Valley Axe Man

Aye them's the ones Sean... like i say there were a pair sat on them at the last Spalding show

Sean, There was a pair of orange and green ones at Spalding last October, on a table in the big hall near to where Stephen Moate has his dvds and books, but i don't know who the dealer was, one was loose the other boxed, but they were both fitted with the wheels off the early vicon till sower, they were a thinner yellow wheel and tyre than the ones on yours, the rim is just dished without the stud/hub detailing and the tread pattern was different, i think these wheels were also used on the green single axle tipper trailer with hay racks in the sleeve and plinth boxes before going to the wheels shown like whats on your foragers above. The loose one didn't look too playworn on either the ring or hitch like it hadnt been used much and also didn't show signs of being molested, as when viewed upside down the hitch base plate that holds the forager together was held by a spire rivit and not the later flat bladed screw which made me think was an early example, the one that was boxed looked original, and the "straw box" was in fairly good order... Also i'm not sure if they dropped the yellow moving crop flow in the spout on the very last green and black ones in the last "Authentic Models" boxed versions.

Wishing a HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR to all on FTF, lets hope 2018 will be a good all round year for all those we know and all those we don't...... and for all those that are suffering from last nights alcohol intake, the best cure for a hanghover is a reet good fry-up.... don't forget the black pudding All the best from here in a wet and windy Valley, Paul and Lynn

Cheers Brian, Aye 2018 maybe a tad expensive but i don't quite know if it'll be as quite as expensive as yours..... unless your having a year off from adding to your collection or is that a silly question??

No bother Smithy ..... PM me your address and i'll send you some un-opened, un touched and un-eaten all thirds intact Mars Bars down to you.... i'll not be greedy and eat them ALL myself!! I reckon your need be greater than mine.... looks like you've hardly stopped this Christmas.......

Cheers Paul

After a little studying Sean, this tractor that David has snapped is an Italian conversion of the 4/65, and called a 4/76 after i spotted the differing decal on the bonnet side, i don't know if the engine is a differing unit to the standard 4/65 but the Italians had been converting Nuffields to 4wd for a number of years, Nuffield importer Cantatore which i think was based somewhere near to Turin converted quite an amount of 4/60 and 10/60's before the new model arrived, some three cylinder 3/42's got converted too which i sort of get the feeling were the Italian version of what Roadless were doing to the Fordson Majors of the same era. I can't find much information on them but did find a nice album on Flikr of 4wd's which has a photo of what looks like an example of the above conversion. https://www.flickr.com/photos/35444272@N08/?ytcheck=1&new_session=1

Your keeping busy Smithy... are you sure you don't need the whole of the Mars Bar with all this work going on?

No worries Cyril, have stumbled across a dead Nufffield or two at the back of a mates shed....he might be able to help with parts

Great tip Smithy i'll try and remember that

Cheers Sean... have talked to Brian about Brays but he's other projects that he'd like to get on the go before he starts another, Although that photo looks like it was taken at Tractor Fest at Newby Hall....

Your boss seems to have it right there Justin, a few hobby tractors that get a little bit of work just to keep them active and not sat in a shed to collect cobwebs i know i promised the major more road and a few jobs this year but it's been one of those years and at times the weathers been fantastic but i just couldn't be arsed.... my get up and go had got up and gone.....though things are sorting themselves out slowly so hopefully a New Year might bring a bit more light at the end of the tunnel

Cheers Smithy .... Aye well sometimes it's worth spoiling yourself from time to time..... even if it's only to the odd biscuit or Mars bar being honest i've nowt against those who like to suck on a woodbine or two, was one of my hero's trademarks, good old Fred Dibnah, i just prefer to put my spare into a few additions to the collection rather than 20 a day

What parts are you looking for Cyril?

Cheers Brian, John and Justin muchly apprieciated It's a nice tractor, and i agree with you there John, full sized 4/65s are nice looking machines even though they were prone to over heating, some hated the step away from the lines of the 10/60 but without the step forward i doubt the 384 Leyland would have looked how it did. but realistically any brand of tractor has it's bad points.... no matter what stable it's from. There was and still is alot of farming areas that are brand loyal should we say Justin, and even down to pricing or dealer back up wouldn't step out of their comfort zone of what they know or were brought up with. My dad was a Ford and County man at heart, but yet the Nuffield, Leyland and Marshall line is my real interest hence the slight expansion of the collection now a few more are available........ the world would be a hell of a boring place if we all followed the same road

Cheers David i Know the 465 was a bit of a bad penny for you with the one you had years ago that boiled up and cooked its own goose but fingers crossed this one behaves itself

You and your family have definatley been through the mill this Christmas Cyril... least you got your Christmas dinner.... best meal of the year It's been a while since you posted up on how your were getting on with that Nuffield tractor that you were restoring, is she back on the road now?

A little Christmas gift to me..... from me Probably the last purchase for 2017, another Nuffield off Brian at RJN to add to the slowly growing collection of "Poppy Oranges" This time she's another 4/65 but fitted with a Selene 4wd axle, not from any reading up than any were done like this from the factory, the more favoured route for full sized collectors of the marque was to use a carrero axled skid from under a 462, 472, 482, 604, 704 or 804 and re-panel as the 4/65, there has been a couple of these knocking about Leyland fan Graham Hill did one many moons ago and at the 2016 Cheffins Harrogate sale there was a very well presented example of one that sold for strong money. Locally about 3 miles from home theres a Leyland 384 done the same way, and a 384 that i know of in the Scottish Borders that used an 804 as its base and has alot of sentimental value to it's owner. Brian's version isn't a true replica but a welcomed addition to the collection ...... i wonder what roll she'll take in next years contracting fleet??? One down and another 3 4wds to hopefully add to the collection in 2018

Merry Christmas to our friends, all those we know and all those we don't, from here in the Valley May it be a Happy, Hearty and Healthy one for you all. Paul and Lynn

Love them or hate them... but these wee fella's made me chuckle....

Be a nice addition to your collection Smithy if you could ever get him to sell it to you, those multi-coloured weeks decals on the sides date from around the mid 70's so she's 40 years old if not abit older

Busy times for you Smithy, that Weeks trailer you have looks tidy, a classic still in use

Bob might be a little older..... but i see he's no wiser Good to see you back posting Bobs antics again Brendan

Looking good John.... has the "wet season" look about it..... grabbing a bit of grass when you can between the spells of rain called summer Have you thought about adding an additive barrel and carrier? down here in the valley a few farmers used to strap the barrel on a bracket on the front of the tractor in lieu of the front weights and pipe it through to the chopper.

After seeing this at Penrith James, i'd say your photo's only give half the story, until you can actually see it in the flesh. look forward to seeing alot more of this take shape