GPS

Exactly what I thought when I saw it Ian

Couple more...…...

Another of mine...…...CAT Centenary book. Nice big, heavy coffee table book. This one is the more limited leather bound edition. Picked it up at the Gregory Poole CAT dealership in Garner North Carolina. I used to go there with one of the CAT Engineers after our meetings in Clayton. He's originally from Northern Ireland, but moved over from Desford, Leicester many years ago. A keen CAT model collector, so we always tried to fit in a visit to the local dealers.... best bit, I could use his significant CAT employee discount!

Some great looking books shown above Another two of mine, this time covering Valtra. I picked these up some time ago at the factory in Suolahti. Both are English text.

Excellent subject, I too have quite a collection of books as I enjoy reading about a companies past and history. This could also be quite useful as, by their very subject matter, some of these books become quite hard to find after the first run or too. I have the SAME book, I didn't know there were two covers. I assume mine is the more common version? And I can confirm my text, too is in English. The Big Bud book I picked up recently on a work trip to the USA. I had tried to get hold of it in the UK but struggled to find it.

You see these pick and place crane conversions of backhoes everywhere. Most seemed to be ACE. JCB were also making these for the local market in the past.....I don't know if they still do. This could be an interesting conversion.... another one to add to the list! The other pictures were in the local Delhi rush hour.....an Eicher and a Mahindra. Sorry for the picture quality.

Hi All, I was in India last week. Managed to "snap" a few of the local machines.. not the best pictures.......... This was why I was there. The Indian backhoe is a "DX" instead of the UK "CX". Only obvious difference is that there are no sidepanels on the hood. An easyish conversion ???? (If I ever get around to it !)

Nice collection. I really like the older Conrad / NZG 1/35th models.

Hi all, The prototype machine is parked in the Engineering compound at the back of the factory in Beauvais, France and has been for many years. The armco barrier in the photo surrounds the bump track. I'm not sure what the future plans for it are. I too have some photos, if I can find them.

I've been thinking about it over the past week or so, I've never been, so I've decided tis is the year. Plan is to fly in on Friday night and leave Sunday afternoon. Only thing to sort out is an hotel. I'm not sure whether to stay in Zwolle or Amsterdam - I'll have my son with me. Any advice from past visitors? I saw Tellarian's advice on staying in Amsterdam, but I think Zwolle may be easier, is there anything else to do in Zwolle? Gavin

Hi Catkom, Been trying to find the pictures of the MF, but can't seem to find them! Remember putting them on a disc when I changed computers! If I find them I'll post.

Hi Catkom, The MF was a proto machine, I think built by AGCO in the USA, based on an MF8200 Series tractor. I think AGCO started playing with the idea when Deere and CAT both had high hp tracked tractors available. The photo was from the Agritechnica show in Germany, where MF showed it to gauge reaction. The project went dead when AGCO ended up in discussions with CAT about buying the Challenger range which ended up with them getting a ready developed product. The real machine is still sitting at the back of the Engineering compound at AGCO's Beauvais factory, or was last year. I have some other photos of it somewhere I can try and dig out. Always thought it would make an interesting conversion, just never had time to do it!

Hi feli, I have DBP's number, but it's at home and I'm in Birmingham with the in-laws for New Year. I can e-mail it to you on Sunday / Monday, depending on when I get home.

Most manufacturers will produce tractors in a different colour, if the order is large enough, such as yellow for councils, green for the army, etc. I guess if someone wanted silver MF's it's quite easy for the factory to do, as they're already painting silver for the US White version. Probably charge a premium, though, rather than a special deal ;) Just remembered, you can also get the same tractors painted CAT yellow, and sold as Challenger (again US)!! These all have the Perkins engine due to the CAT ownership of Perkins. Again another way to sell the same machine to a wider audience.

I think you're right Powerstar, if they're badged MF then they are a special order from the dealer. The ones badged White are for the US market, made on the same assembly line. The MF brand was not very strong in the US, White and AGCO Allis had their own followers, so you could sell the same machine to a wider audience. Forgot to mention that a Cummins engine was fitted to the Allis version instead of a Perkins, can't remember what was in the White. The deal with Iseki was a marketing agreement, Iseki build the small garden tractors badged as MF and AGCO supply a medium hp tractor badged as Iseki.

When AGCO bought MF they quickly adopted a common platform policy for the different brands they owned. On the assembly line in Beauvais they built the 6200 series in red - MF brand orange - AGCO Allis brand (for the USA) silver - White brand (for the USA) blue - Iseki (for Japan) Coventry also built the 4000 series in the same variants. The White brand has now been dropped I think, and now you can only get the orange AGCO brand for the USA (the Allis has been dropped too). I have some brochures somewhere I can scan and post, if you want. I'm guessing the tractor in the photo is a White being transported from the factory?

WOW!!!! :) :)

A nice collection you've got there. I need to try and photo some of mine and add them, hopefully over the Christmas holidays!

The 7610 is a nice model, it looks to be scaled just right. I don't know if it's made from scratch or converted from a base casting, but it's very heavy. The cab is glazed, the front weights removable and nice decals. I met Dennis Goodburn some years ago when he launched the Roadless at Spalding, but could never quite get round to buying one. I thought that they were not made anymore, with Dennis's death, but found out earlier this year that his business partner has carried on with the build. You can now buy them through Brian Norman. This one was a 40th birthday present from my family, this year.

Hi all, While waiting for my Forum tractor, I thought I'd clear a space on the shelf ready. Should have a nice blue line up by December :) Posted a pic below of the line up: DBP Ford 7610 DBP County 1174 G&B Roadless 120

Hi Ian, Paul, I'm thinking I'll have to seriously consider one, particularly if it's going to have its own dedicated packaging.

Hi Goodhead, It depends what scale you want? If you don't mind 1/25th, then use the Ertl Bobcat telehandler - it's a straight repaint. The MF telehandler is made at the Bobcat (was Sambron) factory in France, same machine just different colours. This is a conversion I've been meaning to do one day when time allows. Good luck!

Hi Fenryk, The guy I bought it from is the boss at OHS - I can't remember his ebay id. Anyway, he realised his mistake and I had to send it back (all at his expense - he was very straight about it all). The MTX is a very detailed kit - apart from the cab which isn't glazed. He launched the kit before UH came out with their MTX and I think that about killed his market overnight - ?15 versus ?145 for the kit! (I picked the ebay one up for ?40 as a stock clearance). I need to finish it off, maybe this summer. I'm interested to see if a UH MTX cab could be grafted on?

Hi Andy, I wonder if it might be made by OHS models? They specialise in construction models but do a few ag tractors, most noticebly the McCorrmick MTX / Case. I won an unmade MTX kit on e-bay some time ago, but was sent a TE20 with cultivator on a plinth, much like your photo, by mistake. The website is: www.ohsmodels.co.uk Click on "products", "retail price list" then scroll down to "CTS pewter models". I can't find any photos of the TE, but they might e-mail you one if you contact them - they might also want to know why you have an "illegal model"!

Just found their website - not too hard as its printed on the cab roof (numpty?) www.stotz-online.com