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.