Innehållsförteckning för June 2024 från Tractor & Machinery

ROAD RUN REQUEST The National Vintage Tractor Road Run has become something of British institution for tractor enthusiasts, and has been held on Easter Sunday since 1987, when the inaugural event took place in Herefordshire, organised by Robert Coles and Ashley Godsall. The event takes place in a different region every year so owners from all over the UK get a chance to take part. Previous venues have included everywhere from Ayrshire, County Antrim and Yorkshire to Norfolk, Sussex and Cornwall. The record for the most tractors taking part was set at the run in Pembrokeshire, back in 2011, when an incredible 810 machines were involved. On average, though, the event typically attracts 450 or so, although this year’s – held in East Sussex – saw just 260 tractors entered.…

SHOW LATEST Chatting with Tractor Fest organiser, Kevin Watson, at the excellent Stradsett Rally recently, it was good to discover that the Newby Hall extravaganza is set to be another big one this year (June 8th-9th). There are more than 1,200 exhibits booked in, and the event’s special tractor theme this time will be ‘anything orange’. So visitors can expect to see plenty Allis-Chalmers, Marshall, Fowler and Nuffield models on display. This is always a superb show and, as the north’s biggest tractor rally, is certainly not to be missed. You can book tickets and get lots more information by visiting: tractorfest.uk…

AUCTION PREVIEW One of the features of the HJ Pugh clear-up sale being staged on June 20th near Weston Super Mare, in Somerset, will be the selection of rare and interesting Belarus and other East European tractors being sold on the day. The sale, featuring assorted tractors, crawlers, plant and classic vehicles will also feature a number of David Browns, including a Trackmaster crawler. Other highlights will include a very interesting and extremely rare Muir-Hill Camill muck-shifting scraper bowl, plus a useful, Scandinavian-made Munsters HLD MK693 – ideal for forestry work. Finally, bidders will get the chance to buy an IHC McCormick 8-41 combine harvester that worked here in the UK and is an absolutely original gem. Find out more at: hjpugh.com…

Sentimentality plays an enormous part in most enthusiasts’ involvement with classic tractors. More often than not, speak to an owner and you’ll discover that the machine they treasure has a poignant link to a loved family member or simply happy childhood memories. This is certainly true for John Vowell, who spent his formative years growing up on a Kentish farm where his tractor-driving father worked at the wheels of various Fordson and Ford models. As a result, John feels a connection to tractors from the 1960s and ’70s that’s so strong that it’s driven him to painstakingly re-create his favourite from that era. EARLIEST MEMORIES “My dad, having started his working life on an arable farm in Northumberland, came to London during the Second World War where he met and…

Please check with the organiser that the event you’re thinking of attending is going ahead before planning your day, or travelling to the venue. In some cases you may have to book your ticket online before travelling. June 1st-2nd June TINKERS PARK STEAM RALLY Tinkers Park, Hadlow Down, E Sussex TN22 4HS tinkerspark.com 1st-2nd June  WOOLPIT STEAM RALLY Warren Farm, Wetherden IP14 3JX A14 junction 47a Eastbound (from Bury St Edmunds), Junction 49 Westbound (from Ipswich) woolpit-steam.org.uk 1st-2nd June SOUTH MOLTON VINTAGE RALLY Frankhill Farm, Rackenford, Devon EX16 8EG smoltonvintagerally.co.uk 2nd June FoFH SCOTTISH BORDERS & BERWICKSHIRE ROAD RUN Starts Old Berwickshire High School Car Park, Duns TD11 3QG tel: 07779 597303 8th-9th June TRACTORFEST Newby Hall, Ripon, N Yorks. HG4 5AE tractorfest.uk 9th June KILDRUMMY VINTAGE RALLY Kildrummy Estate, Aberdeenshire kildrummyvintagerally.weebly.com 15th June…

27TH-28TH APRIL 2024 Organised by Richard Pocock and the Berwick St John Country Fayre committee, and with proceeds being donated to the Stars Appeal at Salisbury Hospital, the aim of this event was to bring enthusiasts together, as so many early-season ploughing matches and outdoor events had already been cancelled due to rain. Saturday saw a competitive ploughing match with six classes and 50 entrants, with the attraction of working on some good ground among like-minded individuals bringing tractor owners from as far afield as Cornwall and Surrey. Tractor entries ranged from a Case C owned since 1989 by Gerald Mundy, to an imposing Track Marshall TM 200 crawler with Dowdeswell DP2 eight-furrow, semi-mounted plough behind. One of the real rarities was a Minneapolis-Moline ZASI owned by Eddie Fry from…

One of my frustrations is not having suitable cover for my tractors and, over the years, the consequences of this have been highlighted with the MF 550, which has been outside for the past 17 years. Despite being the youngest machine in my collection, this one hasn’t always been the ‘go to’ tractor when doing odd jobs, as many of my implements aren’t suitable for it. As a result it’s gathered a coat of grime and green algae, which has made it look worse than it actually is. It’s fitted with a Massey Ferguson 80 loader that’s very useful for lifting heavy items, but I don’t have much work for it. Just about all it does, in fact, is push the compost heap up now and again! PRESSURE WASH Before…

CHARITY UPDATE Somerset farmer Nick Bragg is, as you read this, attempting an extraordinary cycling challenge alongside a Krone BiG X forager, to raise awareness and funds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI). The challenge involves a 1,000-mile route, which started at the Northumberland County Show on May 26th, headed south via the Suffolk Show on May 30th/31st, and aims to finish at the Royal Cornwall Show at Wadebridge, on June 5th. Nick explained: “In 2019 I cycled 3,000 miles across Canada for the charity, so I was ready for the next challenge. Lots of people have cycled from John O’Groats to Land’s End, so I wanted to go one step further by using the forager to symbolise the agricultural community’s strength and resilience, and raise nationwide awareness of…

NEW MACHINERY Over 20 machines will be filling KUHN’s stand at Cereals 2024 (Newnham Farm, Herts. SG7 5JX, June 11th/12th), including a debut for the new mechanical weeding Tineliner and Rowliner machines, plus several recently-launched products, including the Optimer L 12500. The Tineliner and Rowliner offer growers another option to reduce chemical usage while controlling weeds. The Tineliner range has three models – 6m, 9m and 12m – and construction is from 1.5m sections with 48 tines across six rows. The Rowliner also features three models – 500, 620 and 660 – offering row widths between 500-800mm. The Tineliner range has three models – 6m, 9m and 12m – and construction is from 1.5m sections with 48 tines across six rows Growers looking for crop protection and nutrition products can…

AT AUCTION 29th JUNE AUCTION PREVIEW Cheffins will be handling the Ingalls sale at Market Rasen, in Lincolnshire, on June 29th. This is the second time that the auctioneer has been engaged to dispose of this immensely impressive collection and, this time, there will be Caterpillar, Ferguson, Fordson and Ford machinery among the interesting lots being sold. There will also be steam and military vehicles, plant, commercials and so much else to go for. Not to be missed! Further details at: cheffins.co.uk…

SCALE MODEL LAUNCH G&M Originals has just announced a couple of limited edition versions of the David Brown 770 tractor. The ¹/₁₆ scale models are available in either the early, red and yellow livery or the later brown and ivory paint scheme. The two versions also have detail differences, with the later (brown/ivory) version featuring an alternative bonnet grille design. Both versions are hand-made and finished at the company’s Nottingham factory and all parts – resin, rubber, brass, paint and decals – are UK sourced. The models feature rubber tyres, fully detailed engines and visible back hitch gear. Limited to 50 of each edition, the models are available with a display case at additional cost if required, each in the run will be individually numbered and the cost is £295.…

Buying your first tractor can be a bewildering business for the newcomer as there are so many models to choose from, a huge variety of specifications and all manner of shapes, sizes and colours. The purpose of this feature is to point first-timers towards machines that make sense for novice owners; that are easy to live with, simple to buy and interesting to own. The prices included in each case are for guidance only as actual values can vary so much depending on condition, history, originality, restoration status etc. The aim is to inspire you to start doing your own research, to take action and to get involved with this wonderful hobby by becoming a classic tractor owner. 1 Ford Force 4000 The Force version of the Ford 4000 has…

SUNDAY 21ST APRIL 2024 The small East Sussex village of Bodle Street Green awoke to the sound of classic engines on April 21st, when an amazing 342 vehicles of all types gathered in and around the village to take part in this year’s FBHVC ‘Drive-it Day’ charity fund-raiser. The entrants were all made welcome by me and my helpers and, besides vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, commercial and military vehicles, steam cars, road steamers and stationary engines, there were 72 vintage and classic tractors on show for spectators to enjoy. The event included a 17-mile road run, and those attending came from as far afield as Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Essex and London. There was a model railway exhibition in the village hall featuring seven layouts, and free refreshments were provided…

With a fresh season here, most tractor enthusiasts will be looking at the rally calendar and thinking about bringing their tractors out of hibernation in readiness for those favourite shows and charity road runs. But, as with all things mechanical, tractors are made to be used and always need to be treated correctly if they’re going to deliver their best performance reliably. Not ‘putting them to bed’ in a suitable manner can lead to frustrations when the time comes to bring them back to life again. Nothing beats regular maintenance to keep the wheels turning and, with all this mind, I thought it would be timely to highlight the key aspects that should be checked before chancing your luck in public places! ENGINE MAINTENANCE Obviously, one of the major components…

AUCTION INSIGHT Aumann Auctions concluded its very prolonged online-only, pre-1930s sale on May 2nd, and what an event it was. The star machine was the late Roger Desborough’s c1920 Twin City type-A 40-65 (No.14180) prairie tractor. It had originally worked in the North Dakota back country, but Roger discovered and imported it to the UK during the 1980s. It had been a major attraction at the Carrington and Henham rallies over many years, where it could be seen still running with its original carburettor and KW magneto. Percival Engineering had done work on both the crown and bull gears, and the whole machine was classed as an ‘older restoration’ having had welded repairs made to its crankcase decades ago. Fran Desborough – Roger’s widow – sent the tractor back to…

Harry Ferguson, the brains behind the iconic Little Grey Fergie and the innovative three-point linkage that’s still a crucial component on all working tractors today, was a marketing genius. However, one of his simplest yet most innovative creations was the Ferguson spanner, which arrived as part of the Ferguson System developed during the 1930s. The first version of the ‘universal’ spanner was supplied with the Ferguson Brown tractor, and the idea was that it would fit most nuts and bolts found on the machine (and associated implements). As such, it was the only tool – together with the supplied grease gun – the owner required to undertake most on-farm servicing and adjustment jobs. Interestingly, the spanner’s shaft was calibrated and it’s widely believed that this enabled the spanner to be…

Portable power! The IG4000 from Clarke is a powerful generator featuring inverter technology to provide pure, stable power. With a maximum output of 3.8kW and a continuous output of 3.5kW, it’s suitable for trade and leisure use. The IG4000 is fitted with large wheels and a handle, making it easy to move around. The generator has an economical, air-cooled, 4-stroke engine, featuring an Eco (low-idle) switch that automatically adjusts the engine speed and fuel consumption to match the load for enhanced efficiency. The generator, will run for 6hr 15mins at 75% load from 10 litres of fuel and features an electric and pull start.…

PART 2 In the May issue we looked at some of the implements marketed by the International Harvester Company of Great Britain through the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. This time our coverage concludes with a reminder of some of the other types of machinery built and ‘badge-engineered’ by the company during that period.…

As would be expected, County always had plenty of interesting design projects and ideas ‘up its sleeve’, and these were inevitably innovative and forward-looking. Sadly, though, most came to nothing and all that survives is a handful of sketches that I managed to save, with other documentation, over the years. We can but imagine what might have been had the development work been pushed along, and actual vehicles created from these somewhat basic drawings and sketches. Clearly, County was best known – certainly in later years – for its tractor models that utilised innovative design ideas and that were constantly being evolved. But, as with any other vehicle manufacturer, County never had time to sit on its corporate laurels, as the competition was always snapping at its heels; a constant…

A ‘HUNTING’ FERGUSON TE-F 20 Q I run a Ferguson TE-F 20 diesel tractor for maintaining our paddocks and the occasional road run. Recently the engine began to surge and hunt while it was idling. This was something it never used to do, so I assumed that the fuel-injection pump required some lubrication. So I removed the cap from the top of the pump and added some engine oil to see if that would improve matters. Unfortunately, there’s been no improvement since and now the engine runs flat out and won’t slow, even when the throttle lever is fully closed. I did notice some blue smoke from the engine for a short time, but this has since stopped. Have I done something wrong? Any advice would be most welcome, as…

“When I arrived here, there was nothing,” explains Ray. “It was an overgrown tangle of weeds and brambles, but I had plans! Having cleared the undergrowth and levelled the area, I spread 80 tonnes of chalk using my front loader-equipped Fordson Major to form a yard base. Then, after having to work on the Major during the winter, the idea of a pole barn got the go-ahead from the landlord.” Despite having no building experience, Ray set to work. “I knew how I wanted it to look, and decided that 15 feet between uprights would work. With secondhand telegraph poles bought, I started making the holes using an auger on my MF 135, but it wasn’t man-enough, so a mate with a bigger machine helped.” I think it’s important that…