2019 turned out to be an excellent year for the Club culminating in the most successful Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show we have had, not least because our Representative coverage of the country was hugely strengthened during the year.  Make no mistake our Representatives really are the backbone of the Club and without their knowledge and enthusiasm it just wouldn’t be happening.  Their numbers continue to increase and we are delighted to advise that:

 

Raymond (Ray) Clayton has agreed to become FFA Representative for Derbyshire. Involved with several clubs and associations over the years, Ray says he has always been interested in engineering, Land Rovers, steam engines and classic tractors and is keen to promote the Association in Derbyshire.  He has already identified events to attend in 2020, including steam rallies, ploughing and crank-ups and we look forward to working together.

 

As you are aware, Lin and Ian Prince have worked as our National Rally Co-ordinators in recent years.  They are continuing in this role, but will be joined by Roy Cowgill, our Representative for South West Scotland, who will take over responsibility for the organisation of events the FFA attend in Scotland.

Changes to the magazine’s layout appear to meet with your approval and in this issue the Club’s revised ‘advertising page’ is also listing our Area Representatives. Other proposed changes include information of shows the Club plans to attend in the news section, but, for a full list do look at the FFA website.

 

 

Registration Matters:  

A simple question, what is the correct (read legally permitted) registration plate for a classic or vintage tractor?

We have all come across the dreaded ‘Expert’ who has the definitive answer to any question that arises, the trouble is that so often they are just plain wrong. When compiling these pages, we cover Club events and news that we hope will interest you and try to answer members queries that arise from time to time. It is surprising how long a simple answer can take, that is not necessarily because the information is not known but because rules and regulations change over the years, sometimes retrospectively.  

I’ve been asked several times recently about registration plates on older agricultural machines, for example what colour is permitted and do they have to be displayed front and rear.  Having farmed all my working life, I thought I knew the answer, but it’s a little more complicated than I thought.

The magic date is 1973 {relevant date as per The Road Traffic Act of 2001}; vehicles registered after that must be fitted with the modern reflective type plates. There are some later regulations that will not generally affect members of vintage and classic vehicles, and we can also ignore regulations regarding plates illuminated from the rear.  Agricultural vehicles must carry a plate fitted vertically to the rear or one positioned on each side and, if towing trailers, unless fitted with side mounted plates, must carry one on the rear of the rearmost trailer.

Vehicles built before 1973, even if first registered later, are included and can be fitted with plates of white, grey or silver characters on a black background.  If an agricultural machine is towing a trailer the plate on that trailer may be that of any other agricultural machine that is registered to towing vehicle’s keeper.

 

 

 

August 31st and September 1st held at Rix Farm Langham by kind permission of Mr J Rix. The weekend was blessed with good weather and was organised by Ken Bailey and Roger Starling, our thanks also to Maureen and Paula who manned the BBQ and very good it was too.  Terry Stinson recruited the qualified ploughing judges.

 

Vintage mounted 1st Roger Starling

2nd Donald Sapsford

3rd Ken Bailey

Classic mounted 1st Terry Stinson

2nd Alec Lyle

3rd David Bolton.

Ladies Champion Sarah Tween.

 

There was also a real treat on the Saturday when Michael Moore, a well-known Essex businessman and talented engineer, brought along his Pre-Force 4000 Triple D and plough combination, something very special.

 

Twenty-four entries were received and ploughmen entering were eligible to qualify for the Nationals. 

It was very satisfying to note the improvement in the standard of work that has been achieved over the last few years.  The £750 proceeds raised were donated equally to Macmillan Cancer Support and Royal Papworth Hospital.  Unfortunately, Ken’s second working weekend was cancelled due to adverse ground conditions.

 

 

Ford and Fordson Working Day 20th October:

 Phil Gibson reports: By kind permission of the Godfrey Family at Worlaby North Lincolnshire.  Gary Capp who is Area Representative for Lincolnshire and local member, Barrie Mumby, organised this working day. Conditions were challenging with all the rain this autumn, especially the long pull uphill to the top of the field; it was very sticky on top but good chalk based free draining land.

The weather did spoil things in the afternoon with heavy storms, but credit to all the lads on the non-cabbed tractors, they didn’t stop until the field had been finished with around 45 acres ploughed.

 

There were combinations of 2 to 10-furrow outfits, the FW60 that came with a 10-furrow reversible was very impressive as it was travelling on the top all the time with no dry furrow. The event was only one mile from the Humber bridge and the docks at Grimsby and, in no time, we had a large invasion of seagulls, I only hope the ploughmen and all the people walking the field taking photos had wide brimmed hats!

Two members had travelled from Cumbria as they wanted to see Doe tractors at work and were not disappointed with 5 working, including the one built by John Haywood that had 6 and 4-cylinder engines and a very long 8-furrow plough. Another couple had come from Kent as they had recently bought a Doe and they joined the club as new members.

 

I had a very good day manning the Club stand with 4 new members and a fair amount of merchandise sold, but above all it was good for the FFA to be in this area to enable local members to join in and we look forward to the possibility of a 2-day event in this area next year, or indeed any area around the country if any of you can find some land.  Thanks again to our hosts and the farm manager, Peter Harriman, for this excellent site which also had lots of hard standing for the lorries.

 

 

57th Scottish National Ploughing Match: After the cancellation of many ploughing matches this autumn all over the UK, I travelled to St Monans in Fife over the weekend 26th/27th of October to the 57th Scottish Nationals held at Bowhouse Farm and hosted by the Anstruther family, to find dry fields and what must have been near perfect match conditions. Although nearby was a field of spring wheat still awaiting the combine.

Helping me man the stand and organising the exhibits was our Scottish event’s organiser Roy Cowgill, also with us all weekend was organiser Bill Ironside and family from the topside of Aberdeen.

This was a large site split by a main road. Courtesy trailers were a welcome sight as the furthest fields were half a mile away, but a large area was needed as the match also hosted the European Vintage finals.

There were 38 ploughmen in 5 classes some ploughing over the 2 days, and it was very nice to see different tractors and ploughs, with one catching my eye a M.A.N 4wd driven by a German competitor.

On show was steam ploughing and on the second day shire horses were ploughing in front of us. As well as all the match classes, there were a variety of main dealers supporting the event and demonstrating their equipment; New Holland was represented by Fife Tractors.  All sorts of stalls were both on the fields and in the large farm buildings, interestingly flour was milled in the buildings from the farm’s wheat crop and there was also a brewery, which came into its own in the evening with music in the buildings! 

It was good for the Club to be at its first Scottish Nationals, to meet up with members and to welcome new members to the fold in what turned out to be a totally dry and busy weekend.  I look forward to next year’s Scottish Nationals which are being held in Ayrshire.  Thanks to Roy Cowgill and to Phil Gibson for this report.

 

 

Held their annual ploughing competition on Saturday 2nd November at Kingholm Quay, Dumfries.

Willie West writes: Conditions on the day were rather trying after heavy overnight and early morning rain, with many struggling with the slippery conditions. In total 25 tractors competed including 7 Fordson, Ford or New Holland machines, these were:

  Gordon Rae, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire with his New Holland TL100A

        Alistair Brown, Darvel, Ayrshire with his New Holland 4835

        Brian Robertson, Mauchline, Ayrshire with his Fordson Dexta fitted with Duncan cab

        Davie Laird, Cumnock, Ayrshire with his Ford 4600

        Kenneth Wylie, Dumfries with his Ford 4000

        David Kirkpatrick, Mouswald, Dumfriesshire with his Model N

        Kenny Prentice, Auldgirth, Dumfriesshire with his Model N

 

Some also found themselves on the winners’ podium with Gordon Rae taking 1st in the conventional class as well as overall reserve champion, Alistair Brown taking second in the conventional class

Gordon Rae and Alistair Brown in action

 

David Laird with his Ford 4600 came 4th in the classic conventional class whilst Kenneth Wylie took first in the classic reversible class.

David Kirkpatrick from Mouswald near Dumfries had an excellent day taking 1st in the vintage trailing class, overall vintage champion and also the Dumfriesshire and Kirkcudbrightshire ploughing Association 2019 Championship.

 

 

Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show; Held 9th & 10th November. The Club owes a vote of thanks to Phil Gibson and Gary Capp who were largely responsible for making this event such a success; Phil was very ably assisted by Lin, Ian and Ken,  This year we departed from our normal format, with the Club’s stand based in and around a large marquee in a better position on the show ground. Peter Nutley bought a fine display – a World War II exhibition featuring the contribution of the Women’s Land Army toward the war effort; Peter’s exhibits are simply excellent and are never the same twice as those who have seen them will know.

Lorries were again included this year and there were some very interesting exhibits both inside and outside the tent.  I particularly liked Jamie Shaw Brown’s Mailam 501 and his Howard Trencher based on a Pre-Force 5000 that is still used as it should be.

 

Congratulations are in order for Phil Gibson whose Ford 3600 petrol won the

NVT&HS prize for the Best Ford & Fordson Tractor in the show.

 

I must say that not having to battle erecting marquees was a real bonus as far as I was concerned, we are all getting too old for it and when the weather is poor it can be a real struggle.  It was grand just to turn up and find that most of the hard graft was already done and then, the added bonus, not having to take everything down wet, was brilliant.  Rodney Gibson presented the Club’s Prize winners with their awards:

 

Best in Show - Paul Cooper E27N L4

Best Unrestored - Chris Tranter, Roadless N.P. Major

Judges Favourite - Barrie Mumby 5000 Pre-Force 

 

Paul Cooper receiving the FFA Club's Best in Show prize from Rodney Gibson

 

Unfortunately, some members tractors ended up elsewhere on the show ground; please remember, if you want your exhibit to be with the Club’s display you must say so on the entry form, I know how easy it is to forget to do so. On both days there was a continuous stream of visitors creating a real buzz in the marquee and with record merchandise sales and forty membership subscriptions, the FFA enjoyed a very successful show.

 

 

I want to begin by inviting those of you who are already reading or receiving the FFT magazine or are just interested in Ford and Fordson tractors to get in touch (see details below) or indeed just turn up to our winter evening meetings at Whiddon Down Village Hall (WDVH). We are a very friendly group and we don’t have any complex initiation ceremony or ignore or eat new people who do turn up!! In other words, you would be most welcome to come along and join in. I would extend this invitation to folks from East Cornwall or West Somerset as our meeting venue is well located being right on the A30. We are a very hospitable social group of like-minded people who share a basic common interest in Ford and Fordson tractors and enjoy each other’s company.

Our next meeting  is on Wednesday 29th January at WDVH at a time of 7.00 for a 7.30 start when we welcome  a gentleman called Peter Hayward from Honiton, a former manager with Express Dairies, who is coming to chat to us about doorstep milk deliveries and the humble milk bottle, being a collector himself. It promises to be a really great evening, so do come along and be part of it. As I write, I am still sorting out the details of our final winter get-together which is on February 26th at WDVH. I will be in touch by email with more details as they are finalised.

We are also hoping to visit a member’s collection in February when details are completed, but if it’s anything like last year’s, it will be brilliant. Don’t forget the excellent Somerset Tractor Show at Shepton Mallet over the weekend of January 25th and 26th which is a great tribute to Nick and Pat Bryne and colleagues who always raise considerable sums for charity. This is very worthy of our support. Do get in touch  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 07809 031177.

 

 

We are featuring E27N Majors at Malvern Tractor World this year as it is the seventy fifth anniversary of that models launch, so please bring one if you can, of course any other Ford or Fordson product or derivative will be very welcome.  The High Henry, as some people now call them, although I don’t remember that sobriquet ever being used when they were front line tractors, is my favourite as they were the shiny new tractors in the yard when I was a boy, in fact it was the first tractor I drove on my own when I was about seven and the first one I bought after retiring. We shall be holding the Club’s AGM there again on Sunday, 23rd February, do come if you can.

As its time to start planning which shows you are going to this year, I’ll just quickly mention that we shall be at the Doe show with Peter Nutley’s display for the first time, and will again be at The Bath & West Showground for The Somerset Vintage & Classic Tractor Show and, for the second time, at Whitwell Steam & Country Fair..  Please see the website for a list of events the Club will be attending.

 

Apology:

Dear Members, please accept my sincere apologies if you experienced a delay in receiving your copy of Issue 94 of Ford and Fordson Tractors. This was caused by an administration error on my part. Jane Broomhall