ploughmaster

It is Epple - here's a few links I found with a few pictures, though not much info. http://www.agri24.ch/occasionen,458793,Epple-211.html http://www.landwirt.com/gebrauchte,556644,Epple-840.html http://www.traktorhof.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6898&sid=048ef5413e85daf5028e2c32988c74ac http://www.farmphoto.com/thread.aspx?mid=146369

Not really, they used to make a lot more than that if genuine (used to sell easily for over £500) - that looks OK, but it's difficult to tell from a pic.

Some interesting colours there Andy, not seen any of those before. They will certainly be civilian versions. I've only seen the two tone blue (light blue bodywork with dark blue mudguards and white roof) and the yellow bodywork/black mudguards versions of that cab. The latter was an early wartime one fitted with metal tyres because of the shortage of rubber.

Does it chatter?

Nowadays, the traditional idea of rotation has largely been abandoned, although continuous wheat isn't as common as it was a few years ago. Many farms now have such a small range of cropping that it isn't possible to achieve rotations of more than 2 or 3 years, and this is particularly problematic for crops such as OSR, potatoes, sugar beet, and peas which ideally require much longer breaks to prevent build up of soil borne pests and diseases (6 to 8 years). Traditional rotations have largely died out - the old 'Norfolk Four Course' having been the best known (Roots, Barley, Seeds, Wheat).

They certainly used to be, but most of the newer machines have airbag suspension which makes the ride much more tolerable - one exception so far being the Quadtrac. It isn't a pleasant experience, particularly on dry, hard going. With 5 idler wheels to each track, you feel every bump and clod/stone 10 times As to reducing compaction, a Quadtrac 535 weighs in at 25 tonnes with a full fuel tank, so you can put it on tracks, super singles, dual or triple wheels, it will still paddle the land down like turnpike road. Having spent a couple of seasons on one, I am not their greatest fan. For a machine with nearly 550hp on tap, its pulling ability was not that outstanding (I think a lot of the power is used hauling the tractor about!). You could easily use most of the 940litre fuel load in a 16 hour day, and track replacement at around £5000 each (they will last anywhere from 2500 to 4000 hours depending on soil type and usage), can make them a costly machine to run. In my opinion the only job they are good at is impressing the neighbours (at which they are unsurpassed).

Surely that would be 'Case-IH' red and black The Little Farmer version was red with silver discs.

Well done UH - Export version 5000 with a UK tax disc

Just to update this, having checked my versions: The Green one has a jewelled light, as do both the Autoway and the re-issued Farm version in Yellow. The Blue farm one has no jewel, and the recess is NOT painted white. I haven't come across a red one, so can't verify whether it exists or not.

Not a dud, but is modelled on the US style of header trailer, so doesn't look up to much to us. It would be better if they included a trailer specific to each combine, as Siku do. They also need to add a tow hitch to the rear axle of their combines, to enable the trailer to be used! It is worth noting also, that some combine manufactureres source their header trailers from the country in which they are sold, which results in different styles of trailer between some European countries. As examples, a few years back Claas used to make their own trailers at Saxham for combines sold in the UK (they possibly still do?), and these were the single mid axle or mid twin axle designs we are used to seeing. Elsewhere in Europe they supplied the German style of trailer which was a 'wheel at each corner' design (similar to the RC2 one). Case New Holland source their UK market header trailers from Marston Agricultural Services, which results in us having slightly different designs in the UK compared with elsewhere in Europe. Massey Ferguson and Sampo supply their own trailers, so these are the same for all markets.

At the end of its production life, the 8400 was also remaindered and was available for under £50 (its normal selling price had been £75).

I can think of 2 battery powered John Deeres in 32nd by Ertl: 1. A plastic, very basic looking wire remote controlled JD 7800 MFWD (#5724) 2. An artic four wheel drive JD 8960 (#5582), also mainly plastic, which had a pto drive for either a rotary muckspreader or a powered tipping trailer. It was not remote controlled. Ertl also produced a similar powered Case-IH 4994.

I would think the FW30 and MF1505 are possibly lined up for deletion from the range and have simply been 'remaindered' to clear the remaining stock. They probably want to clear the FW30 in particular before the newly tooled FW60 is released later in the year.

The early green one had a jewelled worklight (mounted on the pto guard ). I think the Autoway one did also, but the later re-issued ones in blue or yellow had the recess painted white instead.

Another variation to add to my wishlist

Have to agree entirely with that. Every survey of agricultural tractors and trailers that has been done has shown that far too high a proportion of them are maintained to a woefully inadequate standard (and I can vouch from my own experience that not only have I been expected to use similarly unroadworthy equipment, most of my past employers showed no interest in putting things right). We are not dealing with 2 ton tractors pulling a 3 ton Fergy cart anymore, most tractor/trailer combinations are being run close to (or above) the maximum permitted 24,390kg Max Gross train Weight. There is absolutely no valid argument against the introduction of both tractor AND trailer MOT tests.

No, both class B and F will allow you to drive pivot/artic steer or skid steer. The only agricultural machines not covered under these two classes are tracked machines steered by their tracks ie crawlers (whether on metal or rubber tracks). Machines such as Challengers and JD 8000T and 9000T ans Quadtracs fall into this category (the Quadtrac is a bit of a grey area, but the advice from DVLA is that it should be considered to be steered by its tracks, therefore you need a class H licence, and be at least 21 to take them on the road)

It stems from the fact that a tractor pickup hitch must not carry more than 3000kg. Most low loaders have the wheels to the rear of the load platform, therefore 50% of the weight of the low loader plus load is carried on the drawbar, which in turn implies that the maximum permissable gross weight of the low loader plus its load can only be 6000kg.

To pick up on one or two points raised: The 21 year minimum age limit is a legal requirement (nothing to do with insurance) for any agricultural tractor/sprayer/combine harvester which has an unladen weight of over 7370kg. There is no actual weight limit for a class F licence. Tractors (Agricultural Motor Vehicles) and combines (Agricultural Engines), are exempt from the LGV driving licence regulations. Under Construction and Use Regulations, the Maximum Permissable Gross Train Weight (ie tractor+trailer+load) for an agricultural tractor and trailer is 24 390kg. Above this you are legally regarded as an LGV, and are required to comply with ALL the regulations that LGV's have to comply with regarding licensing (vehicle and driver), MOT Test, fuel, braking, drivers hours/tachographs, maintenance schedules etc. Exceeding 24,390kg with an agricultural tractor/trailer could potentially land you with a fine of up to £5000. As far as Forklifts are concerned, it was the case that you could not use them for towing, because the licencing rules changed a few years ago, and they had to be licensed as a mobile crane (which may not tow anything other than equipment for use in its role as a crane). However, this has now changed, and they may tow a trailer providing they are suitably equipped with a synchronised trailer braking system. ALL agricultural trailers with a Maximum Gross Weight of over 750kg must have a braking system which can be applied on the move (at the most basic, overrun brakes may be suitable). Trailers made since 1st Dec 1985, must have a braking system that can be applied progressively by the driver from his normal driving position, and must acheive a braking efficiency of at least 25%. Trailers with a MGW exceeding 14 230kg must have a braking system operated directly by the service braking system of the pulling vehicle.

It covers all the models in all ranges produced by Britains up to 1993, and has a full listing with the year they were first shown in the main catalogue, and the year they were last in the main catalogue. It may well have been remaining stock carried over. According to Opie, both the Brown Fencing (1722) and White Fencing (1723) are given as deleted at end of 1963. My 1958 full catalogue (a more recent reprint), is much the same as previous ones ie. the front section is devoted to the soldiers. Farm range runs from page 131 to page 199. The only piece of plastic shown is 586 Plastic Fence (which had been plastic since 1955). Might your photocopy be of pages from the New Lines catalogue? The 1959 pocket catalogue is about two thirds of the height and half the width of the full sized catalogues, and has 160 pages and includes the full Britains range, and also the full Herald range (from page 110 to 140). The full complement of lead mould plastic animals are shown under Herald. The Shepherd and Girl with Bucket are not shown individually, although they appear to be depicted in some of the boxed sets, but this may possibly be due to Britains carrying the picture over from a previous catalogue - the actual figures may well have been the Herald Shepherd (H2045) and Landgirl (H2052) ? The Plastic Fence (586) is still shown in the section with the Britains lead figures. The Herald section includes H1719 Fence, which I had always assumed was the same as 586 - was this the case?

That's correct: The tractor and appliance/trailer it is towing must be fitted with full dual line air braking to legally exceed 20mph. The air assisted hydraulic brakes found on some larger trailers is not sufficient. Both must also be fitted with independent suspension at each wheel (tractors fitted with a suspended front axle and cab do not meet the requirement). It is also important that the axles and wheels/tyres are suitable for high speed roadwork - those fitted to most standard agricultural spec trailers and appliances are not. Fastracs and Unimogs can exceed 20mph legally because both have independent suspension and air braking as standard. Exceeding 20mph with a tractor not suitably equipped could potentially land you with a Fixed Penalty Notice and 3 points on your licence. I have not heard of anyone who has actually suffered that though (although I do know of one case where a Fastrac operator was fined and received points for exceeding a 30mph limit) The idea of the higher speed gearboxes, is to allow the operator to selct a higher gear and lower revs to aid ecomony and engine wear on road work, rather than to enable tractors to drive at high speed.

That's the one - It could be bought as just the book (expensive!), or the book in a presentation box with a set of soldiers (extortionate!!). I was offered a very good price by a friendly stockist - I think I paid £60 which seemed a lot at the time, but doesn't look bad when I see what they make now I think there were two versions of each of the four leaflets, one for 1963 and one for 1964. I am reasonably sure that SA37 is 1963 as it shows the 2nd type Super Major which was superceded by the New Performance Super Major in early 64, and also the Herald Post and Rail Fencing which (according to Opie) was deleted at the end of 1963. The Jan 1958 Britains catalogue I have doesn't have any plastic in it, but I have a 1959 Britains pocket catalogue which shows all the plastic both lead mould and Herald- was there another catalogue in between (July perhaps?)

Not heard that excuse before. I always felt it had more to do with Ertl owning the brand - Ertl never have fitted a driver, and it would also have saved on costs. I liked them with a driver (but I have got used to it) - but I have to admit that I was never very impressed with the chimpanzee that masqueraded as a driver in the last few years!

The blue one was indeed from the 'Little Farmer' range (you can see the 'Little Farmer' logo on the side in the pic). It was in set 40561 with the John Deere shaped tractor in the same blue. It was one of the first introductions in that range in 2002 and was deleted at the end of 2005 along with the rest of the range. It was not issued on its own. The yellow Vermeer version of the baler was issued in the USA in 1981 and it seems that only one batch were made. If they made a similar sized batch of these as was done for the Hesston 580DT, that is reputed to have been only 2000. The Deutz-Allis and the two versions of the US issue Milk Tanker were also done in similar 'one batch only' runs. Most of the boxed ones that turn up come back this side of the Atlantic, so there are possibly less over there nowadays than they are over here!

That's interesting. I was going by the date in James Opies 'Great book of Britains' as I only have the 1963 leaflet (SA37), but sadly, not the 1964 one (SA37/64). I think Opie went by the main catalogues, and so some of his dates are slightly out and he missed the plastic 'lead mould' Land Girl and walking Shepherd altogether! (both only showed on a 1958 new lines leaflet I think). Just checked up and I should have put 9505 I have been told that they did exist, but in over 20 years of looking, I have neither seen nor heard of one.