Innehållsförteckning för February 2025 från Tractor & Machinery

You’ll all have noticed that this issue feels a bit more weighty than usual, and that’s because we’ve increased the magazine’s size by 16 pages. As an additional service to readers, these extras are being used to bolster our already impressive classified section, turning it into what we believe is one of the best in the business. There will now be hundreds of tempting tractors being advertised across our pages; so many, in fact, that you’ll quite literally be spoilt for choice! Better still, this isn’t just a flash in the pan or a one-issue special. The magazine will be remaining at this new, increased size from now on, and we’re genuinely excited about the added value this improvement is going to offer readers and tractor sellers alike. Also in…

It’s only when manoeuvring a Ford FW-30 among other ‘normal’ tractors that you fully appreciate the scale of the model. The Steiger-built monster delivered 265hp from its 14.8-litre Cummins V8 and this one belongs to Tim Pearman. It dwarfs most of his other machines. Bill Daniel Remember one Sunday morning getting the lorry driver John from Reginald Tyldesley Tractors of Lichfield Staffordshire to open the yard for the FW-60. I think it was to be unloaded before delivery to Watts Farms of Wishaw, nr Sutton Coldfield. It arrived with little wheels as the big ones came on a second low loader truck James Grundy Jeremy Ellis, Ford Tractor operations UK could get the FW-30 from the US cheaper and then up-fuel it here to the same power as an American…

Following enthusiastic pre-Christmas sales, the good news is that there’s still stock available for those wanting to grab their own copy of the popular Tractors Calendar 2025. Featuring a colourful assortment of 12 popular tractors, this calendar surely offers the most appropriate way to keep a note of the shows, tractor road runs and working days that you’re planning to attend during 2025. Available direct from Kelsey Media for just £9.99, this new tractor calendar will be perfect for the tractor enthusiast in your life. Order yours today at shop.kelsey.co.uk, while stock last!…

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. January 12th January Online-only auction of Mel Smith Collection 603 Red Creek Road, Long Beach Mississippi 39560, USA Polk Auction Company  polkauctio.com 13th-14th January Cambridge machinery sale The Saleground, Sutton, Cambs CB6 2QT Cheffins tel: 01353 777767 15th-16th January Live online sale of plant, agricultural equipment, farm machinery etc. Thainstone Centre. Inverurie AB51 5XZ anmarts.co.uk 17th January Online plant & machinery auction Brightwells brightwells.com 17th-27th January National online auction of machinery, farm equipment etc Brown & Co brown-co.com 22nd January Auction of modern farm machinery and equipment Lincolnshire. Brown & Co brown-co.com 22nd-25th January Auction of industrial plant, agricultural equipment etc Roall Lane, Goole DN14…

February 22nd-23rd, 2025 If you’re a tractor enthusiast looking to shake-off those post-Christmas and New Year blues, then we recommend a trip to Malvern, in beautiful Worcestershire, to visit this year’s show season opener, Tractor World, being staged at the Three Counties Showground. The 2025 event is set to be bigger and better than ever. Open from 9am on both days, the biggest Tractor World show ever will be packing-out all four exhibition halls for the first time, including the brand new Kildare Hall, plus acres of outdoor hardstanding. Discover even more exhibitors, trade stands, events, sales, displays, demonstrations and bargains including tools, garage equipment, tyres and workwear, clothing, books, gifts, toys and more. Don’t leave it too late to grab your last early-bird entry ticket to see hundreds of…

The original crop fertiliser was straightforward animal manure, particularly that from cattle. But, once science started being applied to agriculture in the early 20th century, farmers were advised to begin adding extra nutrients to the soil on a regular basis. Originally these were chemicals like potash, nitrogen and phosphate, which were mixed by hand on the farm, using a shovel. By the 1940s, super-phosphate and sulphate of ammonia were also being used, but these had to be applied soon after mixing otherwise they’d turn into a dry, rock-hard mass. The first, ready-mixed, granular fertilisers were available from the mid-1930s, but their uptake was slow due to the initial expense, even though they had a longer shelf-life and were ready to use straight away. These new fertilisers also had the added…

In the early 1980s, Massey Ferguson surveyed 4,000 farmers to discover which features they’d most like to see on their tractors, and what improvements could be made to their existing machines. Having analysed the results received, the company put the new ideas into practice in 1985, by replacing the then six-year-old, French-built 2000 Series, with the brand new 2005 Series range of tractors. However, to understand the full development story, we need to begin by travelling back to North America, in 1976. This was where and when a new range of high-horsepower ‘row crop’ tractors was launched, designed to replace earlier models such as the 1135 and 1155. LOOKING VERY DIFFERENT The 2000 Series machines, built at Massey Ferguson’s Southfield Road factory in Detroit, Michigan, looked very different from their…

DIY projects in this issue – Perkins engine overhaul, Steering box DIY, Fergie winch resto, MF 550 refurb It’s always nice to get a new project in and under way and, in this case, I’m pleased to have the chance to work on an early production Massey Ferguson 135, complete with shell-type mudguards as opposed to the more common square-topped ones. The first thing I noticed, when jumping onto the tractor to move it soon after it had arrived with me, was that the ignition key is missing. In its place there was a filed and bent nail to use instead! While the engine starts and runs reasonably well, it’s obvious to me that it’s a tired example. Elsewhere, I was pleased to spot an original, brass dealer badge stamped…

If you’re undertaking a tractor restoration then I’d always recommend fitting a set of new tyres if the old ones are remotely worn or cracked. Aged tyres not only lose their effectiveness and structural integrity but, at a cosmetic level, they also become faded and discoloured, making them far less attractive than fresh-looking, black rubber replacements. Recently I had a Ferguson TE-D 20 in the workshop for a full restoration, and the old Firestone rear tyres it was wearing were not only worn out and cracked, but they were a size too big. Luckily, the owner had budgeted for new tyres, and chose a pair of new, Goodyear diamond-pattern replacements. When I got round to fitting them, the first stage in the process was obviously to remove the old rubber.…

NOVEMBER 21ST, 2024 The already delayed HJ Pugh-run Aubrey Sanders/Nigel Beardon sale took place – despite heavy snow – at Bow, near Crediton, in Devon, on November 21st. The auction saw good hammer prices achieved, as well as a few records set, for the good quality stock. It’s more than 20 years since Aubrey Sanders died, when his collection was left to his hard-working batman, Nigel Beardon. Sadly, Nigel himself only lived for a few years after that, and never really got the chance to enjoy what his former employer had left him. Then, when Aubrey’s wife Audrey died last summer, auction specialist HJ Pugh was engaged to sell the high quality tractor collection. The start of the sale was pushed back to noon, to allow people some extra journey…

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,…

TRACTOR SALE NEWS Halls auctioneers overcame the gale-force wind and heavy rain of Storm Darragh to hold a successful farm dispersal sale in South Shropshire. The auction, at Sallins Farm, near Church Stretton, included farm machinery, implements, diggers, tractors and tools. “It was a day to remember as the vendors, auctioneers and lots of buyers braved the storm to show their incredible support,” said James Evans, a director of Halls. The top prices achieved included £65,000 for a 2022 JCB 536-95 Agri Loadall, £30,000 each for a 2017 John Deere 6135R tractor and a 2004 John Deere 7920, and £19,500 for a 2021 20-ton Broughton trailer with silage sides. Farmers considering holding a farm dispersal sale in 2025 are asked to contact Halls at Shrewsbury Auction Centre, by calling 01743…

Back in 1985 the winter was far from kind and the large mixed farm near my parents’ house in Suffolk had a problem. The previous year they’d planted a ryegrass crop, as was normal for this farm, so that it could be harvested in late April or early May. After that the field was ploughed and planted with sugar beet. On this occasion, though, it was decided that a smaller field attached to the main one, wouldn’t be cut and the rye was left to grow to maturity, in the hope that it could then be harvested for seed for planting the following season. This seemed like a good idea in theory, but what hadn’t been considered was the weather. The summer of 1984 had been quite wet and, as…

October 26th, 2024 The autumn of 2023 was very wet in the Netherlands and so the members of the Dutch farm equipment restoration group, Meerhistorie – a club named after the Dutch polder, Haarlemmermeer, right next to Schiphol Airport – had to postpone its much-anticipated working day. The group’s primary aims are to preserve and demonstrate the agricultural machinery that was traditionally used on the Haarlemmermeer polder, and one of its annual highlights is the harvesting of sugar beet from the clay soil near the village of Hoofddorp. Fortunately, the weather was better in 2024 and, thanks to a few farmers who manage the fields within what’s called the Plesmanhoek recreation area, there was a beautiful crop of sugar beet ready and waiting for this year’s harvest day, which duly…

“I’ve been an avid collector of all types of old tractors and farm equipment for well over 50 years. I’m also a farmer and have been trading and exporting tractors for most of my working life. “My first tractor was a 1945 Fordson Major E27N, with which I spent many happy hours chain harrowing and rolling back in my youth. I now have several E27Ns in my collection but that original machine was traded-in for an MF 165 in 1966, and went for scrap. “I was born into a farming family and have vivid memories of riding on an old STD Fordson in the early 1950s, bumping over ploughed fields on spade-lug wheels, with the smell of TVO and wisps of steam escaping from the radiator. Now, 70 years on,…

NEW PRODUCT NEWS Continental’s agricultural tyre division has extended the range of its CombineMaster tyres to bring very high flexion (VF) and cyclical field operation (CFO) technology to a wider variety of farm machinery. “The CombineMaster name disguises the virtues of this tyre to other machines, including loaders, tankers and other types of harvesting machines. Originally developed to help combines perform more efficiently in arable crops, the CombineMaster’s CFO and VF technology, and unique hexagonal bead core, have proved transformative to other agricultural applications,” explains Continental’s Tom Godwin. The Hexa-bead bead core was developed to help the tyre grip the rim at lower pressures. Some tyres in the range also feature CFO, which offers a 55% load carrying capacity when the tyre is being used in a cyclical condition, and…

One of the many highlights of the Chailey Classic & Vintage Tractor Club’s annual awards and Christmas dinner, held on 30th November at Haywards Heath Golf Club, was the announcement of 2024’s Young Member’s Award. This was presented to 20-year-old Merrick Jardine, from Faversham, in Kent, by the evening’s special guest, Mid-Sussex MP Mims Davies, who is the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales. Merrick earned his award for a number of reasons, including helping Jim Hatfield with his Sentinel DG6, providing entertaining talks about his restorations and helping to get his brother’s recently-purchased Field Marshall Series 2 into running order.…

TRACTOR AUCTION NEWS “Auctions are a bit like a game of football; you never really know what’s going to happen!” The stage is set for the HJ Pugh & Co-managed Dairyland Vintage Museum disposal sale, which will be taking place in Newquay, Cornwall, on January 29th. The event, which is being held following the museum’s recent closure, will feature a number of notable tractors that are bound to appeal to those with an interest in older machinery. The museum was very popular tourist attraction in the area that had been well presented and efficiently run. It’ll be sadly missed. Among the machinery coming under the hammer will be a very original David Brown Albion baler that’s sure to attract plenty of interest among bidders. These Harrison McGregor-designed, Huddersfield-built machines are…

One of three pairs of tickets to Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd February 2025 To be in with your chance of winning a pair of weekend tickets to the 2-day tractor extravaganza you just need to answer this very simple question: Which month is Tractor World 2025 taking place? a) January, b) February, c) March TO ENTER Scan the QR code or head to the Tractor & Machinery website using the link below TRACTORANDMACHINERY.CO.UK Terms & conditions: Entries close at midnight on Thursday 13th February 2025. The prize is non-refundable, non-transferable, and no cash alternative is available. The draw result is final, and no correspondence regarding the outcome will be entered into. Entry is free and open to UK residents aged 18 and over. Only one entry per household is allowed;…

Spanish discoveries STAR LETTER II spotted this Massey Ferguson at the back of a vineyard during my travels in the Granada Province of southern Spain. It was fitted with a three-cylinder Perkins engine and the whole machine was certainly in need of some TLC! Also, note the blue diesel Fordson Major in the background. By the way, that’s me clambering on the crawler. I hope this photograph might be of some interest to your readers. John Pountney, Hook Norton, Oxfordshire IH baler recollections In the October 2024 issue there was a letter from Chris Connett (Recollections from the baler business) in which the IH 27 baler was mentioned. I worked for R&E Potter Ltd of Thame for many years and remember that model, although I think we only sold a…

Send your questions to tm.ed@kelsey.co.uk (Pictures are only for illustration, unless indicated otherwise, and are not the tractors being written about) Tips for a beginner FERGUSON TE-D 20 MECHANICAL BASICS Q I recently bought a 1953 Ferguson TE-D 20 tractor but, having little knowledge of these machines currently, I’m eager to learn more about them. The tractor I have is in working order and doesn’t need anything drastic doing to it, apart from a full service. At present I don’t have any literature relating to the model and so would appreciate some information regarding the grades and quantities of oil and coolant required for the machine. Also, do you have any advice about getting the best from the tractor when working it? My intention is to use it for paddock…

Over the years I’ve worked on many tractors, bringing them back to original condition, but have to admit that the 550 is the first cabbed tractor I’ve tackled. In its early years it enjoyed a sedate life, stored in a heated workshop which certainly helped preserve it well. However, since being in my ownership it’s had to live outside and, unfortunately, this has taken its toll on the tinwork. Mechanically, though, it’s in excellent order, only requiring attention to the outer steering joints on the power steering rams, and a re-sealing of the fuel injection pump. TRANSMISSION TUNNEL COVER Some further work on the cab is required and, in this issue, I’m focusing on the repairs made to the rotten transmission tunnel cover. This is a detachable, inverted ‘U’-shaped cover…

Making sure that a tractor doesn’t leak oil is always high on the list of priorities when I’m tackling a restoration project. Nobody wants the brilliant, freshly-painted finish to quickly become plastered with unsightly oil so, when I noticed oil running down from the brake pedal shaft on the Fordson Dexta I was working on recently, I knew that the pedal oil seals needed to be replaced. I’ve done this job a few times in the past and, each time, I’ve been left wondering at the logic behind designing things so that a regularly-used shaft runs through a gearbox that’s full of oil! In their defence, I suppose the designers never imagined in their wildest dreams that machines like this would still be fully operational 60 years on. To access…

ORDER TODAY! MARCH 2024 COVER STORY IHHA and members’ machines INSIDE Restored Ford 7600’s debut, MF’s seedbed prep, developments at County SPRING 2024 COVER STORY Ford 2000 restoration & guide INSIDE Why the JD 4020 changed tractors forever, IH’s 856XL, Somerset show report APRIL 2024 COVER STORY IH Hi-Performers for the ’70s INSIDE Tractor World report, MF 398 guide, County 1254 & 1454, fertiliser spreaders MAY 2024 COVER STORY Restored County 6700-Four INSIDE Full NVTRR report, Ford 8210 forestry tractor, IH implements, MF 35 project JUNE 2024 COVER STORY Ford 5000 DIY restoration INSIDE MB-TRAC 900, Ferguson/MF collection, Perkins engine, Safe to show?, MF 550 JULY 2024 COVER STORY MF 698 six-year rebuild INSIDE Dexta owner’s tale, Buck rakes, International 1046, Muir-Hill 121, DB 770 AUGUST 2024 COVER STORY JD…