Valley Axe Man

Another little tour about the valley with Gemma yesterday... 🙂

Had a surprise gift off my better half yesterday in the form of a fold out Leyland 154 brochure that appears to be for the export market...... 🙂

Cheers John 😉, they don't make a bad pair,

Beauty and the Beast at Fylde Vintage and Farm Show yesterday. Gemma took the 804 and I tagged on with the 465, although I needed the waterproofs on on way there it turned out to be a great day, back on the show field. Neck end of a 50 mile round trip so both tractors got a good stretch of their legs..... Seemed strange at first having some one else driving my 804 but being on the 465, hearing that whistling turbo from her, it's pure music 👌

Both 16.9/34 Paul, the ones on the 465 originally lived on the donor 804 that Martin and Iain used to build their 384-4, though I think the 465 will end up on 36s like it would have had originally, but at present it's fairly quick on the road as the current 34s have the same rolling radius as a pair of 13.6/38s so she fairly tame until you get into 5th and then she's a flier,

Aye David extended the one off the 345 and used that for now, just side panel to refit

A quick run out last night with Gemma, just to blow the cobwebs out (maybe out of me too) still a couple of little jobs to do on the 465 but getting there with her 🙂

Another couple of recent additions, and seeing as the sun has been shining a lot lately a pair of export brochures, a Marshall range brochure found by John (JMD) and an export North American 802/804 Leyland that I had been offered by one of my Leyland tractor afflicted mates that knew I was into collecting bits of paper

Yes James they were produced but not in vast numbers, I've a photo of a survivor that's been restored that was displayed at the Somerset Tractor show in 2019, a bit like the Marshall horticultural range of the 184 and 284 that were in effect badge engineering, I must confess that I don't follow the little Marshall tractors that much but know there are 3 all within 5 miles of Chipping Steam fair field but I think I've read somewhere that they are a Ferranti or some Italian made tractor that was sold as a Marshall's

And a couple more of Johns finds for me..... French this time, spec sheets for the 602, 802 and 804 plus a french spec sheet for the 100 series and a brief overall 100 series range guide

A few more to the collection thanks to John (JMD) including a rather nice training course notes booklet

Cheers Smithy, don't think you need a tin hat.... It's not that bad yet... Had an few hours with the T-cut on her and she's starting to shine.

Aye Paul your right, he did have a bit of a liking of Kidd machinery

Had the 465 out for a little run yesterday, seeing as the sun was shining I thought I'd take it up to see my dad on the 10th anniversary of his passing, there's a few on here that will remember him, he's certainly still missed and I doubt he'd have been impressed that I bought another Nuffield rather than another Major or pre force Ford, but on the other hand dad did know Iain and Martin fairly well so I might have escaped his wrath.... Anyhow a couple of photos, she pulled well up Jeffery, brakes want a bit of adjustment again now they bedded in a touch but nowt that can't be fettled

Well after a great week away with Gemma up around the Cumbrian coast I got back to the spanners and got a bit more done to the 465 this week, partial rewire just the lighting circuit left to sort, brakes stripped one of the expander units unseized and cleaned up, back together and brakes balanced, but being the dry disc type like the later Leylands it's one pedal press to go left, two presses to go right or the 3rd press might actually stop you.... Hahaha no joking apart, she actually pulls up pretty straight, just need to look at the nearside front axle kingpin, noticed a bit of slop in it but a bush kit won't break the bank, meanwhile a bellhousing and tombstone have arrived for the fitment of a 3pot Perkins into the 345, the parts are ex Leyland 253 so it's much of a nut and bolt job when I find an engine, but whilst on holiday a 2.8bmc block has been offered without its liners in so can be given a good inspection when I get chance to go and view it, possibly she could be staying as standard, but meanwhile I got the pair together under the shed, some 50 years ago both these tractors would have been sold and registered by Thos Corrie at Dumfries, the 465 in '68 and the 345 in '69 and all this time later they appear here in Lancashire, I know the 345 spent slot of its years around Carlisle but the 465 had never been out of Scotland until I bought her 4 weeks ago.......

Scratch built and custom trucks...... Well you've surprised us often enough with the tractor builds 🙂 if your previous track record is anything to go by John then the Transconti will be a stunner

They take more storing and looking after Justin..... I'm still a 16th man at heart though, you can take the models from the man but you can't take the man from the models 🙂

Nowt wrong with getting the toys out of your toybox every now and again 😍 few more little bits to do on the 465 then I'll set to and give her a good polish and buff up VID_20210513_114321.mp4

Yes hope for a speedy recovery Dan, it'd good to see your posts from over your side of the water, look forward to seeing some more when your back on your feet and out and about again

Well done Smithy, credit where credit is due that was a great gesture for the local community, top marks that man, though are you going to get it going as an annual event? Next year a farm tour for the forum member's... Joking apart I'm sure it'll have been good for the youngsters to see things first hand instead of out if a text book

Almost a tractor again now, few hours this afternoon and got her almost back together, just be the wiring to sort before bonnet goes back on

Bit more done on the 465 clutch out, flywheel off and new seal pressed into the seal housing, ready for reassembly and get her back on the move

Nah Gemma's a keeper Sean, chocolates aren't the reason we are together........ Paint on tractor really good, just a bit of T cut and good polish will bring it back up, not too bothered about the small odd rust bubble on wings, it's a shame to repair them and spoil the originality of her

Cheers Smithy, err no Gemma actually bought her own chocolates, we are headed back that way in a couple of weekends time for a wander about and I said I'd spoil her then to some as we been together 12 months on the 16th of May🙂

Start of the repairs, clutch out next job to get at the rear crank seal