Innehållsförteckning för Spring 2025 från Tractor & Machinery

FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR TRACTORS I’m writing this on the eve of Tractor World, which is the first major event of the show season. It’s on schedule to be bigger and better than ever this year and, among the many thousands of visitors who’ll be attracted through the gates, there are bound to be a good number for whom the show will be their first experience of the classic and vintage tractor hobby. One aspect that I hope will have made itself obvious to those ‘newcomers’ at the Three Counties Showground is the enthusiasm with which exhibitors regard their tractors. Most owners are more than happy to explain the intricacies of their machines to event visitors, and that’s hopefully when the passion becomes both obvious and infectious. The hobby…

The UK’s largest tractor festival returns to Newby Hall, near Ripon, N Yorks., on June 8th-9th. Occupying 120 acres, the festival attracts more than 12,000 visitors and features over 2,000 vintage and modern tractors, engines, commercial vehicles, cars, trucks and motorcycles. This year’s show celebrates orange machines, including tractors from Allis Chalmers and Fordson plus vintage harvesting and threshing equipment. Highlights will include a vintage Allis Chalmers being restored by a schoolgirl in memory of her uncle, and a special display marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Admission includes access to Newby’s award-winning gardens, adventure playground, dolls house and teddy bear exhibitions, and further details, and online tickets, are available from: tractorfest.uk. JUNE 8th-9th TRACTOR FEST UK…

FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR TRACTORS What came to be a well-known County demonstration on the side of the M4 motorway, in Berkshire during the 1970s. John Hull driving a modified County 4000/4 with Bruce Keech standing behind. Tim Kirkland is on the hard shoulder in a sheepskin jacket with the rep from Wilders. The others were the council managers. T&M SOCIAL Robin Brown Great and not one bit of Hi’viz. Back when this country actually did things Gareth Evans Atkinson Borderer on the opposite carriageway followed closely by an Erf A series Andrew Hawes I think they were also demonstrating the seat they designed for working on the steep slopes John Mchardy Would doubt an equal-wheel County would get traction to climb up there but the small wheel has…

Bodie Hunter, of the Caterpillar Chapter Two, has announced the club’s major event this year, celebrating 100 years of Caterpillar. It’ll be a vintage and classic Caterpillar working event at Sibbertoft, in Leicestershire (LE16 9UJ), on June 21st-22nd. It’s sure to be a spectacular events and the organisers have promised a very special occasion. For further details and entry forms, call 07723 381492. Highlights in the April issue… ● Extra Force Celebrating 40 years of Ford’s iconic Force II tractor models, that were introduced in 1984 ● Best of British The fascinating Nuffield/Marshall/Leyland story that saw a British-owned tractor maker stay successful until the 1980s ON SALE APRIL 4th ● MF 135 buying guide All you need to know to grab yourself a slice of classic tractor heaven, in the…

The Ford 3000 was one of a series of machines that represented a significant turning point for Ford. Arriving in the mid-1960s as part of a four-model line-up (2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000), the new 1000 Series machines marked Ford’s transition from the popular and trusted Fordson-branded machines, into a fresher, more modern Ford era. The new models looked sharper and much more in keeping with the times but, ever wary of upsetting its customer base with too much of a new product shock, Ford initially retained some of the traditional model names in the UK, to help keep long-time users feeling comfortably on-side. The four new models – codenamed 6X by Ford – were completely new machines, designed from the ground up. The baby of the range, the 2000,…

January 15th-16th, 2025 I’d been looking forward to this amazing show, and was pleased to see big-hitters like CHN (Case New Holland) and Massey Ferguson very much to the fore, although there were some notable absentees. Significant equipment manufacturers Claas, John Deere, Landini, McCormick, SAME and Zetor were all missing, which was a shame. But the agricultural business market is a tough one at the moment and, with the cost of attending events like this one so high, some absences were to be expected. On a positive note, though, every trader I spoke with – large and small – confirmed that the show had been of great benefit to them. ● JCB The exhibition halls were just full of visitors with JCB carrier bags, so one of my first stops…

The first, large tractor from Yorkshire-based David Brown was the 50hp, six-cylinder 50D, introduced in 1953. It wasn’t a huge commercial success and the smaller models in the range were much more popular, and it was that disappointing sales performance that dissuaded the company from using a six-cylinder engine again for some considerable time. The introduction of the new Selectamatic range, with its new orchid white and chocolate livery, followed in 1965. The largest was the 55hp 990 then, in 1967, the new 1200 Selectamatic arrived. This was the first of what would become a line of larger tractors with longer bonnets; the flagship models in the David Brown range. Produced in response to increasing demand for more powerful tractors, the 1200 was a 67hp machine that used a David…

The winter really seems to have dragged on this year, with the weather turning wet very early on and staying much the same throughout. As regular readers know, there’s very little left to do on the cab before refinishing the paintwork. However, I’d intended to work on the cab interior, priming and repainting in silver, in preparation for buying the new cab lining and seat that would bring the cab back to its original, comfortable state. As things have turned out, though, the weather has made it a frustrating time with little or no progress. LEAKING FUEL Although mechanically the tractor is in generally excellent order, prior to laying it up to undertake the tidy-up there were leaks on both the fuel lift pump and the fuel injection pump, and…

One issue that plagues Fordson Dextas is the famous leaking fuel tap. In this case it includes a primer button that sends fuel to the heater plug and this common leak causes a mess on the engine as well as the shed floor beneath. This particular Fordson Dexta belongs to Matt Porter, and arrived at my workshop in need of various jobs, one of which was dealing with an annoying fuel leak from that pesky primer button. As you can see in the photographs, someone has done their best and dolloped on some sealant in various places in a bid to cure the problem, but hadn’t been successful. Luckily there’s a relatively simple solution available that involves installing a small tank that’s fed fuel from the injector leak-off pipe. This…

ORDER TODAY! 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 3050; a working classic INSIDE IH balers, Grey/Gold Fergie resto, Roadless J17 crawler, MF 240, classic Cats SEPTEMBER 2024 COVER STORY 1967 Muir-Hill 101 resto INSIDE Ford 8210 owner’s tale, Claas Matador combine, MF 698T/699, chisel ploughs OCTOBER 2024 COVER STORY…

“I onto a farm in Okaihau, New started collecting tractors in about 1970, when I first went Zealand. The first machine I bought was a David Brown 25, the one with the ‘Honeymoon seat’, and it was intended to work around the farm. “I served my apprenticeship with the Kaikohe Machinery Company, which was the Massey Ferguson agent for the Mid North, here in New Zealand, and I’ve been in the farm machinery trade ever since. I also taught diesel engineering at the Manukau Technical Institute for more than 25 years, and became the automotive principal lecturer. As you might imagine, l’ve always done all my own tractor servicing, repair and restoration work. I served my apprenticeshipwith the Kaikohe Machinery Company, which was the Massey Ferguson agent for the Mid…

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. March 8th March Collective Auction Ardingly Showground, Ardingly, W. Sussex RH17 6TL South East Marts tel: 01323 844874 8th March Surfleet Farm Machinery Sale Fairview Farmyard, Bird’s Drove, Surfleet PE11 4BE Will Barker & Co Ltd tel: 01529 414555 8th March Vintage Sale Salisbury Market Southern Counties Auctioneers tel: 01722 321215 10th-11th March Cambridge Machinery Sale The Saleground, Sutton, Cambs. CB6 2QT Cheffins tel: 01353 777767 10th March Tractors, implements, machinery etc. Longtown Mart, Townfoot, Carlisle CA6 5LY Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart tel: 01228 791215 11th March Auction of the Joseph Mills Hart Vintage Tractor & Vehicle Collection. Online bidding Hart Farm, Lavonia, GA, USA Aumann Auctions…

From the very early days of County tractors, the machines were used for work on steep ground; first the crawlers, then the wheeled models. The company’s machines quickly earned a good reputation for this type of application; they were stable and delivered both the power and traction required. Of course, the famous County equal-wheel design lent itself to operating on gradients, and this was recognised by the company as well as the ever-widening numbers of end users across the world. The dual drive shafts that transmitted the drive from the rear axles to drive the front wheels ran alongside the tractor, not underneath it, thus ensuring good ground clearance, and allowing the bulk of the tractor to be low, keeping the all-important centre of gravity low, too. Significantly, this system…

“The Ford 3000 was the first tractor that my father ever bought, when he started farming in the mid-1960s, so I’ve had a special attachment to the model ever since. I’m delighted that I still have that original, 1966 Pre-Force model. “I describe the Ford 3000 as the Swiss Army knife of the classic tractor world, because you can use it for just about anything. It’s a great road run tractor, it’s still capable of a day’s work in the field or yard and it’ll still turn heads at your local tractor show. “At a practical level, its compact size means that it’s easy to operate and extremely manoeuvrable. In my view there’s nothing not to like about the model, and I’d happily recommend the 3000 to anyone. It’s a…

It’s so easy to sign up for a whole year of the action from the world of vintage and classic tractors and now with even more pages of great content, new features and special emphasis on machinery for sale, along with a fresh new look it’s never been a better time to subscribe to T&M! Guarantee your copy every 4 weeks, delivered directly to your door in plastic-free, recyclable, biodegradable paper envelopes and what’s more you save up to 58% when you subscribe annually by direct debit! Chris Graham Editor, Tractor & Machinery SUBSCRIPTION BENEFITS • Enjoy one whole year of Tractor & Machinery • Get each issue delivered directly to your door in 100% plastic-free packaging • Save up to 58% • Never miss an issue • Receive our…

Positive aspects l really enjoyed the February issue, as I do every edition. Although I’m not actively involved with the classic tractor movement, l have an enduring interest in the hobby. My main interest is old Japanese motorcycles, and the brilliant article about Sarah Prothero’s David Brown 780 (A lasting memory, February 2025), drew many parallels with my hobby. I found Sarah’s approach to the restoration of her tractor very similar to my own, and her comments regarding the cost were refreshingly honest. But l think what really came across were the benefits she enjoys from her involvement in the old tractor scene. Her remarks about the social side of this kind of hobby really struck a chord with me. The help offered by other enthusiasts, and the friends you…

As the spring sunshine begins to warm the soil, it’s time to start planting new crops, which traditionally means spring barley, sugar beet and potatoes. This time of the year always takes me back to earlier days, particularly a small Suffolk farm planting its potato maincrop. A large 60-acre field on a hill overlooking the village I grew up in was split into two sections back in 1985, with the top half being sown with winter cereals while the lower half was planted with Desiree potatoes. The farm was a long-term user of Ford tractors and the ground had been ploughed and cultivated beforehand and, with perfect weather conditions, the day came when the planting began. Unlike today, in those days the whole potato-growing operation was handled by the farm…

DIY projects in this issue – MF 135 restoration, head refurb, Dexta fuel leak repair, MF 550 tidy-up Easy Straightforward Moderate Challenging Nigh on impossible I ended last month’s instalment as I was just about to lower the sump and, to do this, I used my crane with a couple of straps. The sump found on these Perkins engines is a heavy component, so it needs to be handled with care and an engine crane offers the ideal solution. The sump needs to be right on the floor to clear the round strainer that dangles down inside, and it’s this that suffers with a common problem on these engines. The strainer pipe’s bracket bolts to the second main bearing cap and is prone to snapping. If you come across this…

The International Harvester B-275 was a tractor in direct competition with the likes of Massey Ferguson’s 35 and the Fordson Dexta during the late 1950s and ‘60s. Some farmers were real enthusiasts for the model and I know one guy who used to work on IH tractors for a living and he still talks very fondly about both the B-275, and the Bradford-based company as a whole. However, the rather sorry-looking example under the spotlight here arrived at my workshop for a cosmetic restoration and, during that process, the opportunity arose to assess the condition of its head, so I decided to document the process to make a one-off article. Even though the tractor was stripped down, in that the bonnet and tank had been removed, there was still a…

1ST FEBRUARY, 2025 Devon was traditionally one of the best areas for Allis-Chalmers, and the last dealer there didn’t give up until the early 1990s! But this auction featured an interesting mix of machinery that attracted enthusiastic bidding, both live and online. The highlights for me included a 1963 Allis Chalmers ED40 Depthomatic that sold for £2,000, a grade 2 Ferguson TE-D 20 that went for £1,000 and a very early, grade 4 MF 35 with 23C four-cylinder engine with alternator, that made £2,400. Also there was a tidy-looking Field Marshall Series 2 with original paintwork which, after some slow initial bidding, sold for £5,900 to an online bidder. A lovely, original-style Massey-Harris 744D, with a good set of cast wheel rims, made just £3,000, while an original MF 135,…

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,…