F-12 in 1938 and ending in 1939, the F-14 offered more power in the same size tractor, although differences between the two were minimal. The driver got a higher seating position as the steering wheel was raised by 10cm (4in), contributing to the distinctive sloping steering rod

LEFT: The 30hp Farmall F-30 was a substantial tractor, capable of all the work undertaken by more conventional IH tractors, such as the 15-30.

Introduced in 1932 as a direct replacement for the Farmall Regular, the F-20 had 15% more power and four forward speeds of 2¼, 2¾, 3¼ and 3¾mph, and for the first time a wide front axle was an option. In 1935, rubber tyres became a factory option. Brakes for the F-20 and F-30 took the form of an external expanding shoe and drum system, operating on the ends of the half-shafts on the drop box arrangement. The belt pulley could also run any

Serial numbers

equipment on the rally field and lining up the tractor so the belt stays on is a good test of skill! The petrol/paraffin engine has IH’s own EA4 magneto and a Zenith K-5 carburettor. Well maintained, both will be very reliable and provide easy starting and smooth running. Both F-20 and F-30 tractors could come with either single or double mechanical power lift systems for integrated implements, and these are highly prized by collectors today. For IH, the F-20 was the best seller in the USA, but in the UK it was the F-12 that was the most popular.

FARMALL F-30

The F-30 fulfilled the need for a three-plough tractor. Basically a scaled-up F-20, it was perhaps a little big for the British farmer. Consequently, just 33 tractors were sold between 1933 and 1939.

A four-speed transmission provided speeds of 2, 2¾, 3¼ and 3¾mph. Like the F-20, the engine harked back to an earlier age in tractor development. The crankshaft ran on ball bearings with no centre bearing and relied on splash lubrication, while the valve gear on the cylinder head relied on a diligent operator pouring a quarter of a pint of oil into a small cap on the rocker cover every day. The magneto was an IH E4A until serial number FB7038, after which it changed to an IH F4. Carburettors included a Schebler TDFX-8 up to serial FB1128, then a Zenith K5 thereafter. The F-30 is a rare tractor in the UK, very capable at vintage working events and a rewarding machine to own. It is an altogether heavier tractor, weighing at least 2400kg, so you will need a good trailer or lorry to move it around.

ABOVE: Note the hand-operated brake lever and the spring leading to the steering system. This set-up provided automated braking when turning in full lock.

Farmall F-12 FS 501 to FS 525 FS 526 to FS 4880 FS 4881 to FS 17410 FS 17411 to FS 48659 FS 48660 to FS 81836 FS 81837 to 117517 FS 117518 to FS 123942 (end) Farmall F-14 FS 124000 to FS 139606 FS 139607 to FS 155902 (end) Farmall F-20 FA 501 to 3000 1932 FA 3001 to 6381 TA 135000 to 135661 TA 6382 to 32715 TA 32716 to 68748 TA 68749 to 105596 TA 105597 to 130864 TA 130865 to TA 148810 (end) Farmall F-30 FB 501 to FB 1183 FB 1184 to FB 4304 FB 4305 to FB 5525 FB 5526 to FB 7031 FB 7302 to FB 10406 FB 10407 to FB 18683 FB 18684 to FB 26848 FB 27186 to FB 28719 FB 29007 to FB 30026 (end)

Year 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1938 1939

1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939

BRAKES

All Farmall F Series tractors had cables running to the front bolster, connected to the steering gear. When the operator turned out of the row, the steering would be turned to full lock; a further turn would then apply tension to the cable, applying the corresponding brake and assisting the turn. If maintained correctly, this system works very well and enables the inside rear wheel to turn on its axis. No pedals were available, just a hand brake lever, so each brake could only be applied through turning to full lock. From 1939 the F-20 was equipped with independent brake pedals, located www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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KNOW YOUR IH FARMALL F SERIES

Timeline 1931 Farmall F-30 introduced, 30% larger than the Regular. 1932 Farmall F-12 introduced with Waukesha engine; first full production tractors appear in January. 1933 Farmall F-20 replaces the Regular. 1933 Farmall F-12 gets an IHC engine from serial number FS 3032. 1936 Hydraulic power-lift becomes an option for the F-12 from serial number FS 60824. 1936 Grey colour scheme gives way to bright red ‘Harvester No. 50 Motor Truck enamel’ from start of November. 1937 F-20 receives more power using a revised manifold and improved Zenith K-5 carburettor. 1938 Farmall F-14 introduced with more power and higher seating position. 1939 End of F-20 and F-30 production, although a few of both models are assembled from parts running into 1940. 1940 Last F-14 tractor produced on 27 January 1940.

ABOVE: The Farmall F-14 was equipped with a four-cylinder petrol/paraffin engine with a rating of 17.5hp. This model was only produced in 1938-1939.

“FOR THE COLLECTOR, THE FARMALL F SERIES OFFERS SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT” 82

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ABOVE: The portal axle arrangement used on the F-20 and F-30, pictured, provided excellent crop clearance and was the clever feature at the heart of early Farmall tractors. side by side on the right-hand side, just as you would expect to see them today.

WHEELS AND AXLES

Most Farmalls were originally fitted with steel wheels. The F-20 and F-30 models could be specified with a variety of wheel equipment of different widths. The rear wheels were reversible for different wheel tracks and could also be specified with different steel wheel widths. However, interest in rubber tyres was increasing. Some buyers specified their tractors with pneumatic tyres at the point of sale while enterprising local blacksmiths converted the steel wheels to rubber-tyred rims. Companies such as Dunlop offered pneumatic conversions with split-rim cast centres available for at least the F-12 and F-14. French & Hecht also offered its distinctive spoke wheels that enhance a tractor’s looks, although beware spurious claims that ‘cut-off ’ steel-wheel conversions are French & Hecht: close inspection will reveal blacksmithing rather than genuine manufacturing. Some tractors may have

pneumatic wheel equipment supplied by IHGB from its depot at Bootle, Liverpool, and these wheels will have split-rim cast centres.

SUMMARY

IH enjoyed considerable early success with its tractor line and more success would follow. The Farmall F Series was another resounding success for the company, which had a knack of building capable tractors at the right price. At the time, the Farmalls competed for sales with tractors from the same stable, namely the 10-20, 15-30, 22-36 and W Series. Today, for the collector, the Farmall F Series offers something a little different, being light to transport and simple to work on. Parts are relatively easy to find and the wide front-axle models remain popular with enthusiasts. Road runs are not looking likely, but these tractors are at home at working events. Their engines start easily and have a willing exhaust note and then there’s that seating position with its commanding view. Finally, our thanks to Corin Harris for making his Farmall tractors available.

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DARREN’S RUNNING REPORT

Back in the fold This 1930s unstyled John Deere BW was lost for many years, but now it is back on the farm where it last worked in 1940. Owner Darren Tebbitt updates us on the progress he has been making on its long-term restoration

his is one tractor I’ve wanted to own and restore for a long time. This un-styled John Deere BW is none other than the very first tractor to work the fields of our farm in the Cambridgeshire Fens and it started a mechanical revolution. There was no room for sentiment in those days, so

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ABOVE: Just as found, the partially dismantled un-styled John Deere BW required a full restoration. This was the Tebbitts’ first ever tractor.

when it was time to upgrade to another tractor the BW was simply part-exchanged. That was in 1940 and nobody knew or could remember where it went. Many years later, following some detective work, I managed to track it down to a shed just three miles away! Two years ago, when the owner decided to sell, he gave me first refusal, for which I am greatly indebted. It was with some excitement I went to view the

tractor, for although I’d known of its whereabouts for 20 years I hadn’t seen it. This was going to be a different sort of appraisal because I wanted to ‘save’ the tractor whatever its state. The question centred around negotiating a sensible asking price that reflected its condition. What I found was a sadlooking John Deere residing on an Ifor Williams trailer. It had recently been moved from its

WORN SPLINES RIGHT:The worn clutch drive disc splines were packed with shim stock to take up the slack; fortunately a new drive disc is available for this tractor.

which caused a bit of head scratching. Liberal rocking to and fro, and light taps with a rubber mallet brought success. The pulley broke free and on withdrawal a number of bearing rollers fell to the floor. The pulley bearing had disintegrated and its rollers had wedged the clutch in the operating position – a scary thought.

BELOW LEFT: How it should look: a period picture of an un-styled John Deere BW ploughing with a John Deere no.51 plough. Photo: John Deere Archives.

resting place where an element of disassembly had taken place in the distant past. The hood, air cleaner and fuel tanks had been removed, but were fortunately still present. However, a few small parts, chiefly fuel pipes and brake latches had gone astray. Good points included the presence of the original Fairbanks Morse magneto and minimal play at the fan blades, suggesting the normally troublesome fan shaft/ governor bevel gears and bearings might be all serviceable? Not so good was the clutch, which was stubbornly stuck in the engaged position, something I hadn’t encountered before. However, the pulley was locked tight to the crankshaft, indicating the clutch drive splines would be OK. The engine was free and appeared to have decent compression. A deal was done and our first-ever tractor returned home the following day, 75 years and 325 days since the day it left! That was just over two years ago. First and foremost, my plan for this sentimental purchase was preservation, and I aimed to retain as much of the original tractor as possible. Some people thought I should aim for a ‘rusty relic preservation’ and seek out used replacement parts with a tarnished appearance. That would have been fine, I suppose, but as some repairs were needed this tractor would need to be completely torn apart, and if

you’re going to do that you might as well do a proper restoration with new paint.

ENGINE STRIP DOWN

CLUTCH INVESTIGATION

With the tractor cleaned down, I was keen to find out what was going on with the stuck clutch. The pressure plate came off easily, but as the drive disc popped off I saw to my horror that a length of shim stock was lining the tapered splines and acting as make-do packing! At some time, the drive disc had become loose (common fault) and damage had occurred to its tapered splines, which connect with the engine crankshaft. Fortunately, the crankshaft had survived OK; the softer driving disc had borne the brunt of wear, and thankfully a new drive disc is available for this model. Although I’d removed the clutch drive parts and operating fork assembly, the pulley was still stubbornly stuck tight on the crankshaft,

BELOW LEFT: This flat-back transmission cover was fitted to tractors ordered without hydraulic lift, a rarity on the machines that were shipped over to Britain. BOTTOM LEFT: It was a great relief to see that the engine crankshaft splines were in surprisingly good condition, despite having run with a loose drive disc in the past.

Turning to the engine and the tricky job of removing the manifold, I was delighted to find that the manifold nuts and manifold itself came off easily to reveal clean gasket surfaces

“A DEAL WAS DONE AND OUR FIRST-EVER TRACTOR RETURNED HOME THE FOLLOWING DAY” on both the manifold and head. Not so good were the very thin manifold studs, two of which broke off level. Drilling them out takes patience and accuracy. Pulling the pistons out revealed mismatched piston rings. Grooves two and three were occupied by spurious oil control rings, and there

CRACKED BLOCK

BARE BACK

CRANK SPLINES

ABOVE: Disaster! The engine strip down revealed that both of the combustion chambers were cracked through to the water jacket. The reason for this isn’t known. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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DARREN’S RUNNING REPORT

was a John Deere compression ring in the oil control ring groove. The strip-down was going well until I cleaned the combustion chambers and found some ominous looking cracks in the cylinder block. Each cylinder had a crack opposite the spark plug hole through to the water jacket, and there were also cracks on the head surface. This bombshell was disheartening because the bores were bright and within tolerance. This was a low point of the project, as I now had to seek out a replacement block. In the meantime, I pressed on with cleaning the crankcase and oiling system. Dropping the oil filter brought more surprises: firstly the filter element cap had been over-

CLUTCH PARTS

ABOVE: A good exploded view of the clutch drive parts before they are re-assembled. New facings, a drive disc, a bearing and a retainer were required. LEFT: The new top water pipe, rear, in a jig awaiting brazing to the casting. In the foreground is the same component for a later styled John Deere model.

WATER PIPE CLOGGED SCREEN

“A COLLAPSED PULLEY BEARING ENDED THIS TRACTOR’S SERVICE LIFE” tightened, distorting the filter canister housing. Secondly, the tractor was still using the original three-thou brass oil filter cartridge. I was expecting to see a retro-fit paper element assembly, which doubled the oil filter change intervals. Lowering the oil pump, I found its screen was completely blocked with sludge.

SUMMARY

Today, two years into the project, most of the front half of the tractor has been overhauled and has received new paint. The refurbished clutch and first reduction parts are ready to be fitted, and as soon as I get another block I can rebuild the motor, refit the steering gear and crank it over. When the tractor is drivable I will test the transmission before work

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CYLINDER HEAD ABOVE: The overhauled head has new pushrod tubes, a water pipe connection and drain outlet. The exhaust valves are new, but the existing inlet valves were retained. RIGHT: In this view of the other end of the clutch you can see the operating sleeve and locking mechanism; the gear has to be heated for installation.

RIGHT: The oil pump screen was clogged with thick sludge, so any attempt to start the tractor would have resulted in oil starvation of the engine components.

LOCKING MECHANISM

begins on the rear axle. Tearing this tractor apart has revealed much about its chequered past. Minimal cylinder wear suggests low hours, while minimal carbon, intact gaskets and nonstandard piston rings indicate a

minor overhaul occurred not long before this tractor was stood down. Without question, a collapsed pulley bearing ended this tractor’s service life. When the bearing collapsed, it could no longer be driven.

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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

ADVICE LINE

OUR PANEL OF VINTAGE TRACTOR EXPERTS PROVIDE TECHNICAL ADVICE AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS

KEEPING OUT THE DIRT AND MOISTURE It doesn’t matter what age or make of tractor you own or operate, the last thing you want is unwanted moisture and debris getting inside your machine, advises former DB dealer service engineer David Brown.

One of the first signs of water ingress will be when the oil turns a milky coffee colour. This will cause it to lose its lubricating qualities and result in excessive wear in the gearbox, hydraulic pump and control valves. It also increases the condensation within the transmission which in turn produces the thick sludge that can result in filter and internal pipe blockages. The ingress of dirt, especially if a tractor works on sandy soils, can turn the oil into an abrasive fluid that will rapidly damage bearings and gears, not to mention problems with the hydraulic system and blocked filters. One of the most common causes of dirt and moisture ingress is rubber gear lever gaiters that have failed either through damage or turning brittle and cracking due to age. The photograph shows a gaiter that’s past its best and it can be seen how easily water and dirt can enter the gearbox. So,

Gear lever gaiters on this DB have perished with old age.

BATTERY LEVEL TOP-UP

Fitting new gaiters keeps out unwanted dirt and moisture.

REPLACED

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Prior to fitting a PTO-powered pulley, always check your tractor’s engine and hydraulic oil levels. Ensure the splined insert in the pulley and PTO shaft on the tractor are well greased and free of grit and debris. Once the belt pulley has been attached, and before running the tractor, check the pulley itself for sufficient oil and for any wear in the bearing. Also, ensure the check chains and link arms remain well clear of the pulley and the belt if they can’t be removed. Every time the pulley has been used, the nuts holding it to the tractor should be tightened as they can work themselves loose after running for long periods. Afterwards, if the tractor has been running on tick-over, it is worth checking the spark plugs haven’t become sooted-up.

PULLEY CHECKS When fitting a pulley make sure it’s greased and check it for bearing wear.

PERISHED

when there is any sign of problem with the gaiters, it is a very advisable to fit new ones as soon as possible. External hydraulic ram scrapper seals fitted to loaders and trailer tipping rams can also be the cause of water or dirt ingress. Once the scrapper seal is no longer effective water can seep into the ram

BELT PULLEY CHECK LIST

and then find its way into the hydraulic system. It is also good practice to ensure any external hydraulic connections are clean before they are coupled to the tractor; this will eliminate any possible contamination of the hydraulic system, as will always using clean jugs for topping-up or filling the transmission.

With the advent of cold winter weather, now is the time to make sure that battery electrolyte levels are topped up to just above the plates on non-maintenance free batteries, to ensure good engine cranking speed and quick starting. When adding distilled/ionised water, remember it can be prone to freezing, causing terminal battery plate damage, if it is not thoroughly mixed with the existing H2 So4 electrolyte. Hence, when topping up, run the engine for two minutes to allow machine vibration and generator input to mechanically vibrate and electrically agitate the mix, making it frost proof.

YOUR QUESTIONS VAPORISER IS FLOODING

REMINDER TO DO TAPPETS

An often-overlooked task is setting engine tappets. Excessive clearances can greatly reduce an engine’s ability to suck in sufficient burnable air and then release the burnt waste gases, leading to higher fuel consumption. Furthermore, when the valves close they will slam on to their seats with a much greater force, causing potential and expensive ‘mushrooming’ damage to the valves. It is therefore good practice to follow the tappet adjustment service intervals, normally between 2000 and 3000 hours. A set of feeler gauges, screwdriver and a combination spanner are the only tools required. The tappet clearances should be published in the operator’s manual and the task rarely takes more than 2-3 hours.

HOW TO SPOT OIL DILUTION

Worn injectors or leaking lift diaphragms can cause oil/fuel dilution, shortening the life of an engine. This can be worsened by cold, wintery weather. As a result, always memorise or mark the oil level on the engine oil dipstick and check for any increase in oil level prior to starting the engine. Any suspected level increase can be checked by smelling the oil on the stick for diesel.

GET IN TOUCH

Send your questions to: Advice Line, HERITAGE TRACTOR, Sundial Magazines, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS or e-mail: adviceline@ heritagetractormagazine.co.uk Answers are given in good faith and responses will be published in the magazine.

Q My 1944 Ford 2N tractor (TVO model) is in good running order, but I can’t stop the vaporiser from flooding. I have tried different lengths of needles with little success. I have two original floats and one new one. I wonder if your experts can shed any light on the problem as there are very few people with knowledge of these machines around now. Bert Finlay, by e-mail. A The vaporiser on the Ford 2N is based on the Holley 295 unit used originally on the Fordson model F. If it is flooding then it means the float valve isn’t seating properly or the float isn’t set at the right height. Check that the manifold you have is this particular type; it could be a Beccles conversion manifold or the later vaporiser from a Ford 8NAN.

PARTS & TOOLS FIND OUT MORE

MAJOR BRAKE TROUBLE

Q When applying the brakes on my 1957 Fordson Major it pulls to the left very noticeably. The cableoperated pedals are the same height when depressed, so I am assuming the problem lies elsewhere. Could you therefore advise me on what action to take next? Jason Dennis, Lancashire. A Your Fordson Major is equipped with outboard dry drum brakes. If correctly adjusted, as you say, then it sounds like the brake shoes are worn to the rivets and/ or the outboard oil seal has failed, allowing oil to contaminate the shoes. To check if this is the case, firstly remove the dirt cover, pictured, by rotating

it ten degrees, thereby allowing easy removal. This will reveal the rotating drum, which is secured by a central bolt. Removing this bolt will permit the keyed drum to be removed from the drive shaft. Now check the shoes for terminal wear, the seal for any leakage and the drum for an excessive wear track. Replace parts as necessary. It is good practice to replace the shoes on both sides if one side is found to be worn. Finally, equalise the depressed pedal heights by cable adjustment.

HELP NEEDED TO IDENTIFY OLD IMPLEMENTS

Patrick Moore has contacted Heritage Tractor to see if we can identify three pieces of old farm equipment that came with a farming property he recently acquired in Warwickshire. “We would like to find a home for them with a suitable enthusiast or museum and wonder if your publication can help?” says Patrick.

The implement shown is a horse-drawn potato digger (or raiser as they were known) made by Alexander Jack of Maybole, Ayrshire, possibly during the 1930s. We are unsure if it is the firm’s Caledonian or Imperial model. Patrick also has a pair of chaff cutters. The smaller of the two machines was made by E. H. Bentall of Maldon, Essex (it is either a CDC or CMC hand-turned model). The larger chaff cutter was made by R. A. Lister of Dursley in Gloucestershire (it may be an NEE model) and would have been engine-driven. Both chaff cutters are missing their feed elevators and the Lister has a broken wooden cover. All three implements require restoration. If you are interested please contact Heritage Tractor on 020 869 4401 or e-mail: editor@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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Hobby

TRACTORMOBILIA

Smaller

STUFF The place for people who collect farm machinery models, memorabilia and literature MODEL REVIEW

Combine (M-H or MF 780)

THE FACTS Manufacturer: Oxford Diecast Scale: 1/76 Price: £15.95 Website: www.oxforddiecast.co.uk

IN THE 1950s and early BthenACK 1960s Massey-Harris and Massey Ferguson 780 combines were a common sight in the harvest fields. The popularity of these machines has seen them modelled by manufacturers such as Corgi, Matchbox and Lipkin, and in more recent times by Chestnut Miniatures. Oxford Diecast is the latest company to release a model of this iconic combine, although Oxford markets it as a ‘Combine Harvester – Red’, presumably because licence issues have prevented it using the Massey name. Whatever the reason, this combine is a great addition to Oxford Diecast’s growing range of

1/76-scale farming models. It is comes screwed to a black plastic plinth under a detachable, clear plastic cover, so the packaging doubles as a display case, if needed. Most of the parts, with a few exceptions, are metal. Considering the scale, the level of detailing is good. The tyres and their cream-coloured wheels look very realistic, as does the tiny decal that has been used to replicate the appearance of the mesh on the vertical air intake. The driver’s platform benefits from foot pedals, a steering wheel, instrument panel and toolbox

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details, and the seat is moulded in black plastic. The fuel tank is correctly located on the left-hand side behind the grain tank, but is painted in a non-standard silver. The header is equipped with a freely-rotating plastic reel with fixed fingers and a detailed knife. The only downsides are that the header seems a little out of proportion and it is also permanently fixed in the raised position, limiting the display options for those who might want to use it as part of a harvest-themed diorama. Otherwise this is a very welcome and sensibly priced addition to the ranks of model combines. Now who is going to produce some ‘Massey-Harris 780’ decals to finish it off?

Book by Shell URING THE LATE 1940s and Dmanufacturer very early 50s, oil and grease Shell produced a series of colourful tractor lubrication books (A4-sized brochures with stiff card covers) aimed at encouraging tractor owners to carry out regular maintenance and servicing, which naturally involved the use of its products. Shell produced tractor lubrication books for the following popular models: Fordson E27N Major, Nuffield Universal, Ferguson TE-20 and David Brown Cropmaster, plus the Perkins P6(TA) six-cylinder engine. Each book contained a number of transparent pages showing the respective machine in cutaway/sectioned form. This enabled each of the key components and lubrication and maintenance points to be numbered on the cutaway and then identified later in the book. In the case of the Fordson E27N Major, Shell recommended its Tractor Oil 40 for the engine, Tractor Gear Oil 90 for the steering box gears and differential final drive, Tractor Oil 30 or 29 for the hydraulic pump and its tractor grease for the front axle.

OBSOLETE STOCK

David Brown 990 Tractor THE FACTS Manufacturer: Dinky Length: 83mm (3.25in) Produced: 1964-1967 Code: 305

INKY STARTED MAKING toy tractors in DTypical the 1930s but was slow updating them. of this approach was its MasseyHarris (744) tractor, which remained in production with minor changes long after it had been discontinued in real life. This policy changed in the mid-1960s when Dinky introduced a toy of the David Brown 990, a tractor that had entered production in 1961. It was well worth the wait, because here was a Dinky toy tractor that could finally compete with those made by Corgi and Britains. Dinky’s DB 990 had more parts, more detail and more working features than its previous offerings. When it was pushed along, it made

a tick-over noise, and when the cab was removed it was possible to steer the front axle using the steering wheel. At the time the provision of a cab, let alone one that could be detached, was unusual. What also set the DB 990 apart from Dinky’s earlier tractors was the linkage, which was operated by a lever beside the right-hand mudguard. Moulded in plastic, the linkage had lower link arms and a fixed length top link. It was a good linkage but for some

Respected textbook C

LAUDE CULPIN’S NAME was synonymous with farm equipment from the 1940s to the early 90s. This was mainly due to his involvement in Farm Machinery, a text book that many farmers and especially students regarded as the authority on the subject. First published in 1938 and revised 12 times over the next 40-plus years, Culpin’s Farm Machinery books were a popular source of information and advice on farm mechanization, not just tractors but also implements and their use in a range of applications. The fifth edition, pictured, was published in 1957. It contained over 700 pages and dozens of illustrations and diagrams on machines and their working principles. To win this book, simply e-mail us the name of its well-known author; the correct answers will go in a draw. The e-mail is: editor@ heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

WIN IT!

reason Dinky, unlike Corgi and Britains, never made any suitable implements for its DB 990, and that limited its play value. The company didn’t use the linkage on any of its other tractors. Dinky responded quickly to the arrival of the white David Browns by first updating its 990 model with a new bonnet and a white/ chocolate brown colour scheme. Then in 1974 it changed the model’s decals to Case David Brown 995 following the former’s purchase of the latter in 1972.

LITERATURE RACK

Difference in drum publications

HRESHING IS ONE of the themes of this issue and Tpromotional it’s also the theme of our latest look at material from the vintage era. The contrast in the quality and content of the two publications we are reviewing reflects the size and stature of the two companies, Foster and Fisher Humphries, that produced them. When these publications appeared in the 1940s, both manufacturers had been making threshing drums for a long time – Foster of Lincoln for 70 years and Fisher Humphries of Pershore, Worcs, since 1832, but it was Foster, whose drums had a good reputation among contractors, that achieved the greater success. This quality, card-covered 18-page catalogue on Foster’s range of threshing drums has a date stamp of January 1946, but it may have been issued a few years earlier. Foster produced seven sizes of drum, from 2ft 6in to 5ft 6in, but this catalogue mostly shows the popular 4ft 6in model. Also shown are the company’s straw and sheaf/hay elevators and chaff cutter. In contrast our featured brochure on Fisher Humphries threshing machines is small (A5), flimsy and only four pages, which is perhaps to be expected as by the mid-1940s this company was wisely diverting its energies into other areas of implement production. Fisher Humphries offered one size of drum, a 4ft 6in model, which by the 1940s had foregone wood in favour of steel. It was priced at £786 on rubber tyres. www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

| 91

RIGHT: Challenge Cup was won by these 8hp Fowler engines, numbers 2861 and 3195, owned by Richard Piece and Peter Stanier.

Hobby

CLUB WORLD

Round

THE CLUBS

Tell us what your vintage farm machinery club has been up to recently and what it is planning for the future

IH association up and running

HE INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER Heritage Association (IHHA) was officially launched at the 2018 Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show. At 11:30am on Saturday morning, the club’s honorary president, Michael Hart, and David Savage, member number one, cracked open a bottle of champagne in front of the stand and several IH tractors. Michael’s own 1945 IH McCormick Farmall H, which is in totally original condition, was one of the highlights of the club stand at the Newark event. This tractor spent all its working life at the farm of Fred Shepperton in Bingham, Nottinghamshire, and was fitted with an IH Lift-All mid-mounted hoe when purchased by Michael. The club, which has an annual UK membership of £16, aims to promote and preserve the heritage of all things IH and Case IH, from Moguls to Maxxums. The IHHA has its own website — www.ihha. co.uk — and one of the perks of membership is access to the IHHA’s growing online archive. The archive contains IH sales literature, manuals and other heritage documents. After

picking a category and choosing a model, members who are logged in can open the stored documents. The brochures on some IH machines are over 30 pages and contain fabulous pictures, descriptions of options and features as well as specifications. There are some prices lists, too, along with ‘Confidential’ IH comparison guides that were originally given to sales personnel. For more information contact secretary Jacqueline Carpenter on 07909 978744 or e-mail secretary@ihha.co.uk

ABOVE: Michael Hart’s 1945 International Farmall H is in the same livery the tractor came in when imported to the UK. Photo: David Laley

Send your club event news to: editor@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk 92

www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

Club gives cheque to charity T MIGHT ONLY be in its second year, INantmel but the Tractor Enthusiasts of (T. E. N.) club of Powys is already making significant donations to charity, reports Anne Bates. Following the huge success of its second Nantmel Tractor Run in July 2018, the club, led by John Bates, second from left, recently presented the Rhayader branch of Cancer Research UK with a cheque for £1058. The run saw local enthusiasts joined by tractor owners from all over the country, including West Wales, Hereford and Bridgnorth. During the run they visited the villages of Nantmel, Abbey Cwm-Hir, Bwlch y Sarnau and Saint Harmon.

President of the NVTEC HE NATIONAL VINTAGE TRACTOR & TStephen Engine Club (NVTEC) has appointed Watson as its president. He replaces former club stalwart Keith Pickford of Shadwell, near Leeds, who died suddenly on 30 July 2018, aged 88. Mr Pickford was also honorary president of the West Yorkshire NVTEC and president of the Scarcroft & District Ploughing Society. Stephen Watson has been a member of the NVTEC since 1980 and a member of its Lancashire group since 1987. He served as chairman of the NVTEC in the early 2000s.

Club diary 26 Bridgnorth Vintage DEC Machinery Club Boxing Day

Road Run from Far Forest Sports Pavilion, Tenbury Road, Callow Hill, Worcestershire, DY14 9DB. TEL 07973 790214 WEB www.bvmc.org.uk

27 Cheshire NVTEC Christmas DEC Road Run TEL 01514 252141

Steam club involved in a challenge

WEB www.cheshirenvtec.freeuk.com/index

HE STEAM PLOUGH CLUB’S eighth Great Challenge took place on the 13-14 October at the British National Ploughing Championships at Austrey, near Atherstone, by kind invitation of the Society of Ploughmen, reports Peter Longfoot. The days in the week before the event were very warm and dry, but come the Friday before, the forecast was bad and it had already started raining. The

Christmas Road Run & BBQ, Crossroads Cottage Balscote, CV47 2DP. TEL 01926 813087

forecast for Sunday was very poor and with this in mind, some plots were completed on the Saturday. At first light it was raining hard and by 9:00am it was very obvious there would be no more ploughing. However, the judging still had to be done. Judges David Kerry and David Lowe duly arrived and proceeded, with the aid of a buggy, to judge the work done on Saturday, spread over some 60 acres. Once

Adrian Pickford made the 54in mouldboards on his Ransomes No.9 match plough.

New Forest working weekend VTEC NEW FOREST GROUP MEMBERS turned out in NSeptember, force for the club’s working weekend on 22-23 on land kindly provided by the Mills Estate, near Ringwood, Hampshire, reports Jim Gerrard. The non-competitive event gave club members young and old a chance to perfect their ploughing techniques or simply to have a play with their tractors and implements. Eric Coats’s 1954 IH BTD-6 crawler, serial number 4477, performed well with a Ransomes 9-tine trailed cultivator in the at times unfavourable weather conditions. Expert ploughman Adrian Pickford used the working event to test out his new self-built 54in mouldboards on his Ransomes No.9 match plough, ahead of the autumn ploughing matches. The plough, which Adrian was using behind his 1942 Fordson Standard, was originally supplied new through Wiltshire agent T. H. White of Devizes.

the marks were transferred to dry sheets a result was possible. With the dreadful weather on Sunday everyone was keen to get engines loaded and off the site. The team that won the Challenge Cup consisted of Fowler numbers 2861 and 3195, both 8hp singles dating from 1876 and owned by Richard Pierce and Peter Stanier. Peter Denham was in charge of the four-furrow English Top Soil Plough.

Early Marshall items exhibited MONG THE MOST FASCINATING exhibits Athe displayed on the Marshall Club stand at Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show was one of the company’s early horizontal engines, reports David Laley. Paul Marsden’s ultra-rare 1891 class B horizontal steam engine, equipped with a Hartnell governor and a double expansion box, was supplied to Crompton & Company Electrical Engineers and may have been used as part of a lighting set. Beside it was Paul’s 1927 type S Marshall oil engine, no. 82805, in a similar condition. The earliest exhibit was James Chantry’s belt-driven Marshall saw bench, thought to date from between 1848 and 1857. This would make it the oldest major piece of surviving Marshall machinery known to exist.

27 FoFH Warwickshire & West DEC Midland Group Annual

27 North Somerset NVTEC Annual DEC Tractor Jumble at Easter

Compton, Bristol, BS35 5RE at 9:00am. E-MAIL chairman@nvtecnorthsomerset.org

30 East Wales & Borders NVTEC DEC 4x4 Road Run from The Park

Hotel, Pandy, Abergavenny, Gwent, NP7 8DS. TEL 07939 002592 WEB www.eastwalesandborders.org.uk

30 Flintshire Vintage & Classic DEC Tractor Society’s Christmas

Road Run, Holywell TEL 07778 673334 E-MAIL steve.watts@wwutilities.co.uk

30 Scottish Vintage & Tractor DEC Engine Club’s Christmas

Crank Up. TEL 01821 650404 WEB www.svtec.org/events

10 East Wales & Borders NVTEC JAN AGM at The Park Hotel, Pandy,

Abergavenny, Gwent, NP7 8DS. TEL 07939 002592 WEB www.eastwalesandborders.org.uk

15 FoFH Nottinghamshire Area JAN Group Meeting at the

premises of Freshgro Limited, Bilsthorpe, NG22 8TN, starts at 7:00pm. TEL 07479 338985 or 01623 860110. E-MAIL nottsarea@fofh.co.uk

06 East Yorks NVTEC Bygones FEB and Anecdotes with Jim Wood

at The Social Club, 42 Southgate, Market Weighton, East Yorkshire, YO43 3BQ at 7:30pm. WEB www.eastyorksnvtec.org.uk/index www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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HOBBY

PLOUGHMAN’S PAGES

QUESTION TIME

Going

PLOUGHING News, reports and interesting developments in the world of ploughs and vintage match ploughing

Results from British Nationals

ESPITE THE PRESENCE of storm Callum, which brought strong winds and heavy rain on the Sunday, spectators and competitors turned out in force to support the 68th British National Ploughing Championships held near Austrey in Warwickshire. David Laley watched the action in the vintage classes. More than 250 ploughmen and women from across the UK descended on land kindly provided by hosts William Corbett Farms Ltd and John Upperdine on 13-14 October. This was the first time since 1966 that the British National Ploughing Championships had been held in Warwickshire.

Despite the frustrating weather, and testing soil conditions on the Sunday, plenty of quality work was still produced across all 14 classes throughout the weekend. In the vintage trailer ploughing class, Ray Alderson, competing with an IH B-275 and Ransomes RSLD plough, took his day one winning form into Sunday’s plough off, beating John Crowder to the title by 14 points. In the hydraulic category, despite finishing third on day one, local match ploughman Richard Ingram turned it around and achieved a commanding 31-point margin of victory over second-placed George Black in

RESULTS Vintage Trailing final 1st Ray Alderson, Darlington, Co. Durham 2nd John Crowder, Torksey, Lincolnshire 3rd Trevor Johnstone, Wigton, Cumbria

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Fraser Cartwright, 17, from South Yorkshire, just competed in his first British National Ploughing Championships, using his Ferguson FE-35 and Ransomes TS59 plough in the Vintage Mounted Class. He tells David Laley about the experience.

Heritage Tractor (HT): Have you changed or modified your equipment this season? Fraser Cartwright (FC): I added some weld to build the points up earlier in the year in preparation for the dry ground. HT: Can you describe the ground conditions at the Nationals? FC: When I competed on the Saturday it was very dry underneath, making it difficult to leave a firm furrow. I understand it was very different, and wet, on the Sunday. HT: Were you pleased with your opening split and start? FC: Delighted. It was the best opening split and start I’ve made all year. HT: Did ploughing the plot and completing the finish go to plan? FC: Given the ground conditions, I was really pleased with the rest of my plot. It went much better than I thought it would do. HT: What, if anything, could you have improved on? FC: My ins and outs could have been better. I definitely missed out on a few extra points there, but overall I was really satisfied with how my first British Nationals went. I ended up second in the Young Farmers section of my class.

272 points 258 points 244 points

Vintage Hydraulic final 1st Richard Ingram, Atherstone, Warwickshire 280 points 2nd George Black, Earlston, Berwickshire 249 points 3rd Philip Allman, Stafford, Staffs 246 points

Sunday’s plough-off to retain his title. He also became the Overall Vintage Champion for the weekend. In the other classes, Shaun Garrod won the High Cut class, while Chris Armstrong became the Crawler Ploughing Champion with his Bristol 20 crawler. In the single make classes, John Kitching won the Ferguson category with his TE-D20, while Janet Vickers took home the spoils in the David Brown class with her restored 950. Next year’s British National Ploughing Championships takes place at Nocton near Lincoln, by kind permission of Beeswax Dyson Farming, on 12-13 October.

First time at major match

ABOVE: Richard Ingram and his MF 35 ploughing to victory in the Vintage Hydraulic class.

ABOVE: Fraser Cartwright, competing with a Ferguson FE-35 and Ransomes TS59 plough, enjoyed his first National contest.

Match diary 15 Glenbervie & Howe o’the DEC Mearns annual ploughing

match, Thornyhill, Fasque Estates, Fettercain, AB30 1YD. TEL 07584 668480

06 Champions League Ploughing JAN Association inaugural

Raymond Smart finished second place in the Vintage Trailer class.

Fife association holds inaugural contest S

UNDAY 18 NOVEMBER saw the staging of the inaugural match of the Kingdom of Fife Ploughing Association at Denbrae Farm, Cupar, by kind permission of the Bell family, reports Jim McKechnie. Ideal field conditions made for an enjoyable day for spectators and the 46 competitors. The

Vintage Trailer class was won by Ed Bennie and his DB 900 and Ransomes plough, with Raymond Smart and his Fordson N and IH plough a close second. Top spot in the Vintage Mounted class went to Ron Philips and his Fordson E1A Major and Harkness plough. The Classic class was won by James

McIndoe and his Ford 3000 and Ransomes plough. Alistair Brown won the Conventional Hydraulic class with his New Holland 4835 and Kverneland match plough, and he picked up further awards for the best finish and best ins and outs, as well as being crowned Overall Champion.

Annual Barugh match attracts a good entry

279 points 252 points 249 points 248 points 229 points 200 points

days and ploughing matches, reports David Laley. After 24 successful years, the annual event ended its tenure at High Burnham Farm, near Epworth. For the last 12 years the land has been kindly provided by Lynn and Simon Clarke, but due

match at Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. TEL 01869 347003 WEB www.bdvps.co.uk

27 NVTEC Notts Group Winter JAN Ploughing Match & Working

Event, Doncaster Farm, Connor Lane, Boughton, Newark, NG22 9NE. TEL 07974 080117 WEB www.nvtecnotts.co.uk

02 Black Isle Farmers’ Society FEB ploughing match, Kinbeache,

17 Amotherby YFC annual FEB ploughing match, Easthorpe,

Ploughing Association’s annual ploughing match, held on 27 October, reports David Laley. Mount Farm at Woolley, near Wakefield, was once again the venue for the match, where the wintry weather produced some interesting conditions. However, the event was still a great success across ten classes and match ploughmen travelled from all over the country. National contender Charlie Nicklin put in a strong performance to take a comfortable victory in the Vintage Hydraulic class with his Massey Ferguson 35 and Ransomes TS54 plough. In the Vintage Trailer ploughing class, Chris Donaldson took the win with his well-presented Fordson N, which also took the prize for best TVO-powered tractor at the match. Henry Taylor finished second in the class.

North Yorkshire. TEL 07794 250640

17 Scottish Vintage Tractor & FEB Engine Club ploughing match,

Balboughty Farm, Perth. TEL 01828 633138. WEB www.svtec.org

24 Banbury & District Vintage FEB Ploughing Society ploughing

match at Garsington, near Oxford. TEL 01869 347003 WEB www.bdvps.co.uk

24 Strathearn Vintage Ploughing FEB Association ploughing match

at Broadslap, Dunning, Scotland. TEL 01764 662881

24 Chertsey Ploughing Match, MAR Wey Manor Farm, Byfleet

Final Festival of the Plough at usual site

16 SEPTEMBER the curtain came down on ONorthNpossibly the final Festival of the Plough, one of Lincolnshire’s most popular autumn working

13 Banbury & District Vintage JAN Ploughing Society ploughing

Culbokie, IV7 8LS. TEL 01463 870870 WEB www.blackisleshow.com

WINTRY SHOWERS couldn’t PandERSISTENT dampen the spirits of the 69 ploughmen women taking part in Barugh & District

RESULTS Vintage hydraulic 1st Charlie Nicklin, Sandbach 2nd Andy Cage, Malton 3rd Brian Wright, Chesterfied Vintage trailer 1st Chris Donaldson, Northallerton 2nd Henry Taylor, Gisburn 3rd Brian Curtis, Chesterfield

ploughing match, Upper Coullie Farm, Laurencekirk, AB30 1SQ. TEL 07595 359520

to changes in their farming policy the 2018 event marked the last staging of the Festival at this venue. Committee chairman John Smith’s 1917 Overtime and Cockshutt ride-on plough was among the veteran highlights, while match ploughmen took part in six well subscribed classes. A new venue for the popular event has yet to be found.

Road, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3JQ. TEL 01784 462608.

12 13 British National OCT OCT Ploughing

Championships & Country Festival, Nocton, Lincoln, Lincolnshire. TEL 01302 852469 WEB www.ploughmen.co.uk

www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

| 95

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BREAKING FOR PARTS TELESCOPIC HANDLERS LOADING SHOVELS EXCAVATORS Wanted – all types of machines for resale & breaking C W Good & Son The Foundry, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3DE Tel: 01544 230 167 Email: les@gwgood1.go-plus.net Fax: 01544 231 046 (M)07710 909 100

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Vintage Number Plate Manufacture • Black & silver pressed aluminium plates • White & yellow with black digits • Oblong & square available • Free postage Call for details Tel: 0151 924 6480 www.chestnut-registrations.co.uk For Tractor Registration, Dating and History Research Advice contact: Thomas Andrews (Andrews Tractors) 2 Trendeal Vean Cottage, Ladock, Truro TR2 4NW

ANDREWS TRACTORS

Tel: 01726 883195 between 10am-8pm ONLY, Monday to Saturday

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Marketplace

AUCTION WATCH

UNDER THE HAMMER

A round-up of what has been sold at vintage auctions around the country and what’s coming up for sale

Photos: Richard Keel

SCARCE CRAWLEY STARS AT SUTTON SALE A rare 1920 Crawley Agrimotor tractor created huge interest at Cheffins’ October Cambridge Vintage Sale, held at the firm’s saleground at Sutton, near Ely, reports Jim Gerrard. The three-wheel machine, one of only six surviving examples in preservation, sold for £67,725, considerably more than its pre-sale estimate. The tractor was bought by an enthusiast from Saffron Walden, Essex, not far from where it was originally manufactured in the town’s Tower Works. Other veterans on offer at Sutton included a 1916 Overtime Model R, which was sold for £35,700, and a rare 1929 Rushton 14-20, serial number A828, which made £21,000. Among the later vintage entries, a narrow 1948 Ferguson TE-20 on its original tyres achieved £3100 and a well-restored 1965 Massey Ferguson

35X made a resounding £7300. A 1962 Fordson Super Major with original paintwork and only one previous owner, who had acquired the tractor new from dealer W. Harold Perry Ltd, Middlesex, made a substantial £10,100. The sale, which contained 200 vintage and classic tractors and over 2000 lots in total, grossed over £1.3mn. Reflecting afterwards, Cheffins’ chairman Bill King said he was delighted with the outcome. “This year’s sale yielded one of the best recorded results for an October vintage auction to date, proving that the market for classic agricultural machinery and collectors’ items continues to thrive,” he noted. “The Crawley Agrimotor was the highest result of the day and it was great to see it return to its home town.”

DOE WITH GOOD PROVENANCE ACHIEVES A HIGH PRICE

A very original one-owner Doe Triple-D was one of the highlights at J. H. Pickup & Co’s auction at Lindholme Grange Farm on the Thorne Levels, near Doncaster, on 18 October, reports David Laley. The 1962 model had spent its life with the Elliss family, who had used it for contracting work in the Armthorpe area. It had received one or two repairs and replacement components over the years, but was largely complete. The front engine was showing 9607 hours, while the rear unit had 2754 hours recorded. It came with a dismantled Fritzmeier cab frame. The sale price of £55,000 confirmed there is still a healthy demand for Triple-Ds with provenance.

AUCTION WITH VARIETY OF EARLY IMPLEMENTS

Several early and unusual 20th century farm implements went under the hammer of Peter Crichton at the late John Blackmore’s dispersal auction at Castle Camps, near Cambridge, on Saturday 22 September, reports Darren Tebbitt.

£1000 Barford & Perkins hay press

www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

£18

£22 Garrett & Sons seed drill

Ogle & sons potato dibber

Sales diary 13 COLLECTIVE SALE of sale of tractors, DEC machinery & implements at Lanark

COLLECTOR SELLS HIS FORDSON STANDARDS

Enthusiasts attending Peter Crichton’s sale for Tony Fuller at Risby, Suffolk, on 29 September, were treated to the sight of 10 Fordson model Fs and Ns in a row, reports Darren Tebbitt. Tony, whose interest in Fordsons began as a youngster when he spent many hours riding on the footplate of a model N, had decided to sell his collection as he is no longer able to crank-start his tractors. Two of his restored row-crop models, a 1942 tractor with a single front wheel and a 1936 example with vee-twins, failed to sell at £6000 and £4000 respectively. An unrestored 1923 model F, recently imported from Canada, sold for £1600, and was followed by an earlier restoration 1924 model F for the same price. An Irish transition 1932 model N with narrow fenders and a local history reached £2700. A restored 1941 industrial model N, originally from the Ministry of Fuel and Power, sold for £2400. Tony’s ploughing tractor, a 1940 model N, made the day’s top price of £1800. A pair of orange Ns got to £1200 apiece, while a 1942 green with no fenders made £850.

FERGIE IMPLEMENTS UNDER THE HAMMER

Ferguson implements were to the fore at auctioneer Longstaff’s dispersal sale for collector Terry Johnson at Moulton, Lincs, on 8 October, reports Darren Tebbitt. A two-furrow plough with 12in semi-digger bodies in good condition sold for £210, while a slightly later example with the more popular 10in general-purpose bottoms did better, finishing on £310. Also making good money at £185 was an excellent Ferguson finger-mower complete with swath board, stands and original PTO shaft. A Ferguson 11-tine cultivator complete with spares got to £130 and a good condition Ferguson three-body ridger appeared a bargain at £55. A set of Ferguson power lift disc harrows in good condition made a worthy £280. The crowd was in for a surprise when a Ferguson potato planter for chitted seed went under the hammer and made a substantial £500. Equally in demand was a Ferguson single-leg sub-soiler, complete with stand, which made a resounding £620.

Agricultural Market, Muirglen, Hyndford Road, Lanark, ML11 9AX. Lawrie & Symington. TEL 01555 662281 WEB www.lawrieandsymington.com

26 COLLECTIVE SALE in conjunction JAN with the Somerset Vintage & Classic

Tractor Show at the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, BA4 6QN. Sale of vintage & classic tractors, engines, machinery & other collectables. H. J. Pugh & Co. TEL 01531 631122 WEB www.hjpugh.com

20 COLLECTIVE SALE of tractors, FEB implements, parts, tools, vintage

bygones, etc at York Auction Centre at Murton Lane, Murton, York, YO19 5GF. Entries close 11 February. TEL 01904 489731 WEB www.ylc.co.uk

23 COLLECTIVE SALE in conjunction with FEB the Spring Tractor World Show at the

Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6NW. Sale of vintage tractors, engines, machinery, models, seats, other collectables and literature. H. J. Pugh & Co. TEL 01531 631122 WEB www.hjpugh.com

28 DISPERSAL SALE of Howard FEB Grabhorn Collection, at Beaverton,

Oregon, USA. Includes eight steam engines, Best Thirty, Rumely Oil Pull X, Hart-Parr 22-40 and Allis-Chalmers 20-35E tractors and Western, Fairbanks and Galloway gas engines. Aumann Auctions. TEL 001 888 282 8648 WEB www.aumannvintagepower.com

02 COLLECTIVE SALE of vintage farm MAR machinery, hand tools, bygones at

Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart, Thirsk Rural Business Centre, Blakey Lane, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3AB. Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart. TEL 01845 523 165 WEB www.thirskmarket.co.uk

23 COLLECTIVE SALE in conjunction MAR with the Tractor World Show

Scotland at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, EH28 8NB. Sale of tractors, implements, spares and collectibles. Pentland Auctioneers. TEL 07547 369295 WEB www.pentlandlivestock.co.uk

28 30 COLLECTIVE SALE of 400 MAR MAR vintage and classic

£130 Martins trailed beet lifter

£1300 Wade of Oregon wood saw

£120 A. C. Bamlett sail reaper

tractors at Mississippi Valley Fair Center, 2815 W Locust Street, Davenport, Iowa 52804, USA. Mecum Auctions. TEL 001 262 2755050 WEB www.mecum.com www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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The view looking down the Ferguson tractor line at Colin Powell’s dispersal sale. The TE-20T semi-industrial, foreground, made £5000.

FIELD FULL OF

FERGUSONS

Ferguson enthusiasts were spoilt for choice at the sale of Colin Powell’s huge collection in Herefordshire. Susan Morgan reports with additional images by Richard Bennie

BELOW: Ferguson medium pressure sprayer (S-LE-21), centre, achieved £1600 and an MF tractor-mounted compressor, right, sold for £1480.

he sale by auctioneer H. J. Pugh & Co of Colin Powell’s renowned Ferguson collection at Munstone, near Hereford, on 29 September, attracted interest from far and wide. Many enthusiasts of the marque chose to attend in person, while others bid online. With almost 600 lots on offer, including many rare Ferguson implements and accessories, this auction was one of the best of its kind in recent years and perhaps second only to the former John Moffitt/Rackham Collection in terms of its size and significance. Starting with the attachments, a Massey Ferguson Pressure Control coupler sold well (£460), as did a pair of PAVT wheels (£1000), and there was some fierce bidding for a set of Bombardier half-tracks for a TE-20, which eventually went to an online bidder for £3600. Moving on to the larger items, a manure loader (M-UE-91) fell under the hammer for £2100, while a swath turner (D-EO-20) made a tidy £2000. A medium-pressure sprayer (S-LE-21), one of only a handful still in existence, was knocked down for £1600, while a low-pressure sprayer (S-LE-20) sold in-field for £1000. A sought-after 30cwt trailer achieved £2660, a manure spreader climbed to £1800 and a well-preserved kale cutrake (G-HE-20) was knocked down for £1450. Hammer mills also proved popular, with the best of three on offer (H-LE-A20) achieving an unexpected £2180. Other desirable Ferguson implements included a row-crop thinning machine (£900); a two-furrow plough (£850) and a rear-mounted crane (£1200). One of the rarer items, a sugar beet topper (1L-HE-20), achieved the day’s top implement price of £4000, while a pair of Hydrovane compressors also made good money at £1700 and £1000. A rare portable engine (A-HO-60) in working order sold for £3500. The tractors, all in good running order, included a French-built Ferguson FF30 vineyard (£4300) and a 1954 Ferguson TE-20T semi-industrial model (£5000). Colin’s restored Standard 12cwt service van in Ferguson colours was the highlight of the auction for many and it was knocked down for the day’s top price of £9800.

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ABOVE: Cabs proved popular. A Clydebuilt Speedifit, left, made £670, and a Scottish Aviation cab for a TE-20, right, sold for £1200.

Marketplace

AUCTION WATCH

£900 Ferguson row-crop thinner, complete, repainted.

£4000 Massey Ferguson 31 combine, 6ft header, 1969

£2060

£2180

£4000

30cwt tipping trailer (L-JE-40), older restoration

H-LE-A20 hammer mill, centre, very original

Ferguson sugar beet topper (L-HE-21), original

“This auction was one of the best of its kind in recent years”

MF Pressure Control weight transfer coupler

£3500

£2000

£1200

Ferguson portable engine (A-HO-60), runner

Ferguson swath turner (D-EO-20), left, original

Ferguson rear tractor-mounted crane (C-UE-21)

£1400

£5200

£4300

Transport box with wheelbarrow conversion

MF 35 vineyard model, petrol/TVO, restored

French-built Ferguson FF30 vineyard model

£460

www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

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NEXT TIME…

IN THE SPRING ISSUE IN THE SHOPS 8 MAR EXPERT GUIDE TO CRAWLERS

A leading authority on the history and use of Track Marshall crawlers guides us through the four-cylinder models built by the company in the 1950s and 60s.

PLUS!

IH B-250 DEVELOPMENT

Highlights of the next issue include an insight into how the popular IH B-250 was developed.

SUBSCRIBE AND MAKE SURE OF YOUR COPY OF 102

www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

TREASURES IN MUSEUM

BRITISH CASE HISTORY

We visit a countryside museum in American firm Case’s pre-war Devon that’s home to a superb involvement in the British market collection of rare tractors. is explored in the next issue.

AND SO MUCH MORE!

SEE PAGE 96 OR VISIT WWW.HERITAGETRACTORMAGAZINE.CO.UK

T R ADE R H E R I TAG E

FOR BUYING & SELLING TRACTORS FOR SALE

CASE

DAVID BROWN

ALLIS-CHALMERS

Case 600, diesel, 1957, 6-cylinder engine, runs and drives very well, one of only 1,515 made. £POA. Tel: 07557 095519. Chester. [LAW6R]

David Brown 1200, for restoration needs clutch. £1,800. Tel: 01747 828272. Dorset. [ABW68R]

David Brown VAC1, petrol/ paraffin, 1947, Cropmaster, show condition, starts and runs well, pulley and power drive, road registered. £4,000. Tel: 07890 239841. Devon. [LAW29R]

Allis-Chalmers D-270, 1956, mechanically and tinwork good, 4 new tyres, complete respray, PUH, original logbook, £POA. Tel: 07796 947699. Northern Ireland. [ABP7R]

Case 18-32 Cross-Motor, built in 1928, mechanical restoration and in good running order. £8,500. Tel: 01837 871435. Devon. [KLW63R] Allis-Chalmers B x 2, 1 x 1929, £1,500 ono, 1 x 1949, £1200 ono, good mechanically and tin work. Tel: 01497 851735. Powys. [KLW94R]

Allis-Chalmers WF, 1939, magneto rewound, good runner with V5c older restoration. Tel: 07827 872887. [KLW125R]

Allis-Chalmers ED-40, 1962, good mechanically and tinwork, original V5. £2,500 ono. Tel: 01497 851735. Powys. [KLW95R]

David Brown Selectamatic 990, spares or repair. Project I never got round to. £Offers. Tel: 07836 233732. Middlesex. [ABW20R]

David Brown 780 Selectamatic, Livedrive, 1970, one owner, 4,700 hrs ring for details. Tel: 07973 117993. [LAW98R]

CAT

Caterpillar D4 2T, tracks as new, donkey needs repair, all parts here, ideal project. £2,750. Tel: 07718 897765. Forfar. [ABW125R]

Caterpillar D2 crawler, last started two years ago and can’t see any reason why it will not start again. £2,950. Tel: 07711 311678 for further details. Reydon, Suffolk. [LAW48R]

David Brown 2D with new battery, 1950s, working tractor, diesel, air-cooled, 4-stroke. Additional implements: scuffle, crop sprayer. £3,500 ono. Tel: 01544 350317. Powys. [ABW22R]

David Brown Thresherman, 1948, one owner from new, used on New Forest airfield from 1948 – 1952, then used on Broadlands Estate of Earl Mountbatten until 1959, barn stored 61 years, V5, all paper work. Tel: 07831 484365. Hampshire. [LAP6R]

David Brown Cropmaster, diesel. Tel: 00 45 243 45690. Sønderborg, Denmark. [LAW38R]

FERGUSON

Ferguson TE-20, 1948, fully restored in 2014, 12v electrics, electronic ignition, sprung seat, engine professionally overhauled, used for 12 road runs. £3,000 ono. Tel: 07719 444627. Woodlands, Logie, Montrose. [KLW40R]

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T R ADE R H E R I TAG E

FORD

Ferguson TE-20, call for more info. £POA. Tel: 07754 036417. Herne, Kent. [LAW44R]

Ford 801 Powermaster, petrol, power steering, 5-speed manual, 38in rear wheel option, tractor is in very good original condition and has been used for road runs. Tel: Richard 07506 766360. Worcestershire. [AB16R]

Ferguson TE-F20, diesel, very original, good working order, roll bar, V5, reluctant sale, reg 0RM 415. £2,750. E-mail: wheelbarrows 2017@gmail.com [LAW103R]

Ferguson FE-35 Grey/Gold, full nut and bolt restoration sold with link box, roll-bar and warranty. £8,000 + VAT. Tel: 07885 641594. Welshpool. [KLW82R]

Ferguson TE-F20, 1955, one owner, ex-golf course, everything works as should, needs heater switch, good oil pressure, work/ play or easy restoration, V5, open to inspection, come and try before you buy. Tel: 07831 400729. West Lothian. [KLW6R]

Ferguson TE-20, 1948, petrol, kept inside most of its life original condition and all original documents included must be seen, no timewasters please. £4,000 ono. Tel: 07708 860759. Castlederg. [KLW41R]

Ford 901 Select-O-Speed, petrol, power steering, in good original condition. The tractor has been used in parades. The Select-O-Speed works in all gears. Tel: Richard 07506 766360. Worcestershire. [AB17R]

FORDSON

Fordson Dexta, good runner ex-farm with V5, full history, two owners from new, external hydraulics for loader also roll bar fitted. Needs new battery, £1,850. Tel: 01570 493284. Lampeter, Ceredigion. [ABW37R]

Fordson Super Major, in excellent original condition never been painted or altered, no rot in tinwork, 4,000 hours, probably one of the cleanest Super Majors you will find POA. Tel: 07557 343750. Towcester. [ABW95R]

Fordson Super Dexta, 1960. £2,200 ono. Tel: 01497 851222. Hay-on-Wye. [ABW156R]

Fordson E27N, 1947, mint condition. £5,000 ono. Tel: 028 9086 6512. Northen Ireland. [LAP7R]

Fordson Diesel Major, all in working order, very good tinwork, all new tyres, a nice tractor, no VAT or paper work. £3,500. Tel: 07967 651841. Uttoxeter. [ABW112R]

Fordson Major 6-cylinder, good tyres, tidy and straight, runs well, roll bar, in very good condition. £3,500 VAT. Tel: 07967 651841. Uttoxeter. [LAW118R]

Fordson Diesel Major, runs and works well, a really good tractor in good working order, no VAT, no paperwork. £2,000. Tel: 07967 651841. Uttoxeter. [ABW111R]

Fordson Power Major, runs and drives for spares or restoration. Tel: 07827 872887. Carms. [ABW81R]

Fordson Super Major, 1963, bottom end engine rebuild & new clutches less than 100 hours ago, runs well, hydraulics work, good winter project, tin work tatty. £1,700 ono, located near Bishops Waltham. Tel: 07857 147746. Southampton. [LAW27R] Fordson Dexta, 1958, good condition, V5, £2,300 ono, no VAT Tel: 07944 229170. Lincs. [AB]

Fordson Major, 6-cyl 100hp winch tractor, 20t winch and anchors, air compressor and power steering, 14 x 30 rear tyres and new tyres front. £3,000. Tel: 07976 225680. Cornwall. [KLW2R]

Fordson Super Major, 1962, good working order, good tyres, V5 present, no VAT, £3,800 ono. Tel Tel: 07765 524708. Cumbria. [KLW174R]

Fordson P6 E27, x2, part of a collection being sold due to bereavement, can e-mail further photos if required. £7,450 ono, each. Tel: 07811 681316 for further details; text if no reply. [KLW46R]

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PLACE YOUR ADS FREE ONLINE AT WWW.HERITAGETRACTORMAGAZINE.CO.UK Fordson N, totally original and never been messed with or repainted, no rot in tinwork, rare adjustable front wheels with brass plate on, original logbook and sale particulars from a farm dispersal sale many years ago, if you like totally original Fordsons from the wartime this is the one for you. £3,950 or best offer. Tel: 07557 343750. Northampton. [LA]

NUFFIELD

John Deere Model H, 1942. In good restored condition. £4,650. Tel: 07818 407630. East Midlands area. [ABW39R]

INTERNATIONAL

International Farmall A, 1940, excellent condition, good tyres, oil tight, water tight, showed regularly, excellent paint, price on application. Tel: 07899 822133. Chesterfield. [ABW64R]

IH McCormick B-275, 1961, good runner, matching topper included, good paint work, happy to demonstrate. £2,500. Tel: 01621 829577. Essex. [LAW47R]

JOHN DEERE

John Deere Model B, 1952, fully restored, electric start, linkage, 6-speed, petrol. Imported from Canada five years ago. £POA. Tel: 07818 657237. Kings Lynn. [ABW11R]

John Deere AR, petrol, runs nicely, electric start needs a bit of love and front tyres cracked, may part exchange. £4,000. Tel: 07889 374775. Shropshire. [LAW55R]

MASSEY FERGUSON

Massey Ferguson 35, 1959, petrol/TVO, live drive, good condition. £2,300 ono. Tel: 01497 851735. [KLW251R] Massey Ferguson 35X, 1963, good condition and good starter, has been rallied, but is a useful worker on the farm, comes with bucket, muck spikes and 3-point T-bar. A small topper is available. £POA. Tel: 07590 961526. Nr Redditch. [AB] Massey Ferguson 65, Mk2, 1961, on V5 registration number 291, pick-up hitch, new wings, tin work good, re-sprayed 3 years ago, not worked since, tyres good, £3,500 no VAT. Tel: 07712 362085. Newark, Notts. [LA]

MASSEY-HARRIS

Massey Ferguson 35, 3-cylinder, new tyres, new starter, too many parts to list, starts first time, good runner, been used lightly to transport peat on small croft for many years. £5,000 ono. Tel: 07463 857118. Sutherland, Scottish Highlands. [LAW39R]

Massey Ferguson, full local history, barn stored, little used, road registered, lights and roll bar. £3,600 ono. Tel: 01608 662077. Shipston-on-Stour. [LAW93R]

Massey-Harris 744D fitted with 3-point linkage, starts and runs beautifully, cylinder block has been repaired due to frost damage, bodywork free from corrosion, belt pulley supplied loose. £POA. Tel: 07831 665757. 9am-6pm. Staffordshire. [LAW97R]

Massey-Harris 820/Pony, ideal show use. £2,495 ono. Tel: 07980 105313. [KLW113R]

Nuffield 4/60, rebuilt engine very original tractor. Tel: 01747 828272. Dorset. [ABW65R] Nuffield 4/60 with loader, original, vgc, wants gearbox top forks sorting, £1,500 ono. Tel: 07866 980707. Notts. [AB]

OTHER MAKES

BMC Mini tractor, thought to be 1966, good condition, runs well, new rear tyres and slightly worn fronts, hydraulics and PTO work fine. £2,500 ono no VAT. Tel: 07930 995931. Malton. [KLW31R]

Minneapolis-Moline/Twin City JTU, 1936, petrol/paraffin, unrestored, starts/runs, governors need attention, believed to be rare model. £3,950. Tel: 01327 361460. Northants. [KLW52R] Bristol Crawler, 1940s, nonrunner, tracks available, ideal for restoration, more pictures can be emailed. £800 ono. Tel: 07971 080061. E-mail: gerald.prescott@ hotmail.co.uk. Manchester. [KW]

BUILT FOR A LIFETIME, SUPPORTED FOR A LIFETIME

Keeping it Original, Keeping it Massey Ferguson www.masseyferguson.com

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T R ADE R H E R I TAG E

Fowler VF, restored 1978 and still very good, first time starter on the handle. £8,500. Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [ABW121R]

Overlander diesel forklift, IH B-275 engine, starts and runs ok, fault on brakes, parts manual and user handbook. £750. Tel: 01327 361460. Northants. [KLW53R] IH 125B Drott 4-in-1 front bucket, needs TLC and also MF 50D digger loader 4-in-1 front bucket TC 50-60%, tyres needs TLC, £POA, Sutton hydraulic road brush , three-point linkage working order. £925. Tel: 07502 661861. Northants. [LA]

TRACTORS WANTED Massey Ferguson 1155, looking for a running Massey Ferguson 1155 anywhere in the UK to make a pair with our 1135, give me a call if you can help. Tel: 07880 325575. Dorset. [FG] Ford tractors wanted, 1000/10/30/TW Series, runners or non-runners wanted. Barnard Castle. Tel: 07850 349 970. [AB] Cletrac/Oliver HG crawler, restored or for restoration. Tel: 01647 440890. Devon. [AB] Ferguson TE-F20, must be in good original condition and good working order. Tel: 07854 474001. Aberdeenshire. [KL]

TO SUBSCRIBE TELEPHONE

+44 (0)1371 853636

Ransomes ITW industrial tractor, wheeled, wanted in any condition, this is the 4-wheeled version of the popular Ransomes MG crawler, used as yard shunter and canal boat tug, Ransomes MG implements also wanted, distance no object. Tel: 07789 484034. Herefordshire. [IJW150R] Ferguson TE-F20 diesel, must be in good original condition and good working order. Tel: 07854 474001. Aberdeenshire. [HT1] Massey Ferguson 148, tractor must be tidy, preferably with a Herefordshire registration plate and V5, cash waiting for the right tractor, please call Peter on 07974 345088. [AB] Ferguson TE-20 crawler conversion, Tracpak or other, any condition, parts or complete, any information would be great, distance no object. Tel: 07827 872887. South Wales. [HT1] Massey 35X Multi-Power wanted in restored condition, would like to part exchange a very nice 1963 MF 35X (this tractor is also in restored condition having had thousands spent on it!). 100mile radius from Swansea, South Wales, this would be a tractor plus cash deal, no VAT. Tel: 07854 254816. Carmarthenshire. [DE] Ferguson TE-20 Continental, must be 1946. Tel: 07771 571339. North Somerset. [IJ] Fordson E27N, with L4 Perkins engine or Perkins 4.270 engine any condition considered, willing travel for right tractor. Tel: 07821 884418. Aberdeenshire. [HT3] Zetor 3045 or 3545, please send pictures. tractorzet@hotmail.com. Tel: 0031 655955866. Venlo. [KL]

LOST AND FOUND Ford 4000 wanted. Can anybody remember buying a Ford 4000 from Burgesses, in Denbeigh, North Wales in the mid to late 80s? Reg number PUJ 752M Please call Paul on 07789 904156. This tractor was first owned by Shifnal Farm Services. [FG]

John Deere 4020, was sold in September 1983 on the Stanway estate in Gloucester underneath the railway viaduct alongside of the A46, now the B4632, between Broadway and Winchcombe, the tractor was a C-reg, is it still running? Please call Eddie on 07967 944715. Gloucestershire. [EF] Marshall 702, registration no B395 5PW, does anyone know where this tractor is? Any information would be appreciated. Tel: 07773 678984. West Wales [EF] Fordson Major, registration UDH550, where is it now please? This 1956 Fordson Major, possibly with a MIL front loader, was sold at a dispersal sale in Staffordshire in 1975. Last taxed in 2009. It worked on a farm with three Turner Yeomans, all of which have survived. Telephone Larry 07724 153995. [DE] Fordson E27N GWP I38, Ford 5000 OAB 676E, Ford 5000 ANP 325H and Fordson Super Major 879 MAB and Super Major 119 CUY, whereabouts of the following tractors do they still exist? Any info would be great. Tel: 07768 416669. Worcs. [HI] David Brown (thought to be Cropmaster), registration JTF 654L. Any information or known whereabouts would be great. Ideally looking to purchase tractor for a special memorial gift. Tel: 07764 255435. Lancashire. [AB] Massey Ferguson 135, 1966, registration UTJ 282D. If you know the whereabouts or any info on this tractor we would love to know where it is. Ideally we would love to purchase this back for a special memorial gift. Last known whereabouts were Chorley, Lancashire. Tel: 07764 255435. [AB] Ford 4600 wanted, does anybody know what this tractor is doing today? It is a Ford 4600 with a Q cab, white bubble, HAW 628V, please call Paul on 07789 904156. This tractor was first owned by Shifnal Farm Services, last owned by Walford Agri College, Shropshire. [FG] Ford 4600, can anyone help me find this tractor? Has a white bubble cab, and Q cab reg VNT 377S, I would like to hear from anyone with this tractor, please call Paul on 07789 904156. This tractor was first owned by Shifnal Farm Services. [FG]

Nostalgic ex-owner seeks information on existence and whereabouts of the following tractors: 1948 Ferguson TE-A20 registration no HTG 204, sold in a Carmarthenshire farm sale in 1972; 1960 MF 35 registration no 675AKG, sold Glamorgan 1979; and 1967 MF 165 registration no KVJ978F, sold Glamorgan around 1980. Any information would be much appreciated. Telephone David on 07772 236 583. [HT2]

MISC VEHICLES FOR SALE

Lister Auto-Truc, £800. Tel: 07990 775541. [LAW69R]

Burrell live steam traction engine, 3 inch scale , current boiler certificate until 22/01/2022 copper boiler. £8,250 ono. Tel: 07712 289556. Wigan. [KLW151R]

Land Rover Defender TD5, 110 hard top 1999 V Reg, 115k miles, MOT March 2019, one owner, good working order and reliable. £5,000 + VAT. Tel: 07779 587686. Leicestershire. [LAW105R]

Land Rover Defender, 2003, TD5 bespoke full rebuild, like new. £24,000 + VAT. Tel: 07770 692891. Norwich. [KW162R]

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Land Rover, Series 3, 1983 SWB petrol blue, £3,800 spent on new parts, list available, stripped down and rebuilt on new galvanised chassis, sandblasted and repainted, with V5. £5,500. Tel: 01327 361460. Northants. [KLW73R] Land Rover Series 1, 88 inch, very original canvas top, few jobs needed, in good running order, chassis very good. £15,000 ono. Tel: 07866 003493. Devon. [KL]

OTHER VEHICLES WANTED

Fahr MD5, I am looking for any information on the whereabouts of a 1950s Fahr MD5 combine on behalf of the Fahr Schlepper Friends Museum in Gottmadingen Germany, was originally delivered to Cornwall. Any help greatly appreciated. Tel: 07836 268135. Ipswich. [JKW113R]

Vintage/classic cars, motorcycles wanted, collections bought, good price paid, prompt removal, workshops, garages and sheds cleared, considerate assistance given with deceased estate, also any motoring signs, petrol pumps, garage equipment, vintage parts, motoring items, photos, and memorabilia. Tel: 07788 961514. Cambs. [KL] Morris Minor, wanted in any condition, unfinished project , with or without MOT, also new old stock parts wanted, can travel and pay cash, someone must have an old Morris stuck in that barn, please call with details. Tel: 07860 259442. Hagley. [EF]

BALERS AND BALER SPARES

Blench rigid harrow, 14ft wide, good working order, transport kit, no crumbler. £325 ono. Tel: 07792 723207. Shropshire. [LAW32R]

LOADERS AND BUCKETS

Farmhand F11 loaders, off Ford tractors, heavy old loader, hydraulic pump and attachments extra, some strengthening to frames, excellent tools. £500 ono + VAT, delivery possible. Tel: 07831 615912. Cambs. [ABW71R]

Jones Super Star baler, restored some years ago. Tel: 07827 872887. Carms. [ABW78R]

PLOUGHS

Ransomes 2- furrow plough, very good plough with rear disc and skimmers, £650, Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [ABW134R]

Ferguson Brown 2-furrow plough, serial number 1094 c/w discs and skims 3 rivet rear wheel. £1,000. Tel: 07831 665757 or email jrvaughan@btinternet.com. Staffordshire. [LAW61R]

CULTIVATORS Front loader bucket, came off a Horndraulic loader but would fit others. Tel: 07827 872887. [KLW120R]

Ferguson spring tine cultivator, £200. Tel: 07932 107635. Suffolk. [LAW117R]

Willy’s Jeep wanted, or similar in any condition good or poor condition, good price paid. Tel: 01548 521278. Devon. [JKW92R]

Land Rovers wanted, Series 1, 2 or 3, anything considered, cash on collection anywhere UK. Tel: 07775 203208. Norfolk. [JKW60R]

Massey Ferguson 60 finger bar mower, good working order. £325. Tel: 07790 458767. Powys. [KLW54R]

Massey Ferguson 41 plough, 4-furrow conventional, item in South Lincolnshire, £600 ono. Tel: 07765 905083. [LAW49R] Front loader fork, came off a Horndraulic loader but would fit others. Tel: 07827 872887. [KLW121R]

Ferguson spike tooth, 3-section adjusting folding harrow good condition. Tel: 07827 872887. Carms. [ABW151R]

MOWERS, FLAILS, TOPPERS AND CUTTERS

Ransomes C79Z bar cultivator, with depth wheels, nine tines with new points, would suit Ford 4000 or 5000 and other makes of similar hp. £200 no VAT. Tel: 07712 362085. Notts. [LA]

Bamfords finger-bar mower, very collectable, in need of restoration or as a nice garden feature, we have a fork lift for ease of loading. £195. Tel: 01342 529777 or 07801 098134. Crawley. [AB]

Massey Ferguson disc ploughs, £550. Tel: 07889 374775. Shropshire. [LAW53R] Ransomes TS 86 match plough, RVM wholework bodies and TCN bodies £7,800. Tel: 01437 751212. Pembrokeshire. [AB]

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PUMPS WANTED

Ford/Ferguson 3-furrow plough, with adjusting handle and badged for restoration Tel: 07827 872887. [KLW122R]

Vintage single furrow reversible plough, by Haurd, recently stripped, cleaned and lubricated, all in working order, came with my compact tractor but don’t have the land to justify it. £750 ono. Tel: 07738 117538. Abingdon. [KLW153R]

Single-furrow home-built plough, for compact tractor used for competition ploughing, fully adjustable used a week ago, got 2nd place. £300 ono. Tel: 01507 478760. Mablethorpe. [KLW166R] Dowdeswell 3-furrow reversible plough, 14 inch furrow, reversible points, very good, photos on request, no repairs, ready to go, lovely small plough £1,250 ono + VAT. Tel: 07831 615912. Cambridgeshire. [AB]

PUMPS

RAF fuel bowser pump, if you have one or know of one which would help me to restore a Brockhouse bowser. Tel: 07709 927324. North Yorks. [IJW134R]

TANKERS AND BOWSERS

Diesel tank, lockable with meter, hose and gun inside the door, 2,900-litre capacity bunded tank, fuel tank is situated in the top half of the bund, gravity feed, no need for a pump, excellent condition £400 + VAT. Tel: 01548 521278. Devon. [KLW81R]

TRAILER PARTS

Easterby 4T grain trailer, excellent original condition, removable high sides, no faults, grain tight. £1,450 no VAT. Tel: 07432 013174. [LAW113R]

IMPLEMENTS FOR SALE Easterby 5T grain trailer, excellent original condition, no faults, grain tight. £1,600 no VAT. Tel: 07432 013174. [LAW114R]

Dowdeswell double row furrow press, with front and rear arms, 9ft overall width, all rings complete. £550 ono. Tel: 07875 266736 after 6pm. Monmouthshire. [LAW58R] Bush beaters trailer, good and strong, steps on back, tidy trailer, tows well. £750 no VAT. Tel: 07956 012002. Ludlow. [KLW159R]

TRAILERS

3t wooden tipper trailer, good axle and chassis and ram, needs new wooden boards, can load, £250. Tel: 07870 559146. Worcestershire. [ABP5R]

Logic trailer flatbed, removable sides new wheels and tyres led lights Carey’s 750kg 6ft 8 long x 5ft, £700 no VAT. Tel: 07884 275038. Northumberland. [KLW3R]

V twin water pump, suit stationary engine etc, V belt pulley, no cracks. Tel: 01892 750326. [KLP7R]

Fraser & Marston silage sides, 2 lots, no doors, good sides, ideal for building trailer side, £150. Tel: 07870 559146. Worcs. [ABP6R]

Ferguson 3t trailer, rare drop side tipper, completely refurbished, new brakes, body floor, etc. £2,250 no VAT. Tel: 01664 444379. Leics. [LAW8R]

Trailer with extendable ramp fitted, ideal for stationary engines etc, rebuilt with new wheel bearings and new tie down rings, new mudguards and rewired, new H/D jockey, tows lovely. £450. Tel: 01872 575140. Perranporth. [KLW111R]

Tomkin Bros potato spinner, unusual static exhibit for shows but would need a bit of painting. £275 + VAT, buyer to collect, can load. Tel: 01889 500303 or 07850 525693. Staffs. [KLW140R]

Ferguson potato planter, comes with bell and ready to work or restore in good condition dry stored. Tel: 07980 472329. Somerset. [KLW29R] Snow plough three-point linkage, front or rear or fit to loader, £675. Snow plough, bounce front MT brackets. £975. Tel: 07502 661861. Northants. [LA]

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Ferguson link box, needs work. Tel: 07827 872887. Carms. [ABW152R] Howard 100 Rota-spreader, in good condition, offers please or Vicon fertiliser disperser, for spares or repair. £POA. Tel: 07794 124617. Cornwall. [LA] Vintage hay cart, early 19 century, belonged to my fatherin-law. £3,500 Tel: 07712 289556. Wigan. [KL] Ferguson linkbox churn carrier, Tel: 07827 872887. [KL]

Six-row beet hoe, must be in good condition. Tel: 07813 869047. [EF] Turntable bale trailer wanted, 4 wheel, around 19-20ft long, smaller wheeled e.g. 11.5/80x15 not lorry wheels, want lower bed height than artic sized tyres or trailer, .close to South Norfolk. Tel: 07979 502325. [FG] Lister Blackstone side delivery rake, wanted. Tel: 01625 426055. Cheshire. [FG] Topper wanted, 5ft topper, Fleming would be ideal but other type considered. Tel: 01548 521278. Devon. [KL]

WHEELS AND TYRES

IMPLEMENTS WANTED Rear wheel strakes, adjustable, 1940s, bolts onto existing wheel rims for weight and grip. Tel: 07732 202249. Ballymena. [KLW33R]

Disc Coulter, wanted complete with leg for Ransomes Solotrac trailed plough. Tel: 07814 693173. Merseyside. [EFW49R] Ferguson or MF rear-mounted fork lift attachment. Tel: 07827 872887. Carms. [AB] IH B-13 plough, 3-furrow or DB ‘A’ series 3-furrow plough, GP bodies, must be complete and very good ready to use condition, realistic price paid for genuine and top quality plough. Tel: 01303 813411. Ashford, Kent. [EF] Lister-Blackstone side delivery rake, call if you have one. Tel: 01625 426055. Cheshire. [EF] Low loader trailer wanted, agri spec, tri axle or twin axle, any condition, private buyer. Tel: 07921 188931. Cumbria. [KL]

Row-crop wheels and tyres, 9.5 x 36 one tyre is brand new, I have no idea what they fit, give me a call if you know what they fit or are interested, can be collected from Newcastle Staffordshire, £80, call Mark. Tel: 07836 586895. Newcastle, Staffordshire. [KLW34R]

24in wheels/rims with tyre locking rings and 2 scallops. Tel: 0031 455320246. E-mail: jeanipiere@gmail.com. Netherlands. [EFW46R]

Pair of tyres, as per picture, Kleber 13.6R36, must be very good condition, cash waiting. Tel: 07921 211215. Cornwall. [KLW135R] Rear-wheel rims, also front wheel rims to fit 1955 Nuffield DM4, rear rims 11x36, fronts 6.00 x 16, fronts 5 stud type. Must be in good condition. Tel: 0788 6301539. Sheffield. [AB] Wanted, Goodyear traction sure grip tyre, (11.2) 10 x 28, 6-ply, 60-70% tread, must be sound. Tel: 01795 473350. Kent. [AB] Rear wheels, pair of rear wheels wanted for trusty tractor, believed 16in, to include tyres if possible. Tel: 07932 036451. Cambs. [EF]

THE ORIGINAL magazine for classics

McConnel PTO saw bench, good working order, with PTO shaft and 2 spare blades. £500. Tel: 07907 156479. Lancashire. [LAW62R]

SEATS

Original vintage tractor heavy metal cast seat, £95 plus £11 post. Tel: 07980 105313. [KLW112R]

WOODCHIPPERS & SAW BENCHES

WHEELS AND TYRES WANTED Steel wheels with tabs, also 8.25 x 10 tyres, found on vintage tractor trailers. Tel: 07833 235935. Suffolk. [EF]

Shaw 3-point linkage mounted PTO driven saw bench, the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of tractor driven saw benches, with many features not found on other makes, £1,325 + VAT. Tel: 07831 665757. Staffordshire. [LAW25R]

Ferguson cordwood saw with belt pulley, very good condition with original badge, £475, Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [ABW137R]

Massey Ferguson seat cover kits, to fit MF 100 Series spring suspension seats, these are an excellent replica of the original and are made from high quality leatherette material, for further details please call. Tel: 01939 290371. [BCW104R]

Available NOW from all good newsagents

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ENGINES AND GENERATORS Villiers engines, three of them, one with simple sludge pump, one with water pump, all running when last used. £190 the lot. Tel: 01502 561657. Suffolk. [LA]

T-Bar pick-up hitch, to suit TE-20, MF 35 and MF 135, £275. Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [ABW129R]

David Brown wheel weight, good condition, no cracks. Tel: 07932 107635. Suffolk. [LAW116R]

VARIOUS OTHER PARTS FOR SALE

Fordson adjustable swing drawbar hitch, Tel: 07827 872887. Carms. [ABW150R] Ferguson plough metal, original and not been used, skim bodies, points and landsides, long and short, has part number on back to make sure it’s what you want, £30 each piece. Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [ABW200R]

Massey Ferguson 135 radiator, not rotten, £75. Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [ABW126R]

David Brown Selectamatic steering wheel, new. £12. Tel: 07932 107635. Suffolk. [LAW115R]

Ferguson TE-20 rear wheel weights, good condition contact. Tel: 07827 872887. Carms. [ABW85R]

Allis-Chalmers air pre-cleaner, wide mouth, complete with glass containers, stamped made in USA, £95 delivery extra, overseas ok. Tel: 01502 561657. Suffolk. [LAP5R] Front weight, think it fits International B275. £100. Tel: 01666 504150. Tetbury. [KLW4R]

Farmall cub rear wheel weights, in Shropshire, call for more details. £200. Tel: 07889 374775. [LAW59R]

Field Marshall, unused old stock brake bands, £350. Tel: 07831 665757. Staffs. [KLW64R]

John Deere 30/33/3650 radiator side grilles, average condition, two available, £120 each ono, call after 6pm. Tel: 07875 266736. Monmouthshire. [LAW31R]

Fordson Dexta/Ford 2000 weights, 2 starters, 4 weights. Tel: 07827 872887. [KLW126R]

Fordson Major power steering kit, fits all Majors, was working when taken off, all complete, £250. Tel: 07870 559146. Worcestershire. [ABP3R]

Fordson Major rear wheel weights, 2 starters, 4 weights. Tel: 07827 872887. [KLW127R]

Field Marshall Series 2 PTO complete drive shaft, £500. Tel: 07831 665757. Staffs. [KLW59R]

IH 523 dash panel, comes with two tractor meters as removed from a damaged tractor £145, delivery costs extra. Tel: 01502 561657. Suffolk. [KLP5R] Ferguson drawbar and stays, keeps your lift arms from rattling about at a show, £75, Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [ABW132R]

Nuffield nose badge, a genuine used badge with fixing intact, £15 including postage. Tel: 01872 575140. Perranporth. [KW]

David Brown 50D an exciting pallet of parts, engine, transmission and original dynamo. Tel: 07831 66575. Staffordshire. [KLW93R]

Fordson clutch pedal and brake lever, straight condition, £45. Forfar. Tel: 07718 897765. [AB] Parts for sale Field Marshall exhaust stack, with leak off pipe Tel: 07827 872887. [KL]

Field Marshall original unused old stock clutch lining, £80+VAT. Tel: 07831 665757. Staffs. [KLW61R] MF 165/590 drawbar, also Ford 4000 drawbar offers. Tel: 07976 794383. Shropshire. [KW] David Brown 50D cylinder block and cylinder head, no visible cracks, £800 + VAT. Tel: 07831 665757. Staffs. [KW]

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Dynamo Mounting kit for E27N, please contact David Brewster. +44 (0)7624 496516. www.vintagetractorelectrics. co.uk. [HT2W15R]

Regulator cover for E27N, please contact David Brewster. +44 (0)7624 496516. www.vintagetractorelectrics. co.uk. [HT2W14R]

Beam end cap for a Ferguson disc plough, model 2-P-AE-20. Either if someone has one to sell me or any ideas where I may be able to get one please. Many thanks. Tel: 01977 643109. Doncaster. [LA] Distributor, to fit to 1952 TVO Fordson Major tractor. Tel: 07717 332855. Lancs. [AB]

MISC.

Holiday cottage, sleeps two in historic Middleham, North Yorks, this cute little cottage is an ideal base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales, short breaks available year round, owner maintained to high standard. www.oldcartmelcottage. co.uk. Tel: 01969 640010. Email: enquiries@oldcartmelcottage. co.uk. Leyburn. [ABW110R]

Blacksmith-made timber tong, approx 18 x 24 inches, well made usable items. £75 each, or £120 for the pair. Tel: 07482 478716. Hertfordshire. [LAW65R]

Oil, £1 per litre monograde 40 diesel engine oil, ideal for chainsaw chains, classic tractor back ends, wood processing equipment etc. 2,000 litres available small amounts no problem, £1 per litre + VAT, contact Robert U’Ren. Tel: 01548 521278. Devon. [LAW30R]

Playhouse, 7ft by 4ft, and 4ft high from base to roof, buyer collects. Tel: 07387 806794. Canterbury, Kent. [LAP1R]

Elddis Tynedale 5-berth caravan, twin axle, full awning, good tyres, fridge, cooker, hob, hook up lead, please phone for further information. £1,995 ono. Tel: 07889 430884. Surrey. [KLW69R] Metal sack barrow, good condition, call for more info. £20. Tel: 07927 675074. Perthshire. [KL] Heavy duty cylinder liner removing and fitting kit, comes with dollys, call for info. £120. Tel: 01803 616210. Torquay. [KL]

E27N-P6 battery boxes, for information please contact David Brewster. +44 (0)7624 496516. www.vintagetractorelectrics. co.uk. [HT6W1]

Part for vintage hay grab. Tel: 016973 32517 or 07551 194837. Silloth. [LAW70R]

Car or lorry mascot, ideal for horsebox, 1950/60s cast alloy horse head in shoe, fixing underneath, in nice original used condition. £75 inc post. Tel: 01872 575140. Perranporth. [ABW148R]

Atkinson Knight, unused old stock, as new condition, chrome/ paint immaculate. £75 including signed for parcel post. Tel: 01872 575140. Perranporth. [ABW146R]

Waterproof covers for CAV switches, please contact David Brewster. +44 (0)7624 496516. www.vintagetractorelectrics. co.uk. [HT2W13R]

PARTS WANTED

Fordson dealer saleman’s lapel badge, £35. Tel: 01267 231616. Carmarthen. [ABP9R]

Steam compressor, built in 1913 by Gardnels of America, weighs 3 tons, call for info. £2,000 ono. Tel: 01493 751711. Norfolk. [LAP2R] Anzani Iron Horse, old restoration, complete with plough and discs, engine had new rings but could do with bottom end sorting, have a good spare engine, available by negotiation, tyres good original fitment, £550. Tel: 01759 306586. East Yorks. [LA]

MODELS, COLLECTABLES, LITERATURE AND DVDS Aircraft, old cars and motorbikes wanted, also parts of and engines etc. pre 1980s, old wrecks welcome, any condition considered. Tel: 07753 931874 or 01133 455859. [JK]

Allis-Chalmers ED-40 brochure, 8 pages, £20. Tel: 01423 733487. West Yorkshire. [LAW19R]

Perkins handbooks genuine Perkins instruction books, full of engine information. £12 each including postage. Tel: 01872 575140. Perranporth. [ABW138R] International Harvester boiler suit badge, 2in by 2in, never been used in original bag. £5. Tel: 07917 852782. Aberdeenshire. [KL]

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SERVICES

Perkins workshop manuals, all in good condition, P4 P6 P3 6.354 4.203 4.236 V8. BMC 2.2 1.5 £20, will post, lots of truck manuals and parts books. Tel: 01872 575140. Perranporth. [ABW119R]

B.H.S. Riders/members coat badge, excellent condition looks to have had little or no wear. £12 including postage. Tel: 01872 575140. Perranporth. [ABW118R] BMC service parts list book, £30 plus postage. Tel: 07946 771499. Norwich. [LA]

Framed limited edition signed prints, by Robin Wheeldon, Smoke and Dust no 16 of 250, Stooking no 123 of 250, both are in good condition, only selling as downsizing. £55 each + £12 postage will consider sensible offers thanks. Tel: 07814 777153. North Somerset. [ABW159R]

Two superb sixties Dinky tractors, Massey Ferguson and a Leyland with a livestock trailer will split would make an ideal Christmas present for a tractor fan. £50. Tel: 01829 733969. Cheshire. [ABW89R]

T R ADE R H E R I TAG E

FOR BUYING & SELLING

IMPORTANT NOTICE We appreciate that you are busy, but it may be worth taking a brief moment to think about your next advert in the Heritage Trader classified section. Due to recent legislation, we are unable to send you an e-mail to advise that the print deadline is approaching for your FREE adverts, unless you have already given your consent. If you would like to be prompted of our forthcoming deadline each month, please send an e-mail to classifieds@sundialmagazines.co.uk – fill in the subject line with ‘Remind me’. We will simply advise you by return of the next deadline. Your e-mail will not be used for any other purpose than that stipulated here. If you decide you wish to stop receiving prompts once you have enlisted, simply e-mail us ‘Stop reminders’.

R E D A TR HERIT

FOR

AGE

IN & SELL G N I Y BU OW DAVID BR

ERF wagons, two superb 1960 Corgi one flat and one high side very collectible, £28 each inc post, £52 the pair inc boxes and track post pick up a bargain. Tel: 01829 733969. Tarporley. [KLW42R]

U/H 2010 50th Anniversary Doe Show tractor, Fordson Super Major Ltd Edition 277/1000 1/16 scale £95 + postage. Tel: 01787 280687. Sudbury. [LAW112R]

Transport available for tractors, to shows, sales, etc. phone for quote: Tel: 01531 670357 or email: rjtransport@btconnect.com. Herefordshire. [F-JW50R]

Hamer Transport, a friendly transport service for vintage tractors and machinery, located West Midlands, local and national. Tel: 07765 888439 for a quote or Email: graham@hamertransport. co.uk. Website: www. hamertransport.co.uk. [KLW124R]

MODELS, COLLECTABLES, \ LITERATURE WANTED County technical specs, don’t necessarily need originals, high quality scans/copies would be fine. Ideally looking for 754 and 1164, but any of the similar 4- or 6-cylinder models would do. Tel: 01903 814599. West Sussex. [KL] Auto-Mower FMF8 and AT5 literature wanted, brochures, parts lists, drawings/diagrams. Tel: 01903 814599. Sussex. [KL] Vintage/Classic cars, motorcycles wanted, collections bought, good price paid, prompt removal, workshops, garages and sheds cleared, considerate assistance given with deceased estate, also any signs, petrol pumps, garage equipment, vintage parts, motoring items, photos, and memorabilia. Tel: 07788 961514. Cambs. [JK]

NOTICES Wanted farm of 150+ acres, mainly arable would prefer 4+ bedroom house and modern buildings but not essential cash buyer most areas considered please call. Tel: 07814 312903. Worcestershire. [CD]

4x4 wheel covers, custom made wheel covers to advertise your business or personal design, covers all 4x4 vehicles, since 1985, nationwide and Europe. Visit www.wheelcover.com Tel: 01473 652940. [FGW154R] Signs for homes, farms, business and commercial applications over half a century, working only with high quality materials, we produce a wide range of plaques using traditional and modern techniques. Tel: 01493 751778. [F-E125R] Service and repair for LandRovers, covering all models from Series 1 to the present day, servicing 20 mile radius of Knockholt, Nr Sevenoaks, Kent. Please call Knockholt 4X4. Tel: 01959 533305. [LA] Indulge Catering, provide buffets in Edinburgh we created fresh, original menus for wedding ceremonies, birthdays, anniversaries, and funerals across the North West. Your order can be delivered directly to your door. Tel: 07932 008305. Edinburgh. [AB]

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PRIVATE ADVERTS ARE FREE!!!

T RADER

With a readership of enthusiasts of vintage tractors, implements and farming heritage, there’s no better place to advertise than the Heritage Trader pages in Heritage Tractor magazine. Private adverts are FREE and you can also have a FREE picture! Complete the form below and post it to us with your photograph, email your advertisement to classiﬁeds@heritagetractormagazine.co.uk or place your advert online at www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk If required, your photo (JPEG or PDF) should be sent as an attachment to your email message. In addition to the wording required, please provide your full name and address (not for publication).

H E R I TAG E

FOR BUYIN G & SELLIN G TRACTORS FOR SALE

ALLIS-CHALM

DAVID BROWN

ERS

Allis-Chalmers Model B, 1949, engine rebuild in 2010, electric start, new tyres , petrol/TVO, used only for rallies. £1,900 ono. Tel: 01271 813253. Devo n. [HIW24R]

Allis Chalmers ED-40, good running order, ideal small-hold er/ collector. £1,95 0 ono. 681316. Shropshire Tel: 07811 . [HIW53R]

CASE

Case Model S, 1950, good running tractor on good tyres, tidy tinwork and decen t paint. £2,750 ono. Tel: 01239 81049 159622. West Wale 9 or 07811 s. [HT1W16]

David Brown Thre sherman, bodywork resto red in 1980, engine restored in 2000, petrol/ paraffin, good condi tion, rare beauty. £22,000 ono. Tel: 01460 221481. Somerset. [IJP9R]

David Brown 990, refurbished, has been used around farm since refurb so not mint but in excellent condition, only problem is that it is spitting oil from exhaust due to lack of use, new rings installed when done. Have reserve of £5,000 but will look at highest bids above. Tel: 07976 584653. Boncath. [HIW72R]

David Brown, also have traile rs and Merc, call for more info. Tel: 07753 93187 4. Humberside, North-West Yorks hire. [HIW145R]

Ferguson TE-2 0, petrol/paraffi n, good runner, sound Ferguson TE-2 0, 1952, with tinwork, new Goodyear tyres Perkins P3 engin all round, draw e, earlier full bar, restoration link box, genui , recent new rear ne Ferguson tyres, bonnet cover, fi sold with Fergu rst registered son link box, runs 1950, registration well, an interesting , book and V5. tractor for Tel: 07771 98706 shows or rallyi 3. ng, selling due to Cumbria. house move. £2,95 0. Tel: 01308 [JKW36R] 89713 6. Dorset. [IJW124R]

Ferguson FE-35 grey/gold, beautifully and fully restored. Tel: 00 353 87 41584 57. Co. Galway, Irelan d. [IJW58R]

Ferguson TE-2 0 Continental, 1963, petrol, lots of new parts, bodywork tidy but paint work could be better. £1,400 ono. Tel: 07900 444171. Dereham. [HIW16 6R]

FERGUSON

Case LA, good runner, nice condition, pleas e call for more details. £4,250. Tel: 07718 89776 5. Forfar. [HT1W31

Ferguson TE-2 0, 1952 with Perkins P3 engin e, earlier full restoration runs well, tyres and sold with new rear genuine Ferguson link box, has been used ploughing and cultivating and would be an unusu al shows. Tel: 01308 exhibit for 897136. Bridport, Dorse t. [IJ]

HERITAGE TRACTOR CLASSIFIED FORM

Ferguson TE-A 20, TVO, with V5, recently overhauled , new tyres, radiator, tank, exhaust, carburettor, foot plates, electrics, temp gauge, paint ed, £1,600. Tel: 01443 thermostat. 208741. Llantwit, Fardr e, Wales. [IJP18R]

Ferguson FE-35 , 1957, rare grey/ gold edition, comp lete nut and bolt restoration , new tyres all round, used for light work only by present lady owne r, excellent condition. £3,85 0. Tel: 01872 870633. Cornw all. [JKW94R]

Fergie TE-20 petro l, hydraulics all work TVO, PTO, ing, good tinwork, engine refurbished over 3 years ago, tyres slight cracking but good tread and hold air, starts and runs well, selling to chang e to a diesel TE-20, so may trade. £1,150 ono. Tel: 07772 021989. West Lothian. [IJW17R] Ferguson TE-2 0, diesel, 1954, new tyres all round , new fenders, battery and lift pump, good starter, everything works OK. £1,800. Tel: 01487 822207. Cambridgeshire . [HIP4R]

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Advertise your tractors, implements and farming memorabilia for FREE!* We’ll include a FREE photo too. Advertising is easy, but hurry to catch the earliest possible issue! ● Post the coupon and enclose your photo to: Advertisement Dept, HERITAGE TRACTOR, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS, England. ● Email to classiﬁeds@sundialmagazines.co.uk. Remember to include your full name and address details. Pictures can be sent as a JPEG or PDF. ● Online Place your advert online at www.HeritageTractorMagazine.co.uk

24/08/2017

08:37

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Sundial Magazines (publisher of Heritage Tractor magazine) would like to keep you updated about the latest oﬀers, products and services. To receive these please tick the box J The publisher cannot accept any responsibility for the quality of products advertised in Heritage Tractor magazine or for failure in payment, etc. Contracts are between the individuals concerned and no liability can be attached to Sundial Magazines or its officers. Particular attention should be paid by advertisers to the requirements of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 governing trade descriptions, especially when detailing accurate descriptions of goods offered for sale. The Business Advertisements (Disclosure) Order 1977 requires all advertisements by people who sell goods in the course of a business to make that fact clear. The responsibility for this lies with the advertiser. It is a further legal requirement that when VAT is to be charged, it is made clear whether VAT is included in the price shown or not.

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28/11/2018 11:14

T h e B a c k Pa g e

RESTING PLACE

D N U O F & LOST nery that just hasn’t moved for a long time!

hi ac m rm fa d ol d an s ie er ov sc di s, nd fi rn Ba Let us know what you’ve seen

NUFFIELDS

Shaun Hollyer discov ered these two Nuffields, believed to be DM4 models from the mid-1950s, plus another Nuffield in a bramble patch at As hford in Kent. He has rescued all three an d hopes to get at lea st two operational again .

FORDSON N

This Fordson N is belie ved to have a 1938 ‘orange’ fro nt half and a 1940 rear end. It was new to the Wrexham area before being purchased by Ne il Williams’ father in 1968 . It was last used in the 1980s.

IH BTD-6e IHFLEBTDET-6 crawlers and two others in another location belong to a These thre th Lincolnshire. They are in good, large arable farming business based in Sou for some time, reports Paul Turner. complete condition, but haven’t moved

FIND OF THE MONTH!

NUFFIELD 460

The dust and detritus on this 1960s Nuffield 460 suggests it hasn’t moved from its resting place, a shed in the Cambridgeshire Fens, for some time. Its mudguards are missing but everything else seems to be intact.

FIELD MARSHALLS

It is a long time since th ese four Field Marshall s did any work in the Lancas hire timber yard that ha s been their home for many de cades. Photo: Christoph er Tyrie.

Send your finds and discoveries to*

*(they don’t have to be recent)

Resting Place, Heritage Tractor, Sun dial Magazines, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS or e-mail: editor@her itagetractormagazine.co.uk

114

www.heritagetractormagazine.co.uk

WORLD CLASS

EQUIPMENT

DESERVES WORLD CLASS GREASE Groeneveld was founded in 1971 in the Netherlands, and as well as automatic lubrication systems we also supply high quality grease. Alongside our range of existing grease we have more recently, by popular demand, developed and introduced biodegradable grease. Groeneveld Bio Grease is available in grades EP-0 and EP-2.

Please contact Nathan Yates T. 07831 310046 E. n.yates@groeneveld-group.com for more information Groeneveld FP - Logos v4.indd 1

29/11/2018 17:12

WWW.MASSEYFERGUSON.COM

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FROM MASSEY FERGUSON A world of experience. Working with you.

Massey Ferguson FP.indd 1

17/08/2017 15:00

Heritage Tractor Issue 6

Articles inside

Resting Place Your pictures of vintage tractors and old farm equipment taking a well-earned rest

Heritage News The latest happenings from the world of vintage tractors and machinery

The Way We Were A retired farmer looks back at beet harvesting and autumn drilling

MERL Museum Tour We visit the Museum of English Rural Life, a true national treasure

Threshing Contractors A reminder of how

Fordson Dexta All you need to know about the Dexta and its Super sibling

Dealer Show Stands Rare photographs of a Ferguson dealer’s stands at country shows

Marshall Power The reasons why Marshall tractors were so popular for belt pulley work

Threshing Set A wonderful photo of a Field Marshall threshing in Somerset in the 1950s