Innehållsförteckning för August 2024 från Tractor & Machinery

We regularly read about the eye-watering amounts of money that top tractors sell for these days. Fifty, one hundred or even two hundred thousand pound sums are commonly splashed around as collectors jostle to add the most desirable classics to their collections. But why are they prepared to pay such high prices? Most people aren’t stupid, especially those who already have money enough to spend five or six-figure amounts on an old tractor that, in many cases, they have literally no intention of ever using. So if the tractor’s practical functionality is irrelevant, then maybe it’s simply the machine’s rarity that attracts them. After all, there are plenty of people who love amassing sets, be they of paintings, stamps, watches or tractors from a specific manufacturer. But surely the underlying…

It’s just been announced that Caterpillar will be a featured make at the 2025 Stradsett Vintage Vehicle Rally. The section will be organised by Austin West, who tells us that at least 25 Caterpillar owners have promised to bring their amazing machines to the NVTEC-EA-organised event, which will be held near Downham Market on May 4th-5th, 2025. Austin is hoping to gather 100 machines at the rally, and if you’ve got something interesting you’d like to bring along then give him a call on: 07968 352211. 25 CATS ON SHOW!…

We sampled a recent post from Tractor & Machinery’s very active Facebook page, just to give you a flavour of what people are saying there… T&M SOCIAL Gareth Jones I know which one I would like with a 9’ topper on a set of twin wheels Martin Lingard Progress? One you can fix yourself, the other you need a master’s degree in computing Stuart Thurtle Used to drive a Silver Jubilee 7810. I’d take that any day Jon Wilkins I don’t call that progress really. Extra comfort yes.. but that’s about where it ends Jamie Burbidge I always remember pulling 5 furrows with 120 to 150hp. Now you need a minimum of 200. Back then we had horses under the bonnet, now we have Shetland ponies Alan Dyer Sprayed them…

One of Northern Ireland’s last remaining links with tractor pioneer Harry Ferguson was lost on May 18th, 2024, following the sad death Kenneth Campbell at his home in Ballymoney. Born in 1936, in the village of Castledawson, Co Londonderry, Kenneth’s family moved to Abbotswood shortly after WW2, where his father, William, was employed as Harry’s chauffeur. When Sir John Black of Standard Motors agreed to build Ferguson tractors, young Ken was there on the day the new TE-20 was delivered. After the adults had inspected the tractor then returned to the ‘big house’, Ken ventured forward and climbed aboard the machine. So absorbed was he with the experience that he didn’t hear the footsteps behind him and was surprised when hands descended on his shoulders. A familiar voice then said:…

Just a quick comment about the International 585 braking issues discussed in the recent article (Q&As, June 2024). I have an elderly IH 785 that had identical braking problems and, it seems, an identical braking system. An old boy in the IH workshop overheard me discussing this and quietly advised me to change the back end oil to the correct one (Case Hy-Trans). I queried this and was rather cynical about the idea, but he simply replied: “Just do it!” So I took his advice and the problem was solved and never returned. I suspect the tractor mentioned in the magazine may have the same problem, and I would advise an oil change as the solution. Robert Gosling, via email…

Send your drawings to: ‘Whizz Kids!’, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL Or, scan them and email them to: tm.ed@kelsey.co.uk PICK OF THE CROP Flashy Deutz! This in my grandad’s Deutz tractor looking really good with all of its lights on. Wesley Hague (aged 10), Gilmorton School, Leics. New Holland at work This is my drawing of a New Holland tractor pulling a load of hay back from the field. Noah Shepherd (aged 7), Othery, Somerset Zetors are my favourite! I love tractors and my dad has lots of old Zetors. They are my favourite so I drew this tractor. When I grow up I want to be a contractor with an 8011 Zetor, and love looking through the magazine before bed. Cody Conway…

The cereal harvest has always been the pinnacle of the year for the arable farmer and, although the methods and machinery have changed hugely over the centuries, that basic fact remains very true today. I remember the days when combines without cabs were the norm, with operators exposed to the huge amounts of dust produced during long summer days. Back then, in the 1970s, the most commonly-seen machines in my little patch of Suffolk were the Massey Ferguson 515 (with its distinctive red and yellow revolving air-cleaner), the light green Claas Senator, the yellow New Holland Clayson and plenty of dark green John Deeres. By today’s standards, those were all small combines, although they seemed enormous to me at the time! Most had open platforms and, while dust was certainly…

DIY projects in this issue – Perkins engine overhaul, Workshop basics, Fergie winch resto, MF 550 refurb With the engine removed from the MF 168 I was able to get full access to the clutch assembly. Judging by my initial inspection, it was clear that the whole area was very dirty and that there was a fair bit of oil mixed in with an assortment of grass, seeds and other vegetation. However, none of this really bothered me as, in this instance, the whole clutch assembly was scheduled to be replaced. However, I was interested to discover that the access plate on the bottom was missing, which is how all the grass and other debris had found its way into the area. The tractor’s owner had told me that the…

The prices shown on the following pages are based on tractors sold at auction, on the internet, privately and from some overseas markets, too. Prices change as time progresses, and it’s not always an upward trend, but you will get a good indication of what’s currently happening in the market by referring to our guide. If you are thinking of buying a tractor, here are a few pointers to help you. Should you be looking for something specific, weigh up your options – particularly if you have a limited budget. If it’s a popular model, then it’s not always to your advantage to go for the first one you see. If a fault is highlighted, make sure you have a good idea of how much it will cost to repair,…

EVENT UPDATE Congratulations to Vanda Parcel for taking on the 2025 National Vintage Tractor Road Run, following a conversation with Peter Love. She organised the event successfully 25 years ago in Cambridgeshire, but next year’s run will be in mid-Suffolk, on April 20th. Vanda has already secured a sponsor for the event and a venue for the start/finish, and will ably backed up by her husband, Ray, in this joint venture. It’s certainly great news that this popular event will be continuing next year and we understand that Vanda has been in touch with NVTRR co-founder Ashley Godsall about her plans. We’ll certainly provide more details as they emerge, so watch this space!…

AUCTION COLLECTIVE PREVIEW Cheffins reports a superb collective entry for its annual Harrogate sale, to be held at the Great Yorkshire Showground on August 17th. From the list we saw as this issue was going to press, Ferguson and Massey Ferguson tractors appear set to dominate proceedings. Included among the lots are a delightful TE-A 20, 35s, 135s and a fine 158F with Duncan cab. Among the unrestored machines to be sold we spotted a 35, a 230 and a ‘like new’ 6150, which is absolutely stunning. Also, just look out for the MF 390 and 390T entries; there are bound to be some after the recent Ingall sale results! Other tractors going under the hammer include a well-restored MB-Trac 1500 and a beautiful John Deere 4955 4WD, plus a…

Details correct at the time of going to press. To avoid disappointment, please check with the auctioneer before setting off, especially when travelling long distances. July 26th July Welland Steam Rally Vintage Auction H J Pugh & Co Tel: 01531 631122 27th July Dispersal sale of machinery and implements Crowhall Farm, Bardon Mill Harrison & Hetherington harrisonandhetherington.co.uk August 2nd August Collective machinery and equipment sale Ashford Market, Monument Way Ashford, Kent TN24 0HB Hobbs Parker Tel: 01233 502222 5th August Ross Fisk John Deere Tractor Collection Online bidding Aumann Auctions aumannvintagepower.com 6th August Auction of Melby family tractor collection Online bidding Aumann Auctions aumannvintagepower.com 7th August Online sale of tractors, machinery etc Carlisle, Harrison & Hetherington harrisonandhetherington.co.uk 10th August Collective charity sale of tractors, machinery etc Rylands Farm, Sherborne Symonds…

Write to Chris and he'll reply! STAR LETTER With regard to the RAF Fordson Standard that was featured on p19 of the June issue, when I was 15 my father had one and I remember using it to pull out apple trees. I fitted it with three three-inch angle iron lugs on each track, spaced so that the tracks spun and then suddenly gripped to snatch out the tree. We had a large hook that we put into the forks two metres up the trees, and took out 80 trees in a day. However, it wasn’t good at steering! When we pulled hard with the winch, the clutch would bind so we had to use the tractor’s clutch and stop the pull as the clutch wouldn’t release until we hit…

Seeing an immaculate International Harvester 445 conventional baler at work behind an equally immaculate Ford 7000 tractor is a sight guaranteed to transport those of us over a certain age back to a time when the small, square baler was king. International Harvester built one of the most popular ranges of ‘conventional balers’ in Yorkshire during the 1970s and early ‘80s, with the 440 and 445 models widely regarded as the best the company ever produced. Of course, International Harvester wasn’t the first to make pick-up balers, but it was early into the market in North America and went on to build many thousands of units at its factory in Doncaster. TRUSSERS TO BALERS The mechanical baler grew out of the need for straw to be packed into easy-to-handle and…

SATURDAY 29th JUNE HOT BIDDING AT INGALLS A big crowd was attracted to this late-June auction, and with good reason. The event took place at Manor Park Farms near Market Rasen, in Lincolnshire, and generated an excellent atmosphere as the Cheffins team worked expertly through the extensive list of eclectic lots being sold. There were overseas buyers present, with a 1918 Latil TAR 4WD WW1 lorry that had come from the 2016 Cheffins Keeley sale, and sold here for £60,000. It’ll now be returning to its country of origin. Robert Coles bought back some rare and early original-style Marshall motor road rollers that he had sold the Ingalls in the first place! This included the 1939 tandem No.92861 NND 507 which features a Perkins P4 engine and is said to…

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS As Defra seeks to ban splash plates from 2025 onwards, and grants for slurry application equipment look likely to end soon, farmers have a short window to comply. But Andy Hayhurst, from slurry specialist Vogelsang, suggests that there are options available, and stresses that short-term fixes may not offer longterm cost savings. “One of the cheapest ways to comply with the splash plate ban is likely to be retrofitted tanker dribble bar systems. But, while these represent a lower investment than a trailing shoe applicator, we suspect that dribble bar systems aren’t a truly sustainable option,” he says. Parts of Europe have already banned dribble bar systems and the UK is likely to follow suit. “The use of tankers with smaller, lower-cost applicators is often not as efficient…

Barry L Hawkins held a small sale on June 15th, at the Langer North Trading Estate, in Nottinghamshire, just down the road from John Deere UK’s HQ. While most of the stock wasn’t spectacular, a few lots did catch the eye. Among these was an ex-military International 100 crawler loader, which sold for £4,200 and a Marshall 12/20 contractor with a heavy-duty winch and a registration that possibly read ‘FOU 934’. Hardly anyone, apart from a few locals, seemed aware that the sale was happening, even though it was included on Bid Spotter. Anyway, those bidding on the Marshall pushed the price up and up until, eventually, it sold to a Staffordshire dealer for a remarkable £35,000. Yes, you did read that correctly!…

Versatile washer This pressure washer offers great, wash-anywhere functionality thanks to its petrol engine with recoil starting. Suitable for commercial and domestic applications, this unit is supplied with a 5m pressure hose, gun, lance with adjustable nozzle. There’s a low-pressure liquid detergent injection system, a safety latch on the trigger and the unit stands on two sucker feet to prevent in-use movement. There are two wheels for easier mobility, an integral handle and the unit delivers a flow rate of 360L/hr with an output pressure of 110bar (1,595psi). • Pressure Washer 150bar 360L/hr 4hp – Petrol-powered Sealey Tel: 01284 757500 Sealey.co.uk £419.94 Socket to ‘em! OFFERS FROM SEALEY This Siegen, 62-piece ¼in and ½in drive socket set is supplied in a foam storage tray and consists of the following: ¼in…

I thought readers might like to see these photographs I found of my grandfather, Fred Lorne, and his threshing gang at work. The photos were taken in the late 1940s at Black Hall Farm, which was in Fundenhall, Norfolk, and grandad can be seen ‘sacking-up’. The Marshall Model M (EPW 984) seen in the right-hand image was affectionately nicknamed Spitfire as it had a higher gear ratio for road use. Readers might just be able to make out the chicken-wire fence around the working area in the photograph, which I remember my father telling me was a legal requirement at the time. The stacks were regularly infested with rats and mice and the fence was intended to prevent their escape as the stack diminished. Mark Lorne, via email Chris replies…

While the County tractor equal-wheelers are perhaps best known for being superb at pulling substantial soil engaging implements they have, of course, been used successfully for many other applications over the years. Back in the early 1970s, when I was a young and enthusiastic member of the County sales team, I always kept an eye out for unusual opportunities that might make a sale, which led to some interesting projects, both above and below ground. In those days I lived in Wiltshire and the M4 motorway was one of my routes to my area of southern England. It was also my route to London’s Heathrow airport, which I used frequently when heading off overseas on County business. While using the motorway I’d noticed that the grass on the often extensive…

One problem encountered while dismantling this winch – mounted on the back of my David Brown 25D – was that the PTO shaft wouldn’t separate from the gearbox. So the whole gearbox/PTO shaft had to come out of the rear of the frame, as a unit. This necessitated cutting the top roller bracket off to allow the assembly to pass out through the rear of the frame. After doing this, the first task was to refit the bracket, which required the rollers to be temporarily refitted to align the bracket accurately. This was then arc-welded into place and the rollers removed. Next on the agenda was to clean the main frame, removing rust and loose dirt using a rotary wire brush. The frame features many nooks and crannies that were…

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