Table of contents for July 20205 in Tractor & Machinery

With the tractor show and run season now in full swing, it’s the time of year when many enthusiasts are able to bring out their newly-restored tractors to make their event debuts. It can be a nerve-wracking business, presenting the fruits of your labours for inspection by fellow owners, club members and the wider public. The glare of public exposure can be harsh and, sometimes, people are critical. Thanks to the internet, we now live in a world where everyone’s an expert. There’s apparently no requirement any more to have read any books, owned your own tractor or actually tackled a restoration project yourself. Just spending a bit of time online and watching a few YouTube videos is all that’s necessary to instil the kind of confidence that emboldens these…

As with all great ideas, the inspiration came while walking around the barn at home with a cup of tea. Looking at one of my Standard Fordsons, I thought, I wonder how far someone has driven one? Having lost Mum back in 2019 to a glioblastoma brain tumour at just 63 years old, I never really felt I’d done enough to mark that loss so, putting two and two together, I hit upon the idea of a charity drive from John o’ Groats to Land’s End to raise both funds and awareness for Brain Tumour Research. Following a few months of careful planning, I found myself at John o’ Groats on a dark, murky morning with my Standard Fordson, a trailer of supplies and a marathon drive ahead of me!…

18TH-19TH JULY, 2025 Cheffins is preparing for its second vintage collective of 2025, which is scheduled to take place on 18th-19th July, at the company’s Sutton site in Cambridgeshire. A good amount of interesting literature has already been entered, and this will be going under the hammer on the 18th. Coincidentally, this will include material relating to the Doppstadt Trac 160, similar to the full-size example that was sold in the April sale, for a cracking £45,000! JULY CHEFFINS SALE SUTTON HQ YES! ORIGINAL MB_TRAC 1500 Highlights among the machinery to be sold on the 19th include a superbly-restored 1976 Versatile 700 artic, complete with the Cummins V8 903 diesel engine. These Canadian-made machines were the ‘class of the field’ when current, and this example would make an ideal classic…

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 55% when you subscribe annually by direct debit! Editor, Tractor & Machinery WORTH £45.99 PLUS! RECEIVE TRACTOR & MACHINERY PORTWEST COVERALLS SUBSCRIPTION BENEFITS • Enjoy one whole year of Tractor & Machinery • Get each issue delivered directly to your door in 100% plastic-free packaging • Save over £52 • Never…

You’d be amazed by the number of enthusiasts I come across who stumble upon their perfect tractor completely by chance, or are simply in the right place at the right time to secure the machine of their dreams. Darren Phillips’ tractor story certainly has an element of good fortune about it. But, like many others, he had to wait quite a while until family life, budgets, spare time and, perhaps even the planets, all fell into alignment and allowed him to finally make his move. FORD FOREVER Darren’s father worked on a farm and, as soon as he was old enough, he remembers being driving around on those machines. “The tractors that stick in my mind from that time are a Nuffield 10/60, a Fordson Major and a Ford 5000,”…

Thankfully for the many enthusiasts among us, County was always keen on producing plenty of film featuring its machines. As a result, the archives now offer a fascinating insight into the company’s vehicle development programme as well as offering a unique and authoritative historical record detailing exactly what happened, and when. The subjects covered on what’s still available include everything from the earliest days of truck conversions and military projects (including the Mantis tank), right through to all the tractors for which the company is now most famous. Of course, back in those early days, capturing moving images wasn’t the relatively simple process it is today, so most things had to be laboriously set up which took time and money. The alternative was home movie-quality footage produced on 8mm or…

The next stage in this rebuild process was to start filling the timing case with the gear wheels. The inner part of this had already been fitted with a gasket, between it and the block, and was bolted into place using thin-headed bolts to avoid the risk of them catching on the gears, as described last time. The first component to be fitted was the camshaft, which goes in the top-left corner. However, before this could be done, I needed to lubricate the points at which the moving parts meet, metal-to-metal. I simply used fresh engine oil for this, and made sure that it was also coated on the camshaft itself. If you remember back to Part 6 in this series, I replaced the oil seal at the back of…

AUGUST 2024 COVER STORY JD 3050; a working classic INSIDE IH balers, Grey/Gold Fergie resto, Roadless J17 crawler, MF 240, classic Cats DECEMBER 2024 COVER STORY One-owner 1989 Ford 7610 INSIDE Red Giants at 60, Sugar beet harvesters, John Deere 710, Classic harvest SPRING 2025 COVER STORY Ford 3000 buying guide INSIDE LAMMA report, JD 6030, David Brown 1410/1412 profile, Amazing models SEPTEMBER 2024 COVER STORY 1967 Muir-Hill 101 resto INSIDE Ford 8210 owner’s tale, Claas Matador combine, MF 698T/699, chisel ploughs JANUARY 2025 COVER STORY Underrated Case 1056 XL INSIDE British Ploughing Champs, Zetor collector, Ford 5000-based conversions APRIL 2025 COVER STORY Full MF 135 buying guide INSIDE Ford Force II, NH balers, Tractor World, Best of British, County 4000-Four OCTOBER 2024 COVER STORY Superbly restored MF 148 INSIDE Ploughing Nuffields, Tractorfest…

T&M SOCIAL By far the biggest tractor we spotted at the recent Stradsett Park Vintage Rally was this impressive Steiger Panther ST360. It was a giant machine to navigate into and out of the busy show ring, so congratulations to the driver and event marshals. Unfortunately, the tractorr wasn’t listed in the show programme, so we’re unable to credit the owner. Perhaps he’ll see this and get in touch… Alec Crisp Thank you for the lovely comments on my Steiger. I was also the driver on the day and I can certainly agree with how busy it was. This made it a big challenge getting into the ring which couldn’t have been done without the marshals. It was a late decision to take it to the show hence it not…

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. June 27th June Online Timed Machinery Collective Auction Edward Buckland edwardbuckland.co.uk 27th June Wessex Machinery Sale Southern Counties Auctioneers tel: 01722 321215 27th June-2nd July Timed Online Auction York Machinery Sales ylc.co.uk 2 th June Collective Machinery Sale The Beech, Little Hereford Ludlow, Shrops. SY8 4BG McCartneys tel: 01584 872251 28th June Fylde Vintage & Farm Show Auction Vintage and classic tractors engines, implements etc Preston HJ Pugh & Co tel: 01531 631122 28th June Dispersal sale on behalf of GR Nelson Beckingham Road, Stapleford LN6 9JZ Will Barker & Co Ltd tel: 01529 414555 28th June Dispersal sale of tractors, equipment and tools Derrabrin…

Raising the roof! Write to Chris and he'll reply! Back in the 1950s my best pal and I (aged 12 or 13) could easily start the Field Marshall that belonged to my friend’s grandfather, using the handle. At that time the tractor was housed in a rusty old Nissen hut and, on one occasion, I remember that the handle got stuck in the flywheel when the tractor started. Well, you can imagine how quickly we ran out of that shed, not knowing where the handle might end up. As it turned out, it shot straight upwards, taking a rusty sheet of tinwork out of the hut’s roof as it went. Needless to say, nobody ever bothered to repair the hole! I’m now in my 80s and still run three vintage…

I’ve always thought that few operations in agriculture have changed so much in such a short space of time as the pea harvest. This was particularly evident as I was growing up in Suffolk, during the 1970s, and I remember very well the trailed Mather & Platt mobile viners being driven around the pea fields on the back of Muir-Hill tractors. At the time these machines seemed huge and held a tremendous fascination for me. By the late ‘70s, though, those trailed machines – and the ones produced by rival manufacturer, FMC – were being replaced by new, self-propelled pod pickers, led by the first of this type, the FMC 679. This large machine, the size of a combine harvester, was equipped with a picking reel on the front below…

MAY 17TH-18TH, 2025 This was my first visit to the Three Okefords Preservation Society Ltd’s Shillingstone Steam & Vintage Rally, which takes place at a picturesque site nestled in a rural valley between Sturminster Newton and Blandford Forum, in Dorset. I visited on Saturday and the weather was perfect – sunny and warm – and, hopefully, there was no repeat of the ‘biblical downpour’ that ruined the second day of the show last year, as society chairman, Mike Welch described in his programme notes. Talking of the event programme, the organisers had obviously put a lot of effort into this – an 83-page, perfect bound production supported by lots of local businesses, which was good to see. I noticed that each vehicle category had its own sponsor with, for example,…

Having fitted the front tyres I next turned my attention to the rear wheels. The cast iron wheel centres were made by Dunlop, and are of the split rim type. A ring of studs and nuts secure the two halves of the wheel together, and it’s essential that the tyre be deflated before these are undone otherwise serious injury will occur. Always when working on an ‘older restoration’, there’s a good chance that most things will undo relatively easily, as the chances are that somebody has been there before you. So I was hopeful in this case. With the weight of the tractor still on the wheels, I started by deflating the tube in the first rear wheel, then cleaned the ring of fixing nuts with a cup brush fitted…

MAY 21ST, 2025 There was a party atmosphere at North Down Orchard, in Haslebury Plunkett near Yeovil, Somerset, when Henry Biss of HJ Pugh sold the Ivor James collection. There was a good crowd present to witness the 161-lot sale, but sadly, the weather wasn’t in a similarly jolly mood and it rained for the whole morning of the sale. This was disappointing as it had been sunny the day before, for viewing. All the tractors being sold were in running order, which was good to see. Ivor James has been part of the preservation scene in Somerset for decades, but simply doesn’t have the time to look after his superb, 30-strong tractor fleet these days. Most of the machines being sold were either in original condition, or had been…

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,…

Regular readers will be aware of how much importance we place on the views of those who buy the magazine. All thoughts, suggestions and feature ideas are considered, and we spend a lot of time trying to balance the magazine’s content to best suit the wide-ranging interests of its readers.Every few years we like to formalise that process, by giving everyone the chance to complete a readership survey and have their say. Taking part in this valuable exercise is both quick and easy. It’s an online survey that should take just 10 minutes or so to complete and, as an added ‘thank you’ from us, we’ll be offering respondents the chance to win one of three T&M Workshop Bundles, each worth over £200! The bundle will include a brilliant Sealey…

WILL POLHILL It’s sad to report the death of Will Polhill, from West Hoathly, Sussex, who was in his 90s. Will was a great Fordson man who used them in working times, particularly in the timber business. Together with his brother, Jack, the pair amassed a fine collection of tractors, parts and implements, including Case, Minneapolis-Moline and John Deere models. Will’s Weeks hop garden Fordson Standard N is still rallied in the area, by Anthony Bradford. Will was a great supporter of the July Ardingly Rally and Rotherfield Working, and was a member of SCHVPT, SEVAC and the FFA in its infancy. Our condolences to the family. STEPHEN WATSON We’re sad to report the death of Stephen Watson, the president of the National Vintage Tractor & Engine Club. He was…

STOP PRESS Southern Counties Auctioneers is holding an important 400-lot dispersal sale, on the instructions of Nick Knight, at Switch Back Yard, Woodmancote, W. Sussex PO18 8UL, on July 5th. The sale will offer tractors, tracked machines and classic combines, with makes being sold including Allis Chalmers, Bristol, David Brown, Fordson, County, Claas, Ransomes and Massey Ferguson. Call 01722 321215 or visit: scauctioneers.com…

Tractor cleaner The Kärcher K7 Power Pressure Washer is equipped with a water-cooled motor, a trigger gun with practical Quick Connect adapter, a 10m high-pressure hose, a reliable water filter, a Vario Power spray lance (VPS) and a dirt blaster with a rotating point jet. There’s also a Plug ‘n’ Clean detergent system, an aluminium telescopic handle and a parking position for readily accessible accessories. Stylish drilling DeWalt’s most powerful two-speed 18V XR cordless combi drill has been given a limited edition makeover in partnership with McLaren. Offering up to 90Nm of torque from a compact 177mm body, the combi drill excels in tight spaces and is perfect for all manner of workshop tasks. A built-in LED light improves job visibility and the drill is supplied with a DeWalt 18V…

19TH APRIL, 2025 Spring ploughing matches have become a lot more popular over the past decade, but the very dry ground has caused havoc at competitions in certain areas of the UK this year. However, one event that escaped the worst effects of dry, hard soil was the 15th Woodhouse Vintage Ploughing Match, held at Henfield, in West Sussex. No doubt the timely rain that fell during the couple of days immediately before the competition, had a lot to do with that. There were 32 quality ploughmen entered in this match and, among the stand-out performers was East Kent Ploughing Champion Ken Hammant. He was in fine form and ultimately successful in the Trailed Plough Class using the ex-Dick Theobald wide-wing Fordson N and Ransomes RSLD 15 plough. Essex Ploughing…

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I finished part two of this mini series with the brake shoe pins and their holes greased and ready for fitting, which I’ve now done. Behind the shoes, one of the return springs needed to be hooked in at this stage as getting to it later wouldn’t be possible. The spring isn’t a strong one so, once it was hooked onto the shoes, it was easy to manipulate into its correct place so the pin could then be slid smoothly into position, thanks to the coating of copper grease. With the shoes in place, the next thing was to fit the new brake wheel cylinder. Being a Series One Land Rover owner and enthusiast, I recognised this part as being very similar to what I’d dealt with on that vehicle.…

“I vintage stationary engine started collecting tractors around 2000. Havingbeena enthusiast and attending many rallies, buying a tractor seemed a natural progression. My first was a Ferguson a TE-F 20, which was bought as a project in conjunction with my dad. To say it gave us a steep learning curve would be an understatement – it was a wreck! “I do service my own tractors and, thanks to the 30 years I’ve spent as a factory maintenance technician, I can tackle most things. I’m also a shift-worker, which gives me more days off to work on the tractors. There’s no farming in my family background, but I’m a member of the Friends of Ferguson Heritage club, and am now one of the coordinators for Northern Ireland. “I like to do…