Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i Tractor & Machinery

Hello and welcome to the bank details to December issue of Tractor & Machinery. As much as I hate to open on a negative note, I am going to take this opportunity to warn you all that a fraudster has been posing as a Kelsey Publishing employee, and ‘selling’ bogus advertising space in Tractor & Machinery, and possibly other titles, too. A Ford & Fordson Tractors magazine reader, who had been selling a tractor in the free classified section, was called and offered a deal for £6.50, that would see his tractor re-advertised in T&M, for greater exposure. The caller seemed knowledgeable and credible. He convinced the reader to reveal the bank details he needed to access their account. The following morning the reader discovered that a significant sum of money…

As the railroad punched its way across 19th century America, it proved be the catalyst to transform albeit a vast, but predominately parochial, country into a modern, cosmopolitan society. It opened up the country, creating new markets, providing the means to swiftly transport goods, raw materials and people across its many states, which hitherto had relied upon the motive power of the horse. Towards the latter part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the country underwent another transport revolution – the development of the internal combustion engine. Technological change takes time and does not occur overnight, and whilst the train still rolled on it would take 50 years or so for the tractor, automobile, and commercial truck to gain acceptance and replace the horse and…

Wen the International Harvester Company of Great Britain Ltd. (IHGB) introduced the B-250, it was the start of big things for a successive line of small tractors. First produced in 1956, the B-250, known as the Little Giant, was revolutionary in that it had disc brakes and a differential lock as standard. With its 30hp, four-cylinder engine, five-speed transmission, live hydraulics and reversible category I/II three-point linkage, the B-250 was always going to be popular, but it’s hard to believe that anyone envisaged that nearly 30,000 examples would be produced before production ended in 1961. At the heart of the B-250 was the IH BD-144 engine – with wet, replaceable sleeves, a 33 ⁄8in (85.7mm) bore and 4in (101.6mm) stroke. Rated speed was a lowly 1,750rpm. Channelling the power to…

At the Shuttleworth Trust’s Vintage Weekend, held on 4-5 September near Bedford, a low-key event for vintage enthusiasts took place on the Saturday to be followed by the annual flying show on the Sunday, says Peter Love. At one of its first appearances since its October 2019 sale, as the highest-priced veteran tractor sold in Europe, was the 1903 Ivel, no. 131. The pioneering tractor was coupled to a rare Clayton & Shuttleworth saw bench, which it ran during the show. The ‘Power Farmer Tractor Collection’, the earliest known veteran tractor collection, was kept at Old Warden (Shuttleworth College) in the mid 1950s. The Shuttleworth family legacy lives on and all that pioneer Richard Shuttleworth did for vehicle (tractor, steam and cars) and aeronautical preservation should never be forgotten. He…

After being unable to hold a working event last year, due to reasons that we are all very familiar with, I decided, with support from Blue Force member James Forrest once again, that Blue Force should hold another working day in 2021, writes Pete Earl. This would be promoted as a public event on the understanding that it may need to be cancelled at short notice if Government restrictions came into force regarding Covid-19. So, the date and charities were decided at the beginning of July and the land earmarked. Planning and promotion of the Ford event of the year was once again underway at one of the busiest times of the year. A lot of interest was initially generated with enquiries for exhibitors coming in from as far afield…

On Saturday 14 August, the Co. Down Traction Engine Club held a tractor road run near Donaghadee, Co. Down, writes James Connolly. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the club could not hold its annual working weekend at Rosemount, Co. Down, and it has taken the difficult decision to remove the event from its calendar. Like so many clubs, events have not been able to take place over the past couple of years. Due to poor weather and the Covid-19 pandemic, the Co. Down Traction Engine Club vintage rally has not run now for three years and with spiralling costs the club has decided to dispense with large events and host a series of ‘pop-up’ events if and when it can. The successful road run was a good example of this.…

You may recall me dismantling the seized hand brake lever in the last issue. Although it would seem a straightforward task to undertake its repair, it has taken a while to complete. The problem was that the plastic button had seized in the tube of the handle, and when dismantled I discovered that the push rod had corroded badly and when provoked the button broke off, leaving the rod floating unattached at the top of the tube. NEW ROD I measured the diameter of the broken rod and then took a search around for a suitable piece of steel rod to replace it, and came upon a piece of similar-diameter steel in the form of an old rod left over from my Fordson Elite plough project, which was completed last…

Progress was looking good in the previous issue of Tractor & Machinery, when I began preparing the rear wheel rims for their fresh coats of paint. As always, the weather plays a significant part in the progress of our projects, and I was hoping to get the paint applied before it turns too damp and wet. Hopefully, this will still be the case, but one other task has sprung up, with the suggestion that the front axle should be stripped and dismantled to allow any future adjustments to the track width to be made easily and without damaging the fresh paintwork. VERY RUSTY Looking at the axle externally it didn’t look too bad condition wise, so we set about slackening the axle bolts that secure each outer axle section to…

The prices are based on tractors sold at sales, on the Internet, privately and in some overseas markets too. Naturally, prices change as time progresses and it’s not always an upward trend, but you will get a good indication of what’s going on with the current market by referring to our guide. Here are a few pointers on buying a tractor to help you. If you are looking for a tractor to buy for restoration, or work, there’s a vast choice. However, if you are looking for something specific, do weigh up your options first, 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. Whatever is wrong with the tractor, make sure…

It is not often that I travel nearly 400 miles to a ploughing match. Sometimes, though, it just has to be done and that was most certainly the case on 11 September when the Bradworthy & District Ploughing Association held its annual ploughing match and working day at Coombe, near Monkleigh, in Devon. The land for the show was kindly loaned by the Beer family and the three main fields used were all on a steep bank, which certainly provided the ploughmen with a challenge – the hard ground conditions only recently moistened by a spell of light rain that added to the fun of the occasion. This event has become well known in recent years for its themed tractor section, which has produced some superb line-ups of various tractor…

Give a gift subscription to Tractor & Machinery this year 2 EASY WAYS TO ORDER Online shop.kelsey.co.uk/TMGIFT Call on 01959 543 747 and quote TMGIFT Lines open Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5.30pm. Calls are charged at your standard network rate. *Full terms and conditions can be found at shop.kelsey.co.uk/terms. Offer applies to UK subscribers only when paying by credit/debit card. The subscription will start with the first available issue after Christmas 2021. Offer closes 31.12.2021. Gift is subject to availability and maybe replaced with an item of equal value. Please allow 28 days for delivery of gift. Overseas and other offers available at shop.kelsey.co.uk/TMGIFT FOR Tractor & Machinery READERS EXCLUSIVE CHRISTMAS OFFER Save 17% on a subscription and get our 2022 calendar PLUS a Tractor & Machinery beanie, absolutely FREE! Overseas orders also…

Dropside trailers were an integral part of the agricultural industry for many years and although still built today, monocoque designs account for the vast majority of sales. Perhaps the most famous of all the early dropside trailers is the Ferguson three-ton tipper, but examples existed long before Harry Ferguson’s marketing team got to work letting the world know about the new trailer that was an integral part of the Ferguson System. In fact, the JCB story began when Joseph Cyril Bamford started his business by building a dropside trailer using surplus WW2 parts. It’s fair to say that Ferguson trailers had a profound impact on farming, with the rearward axle design allowing for significant weight transference and increased traction for additional safety, but Ferguson did not have it all his…

PICK OF THE CROP BIG DEERE’S PLOUGHING ON Impressive! Dear Junior, Here is a drawing of a John Deere 3640 pulling a plough. I love getting Tractor & Machinery and never miss an issue! One day I want a tractor of my own. Dylan (aged 6) WET DAY = DRAWING DAY You put your time indoors to great use! Dear Junior, Please have a look at our pictures from a wet day visiting Nana and Grandpa Baa in the Lake District! I, George, like big vintage Case tractors, as Grandpa was a Case service engineer back in the day. George (aged 6) and Alice (aged 4) Stott, Oxon SHOW OFF YOUR SKILLS Send your drawings to: ‘Junior’, Kelsey Publishing Ltd., The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent ME18 6AL or,…

The Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway held its annual ‘Tractor Day’ on Sunday 5 September, which saw the largest ever crowd on the site, writes Peter Love. The railway is open from the first Sunday in May to October and features different themes each month. In response to all that’s been going on, a huge crowd of more than 2,000 people were present at the event, with the Ford & Fordson Association staging providing a fine line-up of Fordson tractors, particularly Ns of various sorts, dating from 1936. Besides the Fordsons and steam trains, there was an excellent selection of Fergusons to be seen, as well as Eicher, SFV and IH tractors. Families were given rides around the site behind a Fordson Dexta and Garrett 7hp traction engine no. 33442,…

The 70th British National Ploughing Championships, at Mindrum Mill, Northumberland, on 9-10 October, was a great success – according to the organisers, the Society of Ploughmen. The site covered almost 300 acres in 14 different fields and was kindly loaned by D Harvey and Son. Visitors and competitors travelled from all over the country, as the event had been postponed for a year due to Covid-19 and was one of the few shows to be held in the area this year. With the two previous Championships ending in a good few inches of mud, the same fear came to mind earlier in the week when torrential rain stopped all organisation on the site for a day. It did, however, dry well and everything then went to plan and with mostly…

Massey Ferguson 203 Q I am in the throes of building my own house and being a tractor enthusiast I have bought an old Massey Ferguson 203 digger/loader to dig out the footings and use as a general workhorse throughout the building project. Owning this machine has sparked extra interest in them and Massey Ferguson construction equipment in general. I have been made aware of other similar industrial Massey Ferguson tractors, such as the 702 and 205 models, which to the casual eye look very similar. Can you explain the differences (if any) between the varying models, and any other information on the loaders and diggers? I am keen to know! D Longworth, Cheshire A The introduction of the industrial digger/loader tractors dates back to the late 1950s, when MF introduced…

Cheffins offered approximately 180 tractors at its last Vintage Collective of the year, which took place on Saturday 23 October, at Sutton, Cambridgeshire. The weather was dry and reasonably warm. The commercials and steamers did well, but when it came to the tractors it was a matter of quantity rather than quality, but many of them sold well for what they were. The Fords dominated with a ‘custom-style’ grade 5.5 1963 Roadless 6/4, no. 6026933 (with a 1968 registration, TBL 374G) making top money at a record price of £40,000. The second highest price went to the late Ted Goldup’s single-speed 1915 Overtime R, no. 2929, which Ted found behind a shed and tree and had to clear everything out to remove the tractor. It was last shown before Ted…

JANUARY 2022 issue on sale Friday 17 December TIME TO UPGRADE With a love for Bradford-built Internationals, Damien Jordan was pleased when he managed to purchase a 354. Despite this affection, he decided to update its specification. IMPLE-MAGIC A passion for David Brown’s red tractors has led Harry Keenan to amass an impressive collection of Implematic models, as Willie Carson discovers. NEW GENERATION Jonathan Whitlam’s series on the importance of Ford’s Series 10 years concludes with a look at Generation III – the final incarnation of this popular range Note: Planned features in T&M may be subject to alteration, due to circumstances beyond our control. PLUS Junior, Lost treasure, Machinery milestones, Model corner, News, Tractor Mart, Workshop & more...…

A Massey Ferguson model is considered to be a safe bet when it comes to buying a tractor for work and/or play. A blend of Perkins engines and Massey Ferguson sub-assemblies has proved to be a worthy combination, with many of the company’s ranges gaining critical acclaim over the years. Today, the company’s tractors built during the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, in particular, have a reputation for productivity and reliability, but with so many to choose from, which should you buy? A tractor is capable of any job if it is matched with the appropriate implement, but to make your choice more straightforward we have split the tractors into four categories – sub-50hp, 51-75hp, 76-100hp and 101-125hp. We have also enlisted the help of Chris Clack, who held several positions…

When Ford updated its 1000 Series tractors in 1968, the company called it the Ford Force – and for good reason, as the considerable updates it represented over the original machines certainly made it a force to be reckoned with. It went on to sell very well over the next seven years. Fast forward to 1985 and a similar situation now existed for Ford to update Series 10. In production from 1981, as we saw in part one of this series, the original Series 10 encompassed several models, from the little 2910 up to the 8210 and had sold very well. However, by 1985, the quiet cabs they were fitted with had been in production since 1976 with very little, if any improvements. The Synchroshift synchromesh transmission introduced with the…

The 88th Cruckton & District Ploughing & Hedging Society match took place on 18 September, when a healthy field of contestants participated, reports Bob Weir. This year’s match was held at Kinton Business Park, near Shrewsbury, by kind invitation of the Warner and Suckley families. The event included the National Vintage Area Finals for Vintage Trailed, Vintage Hydraulic, Classic and Classic Reversible Ploughing. Cruckton and District Ploughing and Hedging Society was established in 1927 and tractor ploughing was introduced for the first time in 1939. Cruckton is now affiliated to the Society of Ploughmen. The society has always been well supported by local companies, trade stands and sponsorship. Famous visitors include former Prime Minister Harold McMillan, who visited the ploughing match in 1958. CLASS WINNERS (ABRIDGED): Open World Style Evan…

My neighbours have a Massey Ferguson 35X that they use with a six-foot Votex topping mower in their field, and until recently they have been maintaining their hedges with the use of a hand-held, petrol-powered hedge cutter. As their hedges have matured, this has become a difficult task to cope with, and they were looking for a suitable hedge cutter, of the reciprocating knife variety, to mount on their tractor. There are various makes and models of hedge cutters to suit smaller tractors on the market, and the chosen machine was an Italian-built Frontoni Fly, which mounts on the three-point linkage and features its own PTOdriven hydraulic pump and oil reservoir. Having acquired the cutter they approached me to set the machine up on their 35X, but before doing so…

Q The hand brake of my International 574 has packed up working after many years of regular use. It has been adjusted on a few occasions, but now it has reached it limit. The operating cable goes into the rear transmission housing on the left-hand side, and I suspect the actual brake mechanism is inside. My question is how difficult a task is it to strip, inspect and replace anything that requires new parts? Is it a job I can accomplish at home, or should I employ somebody with experience of these tractors? A Marshall, via e-mail A International 574 tractors have a contracting band hand brake, which is located on the output shaft of the gearbox, forward of the differential unit. The output shaft carries a brake drum, which is…

Saturday 18 September saw D J & P Newland Rennie hold the auction of the late N H G Price at Wallstone Farm, Portskewett, near Chepstow. Price was a keen ploughman and most of the tractors were older restorations. This was a good old-fashioned sale with no Internet bidding, no buyer’s premium or VAT – what you bid was what you paid. There must have been around 600 to 700 people in attendance and the auctioneers didn’t hang around either! All in all, it went well. TO BUY AND SELL TRACTORS AND MACHINERY, VISIT THE WEBSITE: www.kelseymarketplace.co.uk…

There was certainly a good crowd at Fackley Farm, Teversal, near Mansfield, on Tuesday 7 October for the auction of more than 50 tractors in this 1,000-lot sale. Conducted by Bagshaws Auctioneers, the sale started at 10.30am and had no Internet bidding and no buyer’s premium. A strong selection of MF tractors, looking to be pretty original, included an MF 35 with turf tyres that sold for £3,500. That was followed by a 1979 MF 590 showing 6,717 hours on the clock. That sold for £4,150, while an MF 20 with 2,849 hours behind it and partly restored loader made £4,500. Then a 690, from 1982, with 6,759 hours on the clock, sold for £7,600. Moving up the price range, a 1979 MF 240 with loader and fork, as well…

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