Small Woodland Owners' Group

Woodland Vintage Tractors

A place to discuss or review of tools and equipment, how to look after them, handy hints for using them.

Woodland Vintage Tractors

Postby Bearwood » Mon Nov 25, 2013 8:08 am

Following on from the Brushcutter thread and Dexters/Wendelspanwick's comments,
I wonder how many folks use a vintage tractor in and around their woodland? I appreciate that there are purists who try not to involve machines wherever possible, but whichever way you look at it they are useful.

I remember seeing Ian's blog (http://www.swog.org.uk/articles/ians-new-tractor/) which involved a Ransomes MG5.

Another blog I've seen shows an MF135, albeit in use on the meadow, so there must be a few in use out there.

Wendelspanswick wrote:I have the same but mine could do with a paint job. Petrol, petrol/TVO or diesel? Mines a straight petrol 1947, the starter died on mine about 3 years ago so I start it on the handle, it always amazes me that I can leave her outside for 4 months, turn the petcock, pull the choke, turn on the ignition and swing the handle and away she goes first time!


Mine's a petrol/TVO model but I've taken off the manifold shroud and run it on straight petrol. With it making short runs and always starting and stopping, using tractor vapourising oil can be a pain. If it were ploughing or topping all day long I could see the benefit maybe, but TVO isn't much cheaper to use, if cheaper at all.

I'm also surprised how eager they are to start, although I rarely start on the handle unless the battery is low on charge. There's not much to them maintenance-wise either really; it's just and engine and gearbox with wheels and a seat bolted on. You can see why they made and sold over half a million of them.

As tractors go, it's pretty basic, definitely the bottom rung of the ladder in terms of spec; no 4wd, no cab, no lights, no live-drive on the PTO, no front PTO, the list goes on....
It was however, rather cheap, and the fact that you can buy from an almost endless list of attachments makes it pretty versatile.
At the moment I regularly use a transport box for ferrying a few tools, chainsaw and generator around and I have use of a post-hole borer attachment from a neighbouring farmer who has a collection of seven Ferguson models! (shame I couldn't use it when I had a couple of hundred metres of fence to erect!). I also have a MIL loader which is essentially a set of lifting arms with a bucket attached (similar to an excavator) which may come in handy. All-in the tractor and implements cost me less than £1000, the insurance costs £40 per annum, and if I were to add lights and get it legal, road duty would be free.
Bearwood
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Woodland Vintage Tractors

Postby ballibeg » Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:31 pm

I run a Ford 4000 which is 3 days younger than me so I turned 40 first this year! Just finished renovating a workshop in the woods for it. It runs a hydraulic splitter and the fel is very handy.

I also look after a Fergie tef20 for a local museum where it gets used daily.

Both keep me in touch with my mechanical side!

Dave
Attachments
uploadfromtaptalk1385404174159.jpg
ballibeg
 
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 6:29 am

Re: Woodland Vintage Tractors

Postby Whatisheatnow » Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:44 pm

Mine's a Ford 4000 too, from 1970. Really good uncomplicated dependable machine.
Whatisheatnow
 
Posts: 31
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 6:20 pm

Re: Woodland Vintage Tractors

Postby Bearwood » Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:53 pm

I'd love a 4000! My grandfather used to operate one in the eighties; a truly versatile machine.
Bearwood
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:04 pm

Re: Woodland Vintage Tractors

Postby oldclaypaws » Mon Nov 25, 2013 7:29 pm

My Field Marshall model 301 dates from 1959, the same age as me, and is very uncomplicated. Good fuel consumption too.

dinky.jpg
dinky.jpg (15.68 KiB) Viewed 13380 times
dinky.jpg
dinky.jpg (15.68 KiB) Viewed 13380 times
oldclaypaws
 
Posts: 1132
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:13 pm

Re: Woodland Vintage Tractors

Postby Bearwood » Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:33 am

I had the pleasure of seeing a Field Marshall last year; a thunderous beast of a tractor. Almost half-way between a traction engine and a tractor by sight and sound. I understand that a replica is in production, known as the Field Master, a snip at a mere £6000!
http://dreammachinesuk.com/index.php?id ... er=product
Bearwood
 
Posts: 161
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:04 pm


Return to Tools & Equipment - reviews, use and maintenance

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

cron