Innehållsförteckning för June 2025 från Tractor & Machinery

IMPLEMENT NEWS A new T traction bolt safety feature has been added to KUHN Farm Machinery’s range of large Vari-Leader ploughs, offering users a cost-effective option for load protection. It’s aimed at growers farming light soils with low stone content, and the simple T traction bolt has a shear point load of 4,700kg. It provides an alternative to the non-stop hydraulic system that’s already available on the Vari-Leader range. The innovative shearing design, as opposed to snapping, prevents broken bolts becoming stuck in the plough framework, allowing users to quickly and easily replace bolts and return to work. The bolt is fixed in the direction of travel, rather than at 90° to it, therefore, when an obstacle is encountered, the bolt shears with the leg and avoids damage. Edd Fanshawe,…

MACHINERY NEWS Massey Ferguson has announced the introduction of a new transmission – Dyna-CT – on three models in its MF TH telehandler line-up, offering extra operating flexibility and increased working efficiency to users. “Thanks to the Dyna-CT transmission, farmers will be able to gain extra automation, enhancing productivity; they will improve their comfort while reducing operating costs,” says Jérôme Aubrion, director marketing Massey Ferguson, Europe & Middle East. “The upgrade will fulfil growing demand for highly versatile machines with superior tractive and handling capability. Thanks to practical new features, our telehandlers are the ideal choice for heavy handling workloads in the most demanding working environments,” added Mr Aubrion. The three models to feature the new transmission are the MF TH.6534, the MF TH.7038 and the MF TH.8043. Virtual high-…

SCALE MODEL NEWS Going on sale from May 20th, this new 1/32 scale release from Universal Hobbies is a well detailed representation of the Zetor 7245 four-wheel drive tractor. This model, the construction of which benefits from 100% new tooling, features clear lens roof, front and rear lights, well-detailed cab wipers and mirrors, realistic front axle and a three-point linkage at the rear that’s adjustable. Other highlights include good quality cab interior detailing, with grab handles and dials on the dash being among the notable features. Externally, the cab steps are engraved, separate pieces and the tyres are made from soft PVC. The model isn’t a limited edition, weighs 245g and will be available for €79.90. Order yours from: universalhobbies.fr/en PIC QUIZ Make and model, please! Here’s another head-scratcher from…

Send your drawings to: ‘Whizz Kids!’, Kelsey Media, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL Or, scan and then email them to: tm.ed@kelsey.co.uk PICK OF THE CROP WIN! ‘Pick of the crop’ wins a tractor!* The Britains Ford TW-20 features the tractor’s characteristic sloping grille, and big exhaust silencer, as well as chunky tyres, exposed engine and superb interior detail. The hitch is compatible with other 1:32-scale authentic replica farm vehicles and machinery, and the tractor is suitable for indoor and outdoor play, for kids and collectors aged 3+. * Actually, it’s going be a scale model, from Britains! Quiz answer: The mystery machine on p25 is a Ford 2910…

County Commercial Cars designed and built many iconic machines during its lifetime, producing conversions of mainly Ford tractors at its base in Fleet, Hampshire. However, perhaps one of the most radical of all was the Forward Control four-wheel drive machine that was introduced 60 years ago, in 1965. It was a model that ushered-in a whole new tractor design format, and proved to have far-reaching appeal in agriculture as well as a multitude of industrial applications. FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE FUTURE Originally formed in 1929 to produce larger-capacity conversions of trucks, County Commercial Cars took its name from the powered and non-powered extra-axle truck conversions, known as the Surrey and Sussex models. However, it took until 1948 before the company began to find a niche for itself in agriculture, after being asked…

DIY projects in this issue – MF 135 restoration, Marshall 12/20 project, Dexta PTO seal, Zetor 3045 brakes Pt.2 My primary aim this month with the MF 135 restoration project was to fit the sump so that I could get the engine standing upright again. To begin this process I turned to the front of the engine, and the timing case. This is split into inner and outer sections, and both components had been carefully cleaned to remove the plastered-on oil and remnants of old gasket. The latter on the back of the inner section proved very stubborn, requiring the use of paint thinners and a scraper to finally remove all traces before a pressure washer was used for the final clean. Once the timing case sections had dried, I…

When tractors arrive at my workshop it’s often after they’ve worked for most of their lives and, inevitably, they tend to be a little bit the worse for wear. One common area of failure concerns seals, which typically begin to leak all over an ageing tractor. One of the most-used components on any modernish, working tractor is the PTO shaft and, almost inevitably due to their location, these suffer from the effects of prolonged exposure to oil leaks. The PTO is a fundamental part on every working tractor and most will have rotated probably millions of times. Of course, every single one of those rotations wears away at the seal that surrounds the shaft and, unsurprisingly, in time they start to leak. The Fordson Dexta featured here had oil all…

JUNE 7TH-8TH, 2025 This year’s Tractor Fest will be celebrating the centenary of Caterpillar, the American construction, mining and engineering equipment manufacturer. Organised by the Yorkshire Vintage Association (YVA), this show is the UK’s largest tractor festival, and will be taking place in the beautiful grounds of Newby Hall, North Yorkshire, over the weekend of June 7th-8th. Now famous for its distinctive yellow and black branding, Caterpillar is the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment, but its origins lie in the heavy Holt steam tractors of the late nineteenth century. Caterpillar enthusiast Emily Drury Alcock, from Newark, is still finalising how many of her family’s Caterpillars will be going to the show. However, their early Cat 10 High Clear, in the company’s original battleship grey livery, will certainly be present.…

TRACTOR CLUB NEWS More than 80 tractors took part, including vintage, classic and modern machines, with the oldest models setting the pace. The club enjoys an established reputation for its hospitality and, to emphasise the point, some tractor drivers travelled for more than two hours to take part in the run. The 13-mile route took in plenty of scenic countryside, including some spectacular mountain views, and I took to the road for the first time aboard my 1957 Ferguson goldbelly Industrial 35, following the completion of its two-year, nut-and-bolt restoration. Some of you may have seen the tractor at Newark show back in 2023, when it was on the Friends of Ferguson Heritage Club’s stand. It won Best Grey Ferguson in Show at that event. The final total for the…

19th-22nd June, 2025 GT Bunning & Sons Ltd will be exhibiting a trio of Twin Vertical Auger (TVA) single-axle machines on its bigger-than-usual Royal Highland Show stand this year, showcasing the flexibility of the range. The smallest spreader, the Lowlander 75 Mk4, is suited to small farms and upland contractors who require a machine with modest dimensions to access tight gateways and yards. It has a carrying capacity of 9.5t and features the same robust build quality as the larger models in the range. Two Lowlander 120 spreaders will also be on show; one a TVA design and the other the sole Horizontal Beater and Spinning Disc (HBD) machine present. The Lowlander 120 HBD is capable of driving spread widths up to 24m, while the Lowlander 120 TVA is a…

If you fancy a large, 1970s classic tractor, they don’t come much bigger than the articulated MF 1200. This is a beast of a machine that, having been developed in America, was built by Massey Ferguson at its industrial works in Barton Dock Road, Manchester, between 1971 and 1979. This massive, articulated tractor followed in the design footsteps of the more powerful, American 1500 and 1800 models, and featured the same, ‘hard-nosed’ style of bonnet with side-mounted air intake stalk and pre-cleaner element, plus a very square-looking cab. The pivot for the 1200’s articulated steering set-up was also similar but, at the rear, an integrated three-point hitch was developed to provide the sort of implement versatility needed for the European market. POWER A-PLENTY! Power was delivered by a Perkins A6.354,…

MARCH 22ND, 2025 Many Dutch and Belgian Ford tractor enthusiasts had been eagerly anticipating this year’s Van Campen family-organised working day at Heesch, a village in the Noord-Brabant province of the Netherlands. Antonie van Campen organised the first Dutch Working Day back in 2019, and the event was so successful that it’s already become an annual tradition. In odd-numbered years the gathering takes place in Heesch but, to help make the event as accessible as possible, it moves to other locations around the country in ‘even’ years. The conditions had been very wet for the last event here, in 2023, and four-wheel drive had been a necessity, rather than a luxury. This time, thankfully, the sun shone brightly and the land was beautifully dry. Blue tractor enthusiasts came from all…

I purchased two new Timken thrust bearings for the top of the kingpins and then had everything I needed for the rebuild, apart from the cotter pins. The only one of those I had was reduced to swarf during its removal, so I had no pattern to work from. Looking at my Series 1 machine, I determined that they could well be the same, except that the Series 1 would have BSF threads compared to the BSW (Whitworth) used on the 12/20. I obtained a cotter from RH Crawford & Son, then copied it to make a pair, albeit with BSW threads. A trial fit of the kingpins in the axle proved they would go, but would be a tight fit. Everything was oiled liberally and some time was taken…

On the early May Bank Holiday Monday (5th) we held the 20th annual memorial vintage tractor run in memory of my late dad, Brian Ford, who lost his battle with cancer in 2004. There were 23 tractors on the day and the 26-mile route included the Carland Cross wind farm plus a tour of the Imerys clay works, near St Austell, in Cornwall. The tractors stopped for a pasty lunch at Hawkins Motors, in St Stephen, and I’m happy to report that the weather was fine on the day. The event raised more than £650 for Cancer Research UK, and the Ford family would like to thank everyone involved for their support. We’re already looking forward to next year’s run, which is scheduled for May 4th, 2026. Anyone interested in…

Aumann Auctions’ Pre-30 online sale was concluded in America on April 29th, with the highlight of the event being the incredible sale price realised for the 1911 Imperial 40-70 prairie tractor. This giant machine, which carries a complex, four-cylinder, 7.5x9in opposed OHV engine and runs on 8ft diameter rear wheels, sold for £716,199 which, we believe, is the second-highest price ever paid for a preservation tractor anywhere in the world. The Imperial entered production between 1908 and 1910, and remained on sale until 1920. It was the result of a collaboration between Valentine Bros and Shock & Hay Loader Co of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The model was regarded as the Rolls-Royce of tractors at the time, and was very expensive to buy. Three examples survive in preservation, with this one having…

JUNE 11TH-12TH, 2025 This year the Cereals Event is returning to a popular Lincolnshire location after a 17-year hiatus. Andrew Ward MBE will welcome visitors to Heath Farm at Leadenham (LN5 0QE) to enjoy a 52-ha site that’ll be showcasing the latest developments in arable agronomy, machinery and technology presented by 400 exhibitors, 200+ live demonstrations, two days of seminar programmes plus several hundred individual crop plots to visit. “There have been huge changes in farming, some of the biggest since the Second World War,” says Mr Ward. “There’s tremendous pressure on producing food and being able to do it profitably. And while some of this can only be resolved at Government and policy level, which farmers have been campaigning for, there are also opportunities at farm level. “No event…

June 1st June FoFH SCOTTISH BORDERS & BERWICKSHIRE The Rob Gourlay Memorial Tractor Road Run Old Berwickshire High School car park, Duns TD11 3QG Tel: 07779 597303 Email: ijshearlaw@gmail.com Starts: 10.30am 1st June TAVISTOCK STEAM & VINTAGE FAIR The Bedford car park, Canal Road, Tavistock, Devon PL19 9ST Email: enquiries@therobeytrust.co.uk 1st-2nd June INNISHANNON STEAM & VINTAGE RALLY Innishannon, Co. Cork, Ireland Tel: 00 353 87 2802658 isvrally.com 6th-8th June SOUTH OF ENGLAND SHOW SoE Showground, Ardingly W. Sussex RH17 6TL Tel: 01444 892700  seas.org.uk 7th June GOLDEN VALLEY VINTAGE & COUNTRY FAIR Moorhampton Park Farm Abbey Dore, Hereford HR2 0AL vintageandcountryfair.co.uk 7th-8th June TRACTORFEST Newby Hall, Ripon N. Yorks. HG4 5AE tractorfest.uk 7th-8th June NORTH RODE VINTAGE RALLY Station Road, Bull Gate Lane Bosley, Cheshire CW12 2PB northroderally.co.uk 7th-8th June…

15TH MARCH, 2025 Three amazing, 250-year-old oak trees in woodland on the Whiligh Estate, near Ticehurst, in East Sussex, were selected recently for a very special purpose. The straight buttresses and knot-free condition of these mighty oaks made them ideal as a source of timber to be used in the construction of an amazing replica of the famous 7th century Anglo-Saxon ship that was discovered in 1939 at Sutton Hoo, in Suffolk. The project to build the ship began in earnest in 2019, following plenty of preliminary work, and is being undertaken by the Sutton Hoo Ship Company (SHSC) at The Longshed, Tide Mill Way, in Woodbridge, Suffolk. The ship is expected to be completed next spring (2026), at which point it will be moved to a new home at…

Last month’s first instalment of this restoration story ended with me part-way through dealing with a locked brake issue, which was preventing me from moving the tractor around in my workshop. I needed to remove the centre section containing the brake shoes, so that I could get behind the pins that were seized, and tap them out. I’d managed to prise the shoes apart enough to access the retaining bolts and, once the whole assembly was off, it became clear just what a rusty, dirty mess it actually was. In the centre I could see a bearing assembly plus a couple of oil seals that would be easy to remove and replace with new. The rear seal was located in a round plate, secured by three bolts. Then, looking behind…

“I grew up on a farm and was actively involved in farming for my entire working life. I learned to drive on a Fordson N and, by the time I was old enough to start doing tractor-related work, we were running a Fordson E27N. I have very fond memories of baling with that tractor. “The first tractor I bought myself was an orange 1939 Fordson N, and that arrived in 1998. I got it out of sentimentality, really, as that was the model that had really fired my interest in tractors. However, it wasn’t until 2004, after I’d taken the hard decision to sell the farm’s dairy herd, that my tractor-collecting really took off. “I’m not a mechanic but am certainly able to cover routine servicing and basic repairs myself. However,…