After what feels like an eternity as a silent reader, it’s finally time for me to introduce myself here: my name is Paul and I’m from Switzerland. The reason for the delayed introduction is that my English isn’t really very good. I’m writing with the help of a translator, so please don’t be too hard on me if something isn’t written correctly. 😁
I’ve been a huge fan of British agriculture since childhood, sparked by my BRITAINS models (FORD 5000, forage harvester, tipper trailer, etc.) 
Professionally, I only had a passing involvement with agriculture when we were excavating for a barn or a slurry pit. I worked as a foreman in an excavation and demolition company for thirty years. Unfortunately, this ruined my health (my back) and I have just completed cancer treatment for white skin cancer on my face.
I am now in early retirement and am trying to enjoy the remaining years I have left as best I can, together with my wife. 
That’s all from me for now.

Greetings from Switzerland

Paul

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

My name is Steve and I thank you for accepting me into this forum. Playing Farming Simulator 25 has gotten me interested in the farming industry. And now I watch a number of YouTube videos on the subject matter. I really like the diecast equipment that manufacturers have been offering and I'm still learning what is out there. The profile picture is from my first recent purchase. It is a wheel of a New Holland T7.300 by ERTL Prestige. Why the wheel? It was the first thing I thought of.

I look forward to reading through everyone's present and past threads.

All the best, Steve

Now, those fields I grew up with are a housing estate 🤬 and I find myself thinking about that time.  Aside from playing with Britains stuff, I also built models and that's stayed with me.  Lately I've got into 3D printing, so I've thought about trying to replicate the tractors, trailers and implements I remember.

Short list:

Ford 6600 Q cab

I/we have been lurking for a little while seeing what other people are up to but I thought it was time for a post now we have actually created a diorama, and will be popping something in that subforum shortly! 

I am a dad of two boys who are both tractor mad. It all started in lockdown when there was very little else for our then 18 month old to do but watch the farm machinery around our little Suffolk (UK) village. Basically it was love at first sight when he saw a combine, and with Thurlow Estate, Bartlow Estate and Little Bradley Farm Co all running multiple combines in the village there was plenty to watch. With restrictions lifting we found it was a cheap way to keep him amused and then his little brother tagged along. To keep me amused I was taking photos, and we were encouraged by the farmers we met to start putting pictures online, first on Flickr because I already had an account, then Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, so you will find us on @tractortoddler on all of those platforms. 

Inevitably the boys also loved farm toys, first Bruder, then my share of our childhood 1/32 farm and some items left to the boys by a sadly-departed friend. We then started attending the Spalding show after hearing about it from one of the farmers we spent the most time bothering (a certain Mr Wadsworth). Their collection has grown, and I've started to get a few models where there aren't toys available (like our Challengers) for them to use on special occasions. 

We are quite well known in this part of East Anglia now; we saw and photographed 111 combines this summer, and usually appear in the gateway clutching a combine and tractors of the correct colour courtesy of a Volvo estate filled with farm toys. 

At the April Spalding show, TT decided he wanted to display a diorama in October and, as I was due an operation which would prevent me from working, driving or renovating the house for several weeks I agreed we could give it a go since I could do it sitting down! 

I've dabbled in a bit of model railways planes and buses in the past but the only thing I had previously completed was a T scale (1/450)bus diorama as a present for dad. Obviously having a 5 year old fully invested in helping us finish is what was needed! 

It's been great getting inspiration from here and hopefully we will be able to offer something in return... I'm old enough to prefer forums for this kind of thing even though we have been spamming social media with tractor pictures for years. 

I'm very new to this hobby. We live in East Kent not far from Dover/Folkestone, but also regularly spend some time in London.

Currently only got a couple of Tractors/sets;

1. Britains Farm in a Box set. We got this as it seemed good value as a sort of starter set. The Tractor is approx 1:32 I think. And maybe a model 6920?

2. Revell Advent Calendar. The Tractor is a Claas 960 Axion. Not sure if it is in any scale - I would guess somewhere between 1:55 and 1:60? It is remote Control though and is quite nice for its size and price. I don't know what scale the figure and animals in the set are.

We do have a strong interest in livestock and especially UK Rare/Heritage Breeds.

I expect we will continue and adopt 1:32 scale as that seems to be the standard, It's probably also the only scale practical for livestock, 1:50 or 1:87 would be too small I think, and although 1:24 (approx) has all the Schliech animals it has almost no machinery or other stuff in that scale. (Happy to be challenged on my thinking here).

Still researching a lot and trying to learn more. Some things I'm still trying to work out;

where to get farm worker figures?

is there anywhere that sells detailed livestock models? and especially rare breed models? (looking for models with at least Schliech quality paint jobs)

Is there a 3d printing community for Farm models?

Is there a source where I can get PDFs of old magazines or catalogues?

As a result of all this excitement, the work on restoring our 1941 Allis B has stalled completely, although carpet farming has gone on apace. As Britains aren't producing many models of interest to me these days, I've been buying some of their older, pre-millenium toys and thoroughly enjoying myself!

After a lot of nagging from the family, I've been streamlining my other hobbies too, but still collect dinosaurs, Doctor Who toys, steam engines and anything to do with the original GWR. The kids still despair of me and my collecting!

That's about it! What's occurring?

John P (bigbear)

I live in the Netherlands. First of all, I would like to apologize if there are any language errors. I'm typing this via Google translate. I can speak English well, but the spelling is rubbish. To avoid major spelling mistakes, I decide to do it this way. Some words translate into a different word than intended. I try to check it as much as possible, but I can always miss something.

I started playing with Siku tractors when I was younger. My grandparents lived in the countryside and that is where my love for tractors originated. 

In 2007 I went to the LCN expo in Zwolle for the first time and gradually I started buying the nicer and more expensive models that could no longer serve as toys.

Because I also moved to the countryside and often came into contact with Ford and Deutz, I also started to focus on that with the models.

I'm not sure if I will be the most active member, but I have had an account since 2020 and now wanted to put a name to it. I will also post photos of my collection in the appropriate forum. I hope to be able to learn a lot from you, I have already learned quite a bit from what I have read in recent years. And I hope we can enjoy each other's photos. As I enjoy your collections. Beautiful to see!

we moved to Warwickshire  in 1966 from Northamptonshire , Grandad sold Lodge Farm to Moulton Institute and some land to Pitsford Reservoir which was being constructed  and it was time for Mum, Dad and 2 scallywags to up sticks and move . They bought a farm not far from Stratford on Avon , so on a day in March 1966 Dad and some friends drove various tractors to Warwickshire , Dad had decided that Warwickshire was a bit heavier ground than the ironstone of Moulton so he had bought a 2 year old County Super 6  to be helped by a Masssey 65 and a Class Giant Matador to harvest the crops . Its fair to say that the super 6 and the entourage was the talk of the village as they finally approached their final destination .

Unfortunately the super 6 ended up being quite a trouble some mare and in 1968  it was traded in for a Muir Hill 101 and thus a 34 year association with Muir Hill began   , so my idea is to make a diorama of our home farm as it was in the 60's and I'm thinking about choosing the day when the Muir Hill was unloaded and the Super 6 went to pastures new  , if this scene has already been done then i apologise . so as for the horse power of the diorama the Muir Hill 101 and Massey 65 are currently on their  way to their new home ,,,,,,,, don't tell the wife !!!!!!, but I really need a Claas Matador to complete the scene but it looks like I'm a bit late to the party , hmmmmm think i need to be putting my savings into a piggy bank .

I intend to scratch build all the buildings and spend lots of time on the internet looking for building materials . currently building a Dutchbarn which had a lean to added to each side in the late 60,s , at the end of the Dutch Barn they squeezed a Ransomes grain drier and Lainchbury elevators , conveyors and a cleaner .

So thats enough for now , its time for dinner , hope i havent bore you all 

Mark, 

tonight i will dream of a Scaledown super6 and a UH Claas Mat

Just want to say hi and make myself known. 

Think I might stick some cheap led beacons on it what do you think?? 

Thanks!

I'm Rob, been lurking here for a while and thought it time to put on the anorak and stick my head above the parapet.

My collection is mostly Britains, with some Siku and Ros, and a couple of unknowns which will appear here at some point.

I inherited my dad's collection of Scaledown models as well. These were built by a chap in Sussex whose name I can't remember and departed us some years ago. I also have his Danbury 1:16 Ford 2000.

In 12"/foot scale I have a Ransomes MG2, a Massey 550, and a P38 Range Rover, with others not owned but in my care.

I have P38s in 1/87, 1/64, 1/24, and 1/16, as well as 1/1.

Thanks for letting me join and get involved.

Rob.

All good.
Ihave my drawings website which has now morphed into merchandise, covering products like clothing, drink ware and phone cases and that’s good too.

at this stage I’m energised to start making some scratch built stuff. At this stage I’m not thinking full on, taking orders etc, but in my time away from modelling I have become fairly proficient in 3d modelling for Farm Sim, so I’m currently making my own 3d models in Blender with a view to get a 3d printer and start to make some bits and bobs, mixed in with restocking my plastic are and brass stock.

you’ll hear from me from time to time asking questions and you may see a bit more of me at the shows and I’m sure I’ll have batches of things for sale

ill comment and contribute as much as time allows but I have a full time job and family and my own business so it’s pretty full on

cheers

Ian

I been thinking about doing some collecting and/or making a diorama for a few decades now that I think about it. Along the way I have picked up or been given half dozen tractors in different scales - 1:16 1:32 HO an a couple odd balls. So not much of a collection.

About me - I'm dual US Canadian citizen. Raised mostly in Montana but have lived or worked all over the west coast and the prairies. Currently reside on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

My background is agriculture and natural resources. My interests are primarily farming ranching hay cereal crops generally dryland or irrigated 1950s or so to present including farm forestry.

I was watching a toy auction yesterday an certainly suffered some sticker shock (prices) - $1100 Canadian for a 1:16 white 12 row corn planter needing some repair - my gawd. In spite of that decided yeah I'll do this but I do need to sharpen my pencil (know what I want an shop carefully) since I do have a couple other money pit hobbies. RightNow I'm going through the mental gyrations of trying to sort this out. What scale(s), what purpose, what models, etc. What I personally relate to based on experience or tractors an farm equipment that I've never seen or experienced in real life.

For example I been thinking about a 2ft by 5-8ft shelf display with a working HO scale train switching yard elevators etc set in grain country on the prairies. Should it be 60s or modern? Can I even find suitable models in HO scale as any other scale would not look right.

Anybody else combine trains an tractors?

Just an example.

As for collecting I really like the idea of 1:32 as in my mind I think 1:16 is really for playing with an takes up a lot of room. HO just seems too small and lacks detail. Any opinions?

I look forward to being a part of this forum.

-Ed-

I am based in New Zealand, and we have limited access to models or parts here.

Looking forward to learning some tips and tricks for model conversions through this page. Pic attached of some of my models. 

I’m new onto the site today. I’ve recently rediscovered my much loved farm toys collection (Britains mainly) and am repairing / restoring / rebuilding some of the more play-worn items, inspired by some of the quality modelling I’ve seen on this site and through having the luxury of a bit of spare time at the moment.

Having grown up mostly on a farm where spending money on machinery was not a priority, I’m aiming to replicate the ‘patina’ of those decaying MF 135s, haybobs and trailers of dubious origin on my rebuilds.

First on the bench is the well known Britains Vicon varispreader, undergoing a repaint and weathering: I hope to share some pics soon.

Andrew

thanks for letting me in, I did close the gate after me, we don't want the livestock escaping!

I used to collect Britains farm toys as a child, but sadly sold all of these years ago, along with the great fold up farm model my grandfather made for me to use them on. However now in my 40s, I have bought my first real tractor (IH674), and I'm currently trying to buy a smallholding, I've started to get interested in farm models too again. I'm currently trying to scratchbuild a model of my wife's uncle's (uncle-in-law?) roller which he let me use to prepare the field for our wedding reception back in the summer. I'd like to build an approximate diorama of me doing that. I'll post pictures as soon as I can.

Simon

Just joined up on here.  I’m one of the organisers of this years TOYTRAC at the new venue nr Frome.  I/we’ve had connections with TOYTRAC from the early days at Farmer Giles Farmstead , through to Wincanton and now Frome Showground.  Trading at both and supplying the tables and chairs.  This years show was a big learning curve and the Diorama side was completely new to us, but we had such a good fun day.  We couldn’t believe the enthusiasm, detail and time that goes into the Dioramas, it is mind blowing.

We’ve got 2023 booked now and planning  to make it a bigger and better show for 2023/24/25/26……….

I'm looking forward to being involved in some of the conversations on the forum. 🙂

I mainly do Facebook  now  so it's still nice to see what's on here.