Valley Axe Man

Another productive few hours up at the workshop, firstly whilst front wheels are off we thought we'd get them stripped, and between Gemma and myself they were Needle gunned, wire brushed on Angle grinder then sanded before being given a good coat of red lead.... I've never been one for spraying wheels, always preferred a brush as you always get a run somewhere due to the shape of them.... A light sanding and a blow off before they get a coat of silver.

No bother John glad Andy could sort you out... At least you saved a few quid with him just supply rather than supply and build 👍 though I didn't know Slash was a builder for a penchant for Ford tractors 😂😂 thought he was more into Jack Daniels and twanging a guitar string 😂

Don't think a road run will fall in any of the mentioned catagories and have a feeling it'll only cover the vehicles at a show that are involved with running of a show and not general exhibits...... Text copied and pasted from the Society of Ploughmen.... RED DIESEL UPDATE: There is an article in the Press & Journal that states a Scottish MP has had verbal assurance that operations within the confines of agricultural shows and ploughing matches will remain eligible to use red diesel. HMRC have yet to reply to us but we have seen an email from them that says: “As agricultural shows and ploughing matches provide information and education that benefit agricultural purposes and raise charitable funds to support these aims, the Government considers that running or participating in these events are purposes relating to agriculture. Therefore, rebated fuel may be used in certain qualifying vehicles and machines when used for this purpose. We will update the Notice to clarify the rules in respect of these activities and publish in advance of the changes coming into force”. Positive news but we still need something in writing!

All I see in this it's just a stepping stone in the death of diesel in the UK, yes admittedly the Govt can't ban all diesels, but like with the current forecourt pump price of approx £1.54 a litre for white diesel, and one or two rumours about that road tax on diesels is set to rise from hgvs down to family cars, it's leverage to try to make the average working man admit defeat in running costs and seriously look at electric or electric/hybrid vehicles....but in most instances the electric vehicles aren't yet advanced enough to actually do the job intended.... If your using a tdv8 range rover solely for the school run of 3 miles round trip just because it's keeping up with the Joneses as all the other mums have them then there's no reason why a electric or hybrid vehicle wouldn't work ... but if your working across the country out of a transit van on service contracts then you can't be stopping every couple of hours in the motorway to plug in and charge up ....... Milkfloats were the perfect example of an electric vehicle designed for an environment that it suited well and worked well. The thing the govt hasn't realised is the knock on effect of fuel and tax rises, pushes every thing else up in the viscous circle, even down to the cost if a load of bread and pint of milk........ Yet wages of the common working man don't follow the same rises..... But anyhow getting back to red diesel.... I doubt the new re issued rule changes will ever fully be controllable, Vosa and Customs & excise aren't going to stop and dip every tractor they see about driving down the road to see if it's legally using the right colour fuel, but what I can see is them turning up at larger already advertised events and road runs and doing the odd spot check for publicity across the internet and through the farming press and news to show they are patrolling the scheme... Thus in turn acting as a deterrent to others to play ball by the right rules...... They already do spot checks on vehicles leaving rally's, Vosa set up a mobile weigh bridge a few years back at Driffield vintage rally, spot check weighing transit vans with scale steam engines in the back that were towing caravans, and those towing tractors on trailers outside of the towing vehicles towing weight...... Similar set up down at Malpas again just as spot checks...... This must be a good 6 to 7 years back now but it kept the exhibitors on their toes.

Another couple of recent additions, this time care of my better half Gemma, recently bought off a well known auction site out of Rory Days collection, a Turkish Austin Leyland 184 which became the Leyland and Marshall 302.... And an Australian 455 & 470 4wd brochure, these fairly interesting as they utilise the 255 and 270 10 speed skids but are fitted with the same Carrero axle as fitted to the 462/472 synchros and later 604/704/804 harvest gold tractors.... Be interesting to find out how the 4wd was driven inside the 10 speed gearbox

This news is nothing new, it's illegal already to run on red to go to a tractor show, road run or even ploughing matches as it's not primarily agriculture in its key state.... Alot of folk just carried on regardless and run on red or use red and day before the event put 5 gallon of white in the tank and kept the receipt as proof that a token attempt to run legally for the event. As my tractors aren't directly used in agriculture I've never legally been allowed to run on red unless I've been using my tractors on my landlords farm, other than that anything I use my tractors for isn't classed as agriculture so the red entitlement is then void so white is the only option.

Good to see you posting again 👍 had missed your updates on your projects and layout. I no fan of Fergys but weathering looks good

Typical 4/98... Starts first tap of the starter and runs sweet VID_20220220_130135.mp4

Also Gemma set about cutting the rot out if the left hand inner wing ready for plating up once I get the sections trimmed for fitting, also got the front wheel off to get a look at the kingpins, first thoughts are just a couple of shims which I have left from rebuild of the 804 axle not long after her arrival

Another few Sunday hours spent on the 472 with Gemma after our week away down Anglesey, set about windscreen surround unpicked and spotwelds drilled out cleaned mating surfaces between box section and plate, clamped back up and re welded then seam sealed, corner profile filled and sanded off then given a good coat of red lead.

Thanks Nigel 👍 that's interesting to know they built some on majors before the pre force base

Ahh Mike that's just up the road from West where my 472 came from, if you head on up through Wennington to Ingleton you'd have been about 150 yards off RJN classics and Brian Hooks model shop on the A65. I not been on that road for a good few years so that's why I not seen it 🤣

Mmmm can't say I know of that one Mike.... A new one on me..... and it's nothing to do with me either.... Know of a few with the odd grey Fergy dotted about as an ornament and the odd few that have them in the play areas but can't say as I ever seen this one

Cheers Aye it's not a bad little spot John, not much in the way of blue apart from that cob looking 5000 and a dexta but some tidy exhibits around the cars and bit of military stuff, handful of motorbikes too. Worth a look if you were down this way, there's more interesting Ag stuff here than the farming museum at York....

Certainly a bit different... Can't say as I'd be fond of doing a shift on it... Apparently there was a similar machine in a coal yard at Dumfries, I'm wondering if they were of Irish design and build as both would have had an easy journey over the water from there into Holyhead and Stranraer

Looks like you been busy of late again Smithy..

If your in the area it's well worth a look, good cafe on site too, only had a brew and a bit of cake but was great quality and good value, some of the main food dishes looked good value too

Another wander about Anglesey with Gemma, called at Red Wharf Bay, where Maurice Wilks drew the line up of the first Landrover out on the sand whilst discuss with his brother... Seemed fitting being at the spiritual birthplace of the Landrover with my Defender

Also there is a reverse drive ford 5000, fitted with a loader and clam shell grab, front weight block has NEAL cast in it... Looked to be a numb thing to climb up into, seat being mounted up above the dash...

Wander about the Anglesey transport museum today whilst having a few days away with Gemma not the biggest museum of its type but some nice exhibits, and a well turned out Nuffield 1060 that's been stretched and fitted with a 6/98.... Reckon it be a beast on the road

Aye getting a bit done Sean, the right hand wing was supplied as a replacement to the original knackered one when I bought the tractor off Tom, and is a genuine original, but the left hand wing was missing completely so when I get round to it will be a remanufactured copy of an original that Charnleys supply. Finding good wings is like trying to find good doors... I missed a pair of Qm cab wings that's bloke had from down your way that I could have collected last Sunday at Shepton had I been a bit more on the ball but had already been sold by time I seen them advertised

Cheers Smithy, once she's welded up I'll seam seal the joints to keep the water out and the same happening again... Using stainless plate for the repair sections will also give a bit of protection to the dreaded rust too

Cheers John, Aye we getting there, looks healthier now than it did when it was full of tin worm, get this side boxed off and then tackle the other... To be fair this was the worst of the wings. Stuck battery lead on it and away she went first turn... Let her run up And just let her warm herself abit, For her looks she's a good starter 👌

Not seen one in a long time John, could be right, it could be our age hahaha

Also arrived recently was a built version of the cut out cardboard and build it yourself Leyland 804, Which i already have a one that's unopened but again eagle eyed John spotted this for me to go with my other... I thought I'd post it here rather than in my models thread as it was more a promotion item for the launch of the harvest gold tractors back in 1981. Thanks again for keeping me updated John, appreciate it 👍 just side tracking for a moment.... Does anyone remember getting Yorkie Easter eggs in a cardboard cut out shaped box of a truck.... Reckon there would be mileage in cardboard boxes tractor shaped for the Easter season....👌 Yorkie flavour of course 😉