powerrabbit

Not a BFA study but thought that this topic section would be the best place to share this nice find. Bought from a local car boot sale this last Sunday, a rather nice figure of a Hereford bull. Not certain whether it's china or resin, it has a wooden effect resin base but is very heavy and rather large at just over a foot in length. Engraved on the brass plate in fancy script are the words 'Hereford bull' and there is a label under the base that says 'Limited Edition. Reg No. 0148' and a 'logo' 'Best Of Breed' the 'O' in 'Of' is in the form of a prize rosette which is also in the impressed stamp on the ground that the bull is stood together with the date 2005. I have never seen one of these 'Best Of Breed' figures before but beating the seller down to £27 from £35 I thought was a good deal. Anyone know anything about these?

I would say that it dates from through the 1980's lokking at the 'chevron' bands on the carding. Usually, but not always, on the packaging where the manufacturers details are printed there is usually a Copyright date printed, small c in a circle followed by the date.

I have 2 Sean, one 'Power Farm' and one non-PF, one has a bubble cab, the other with the later cab roof with lights in the front. Both have had a few little 'mods' but the guy I bought them off swore blind they were right, can't confirm that statement of course as there were no boxes with them. Bit late now but will post up a pic of them so's you can make up your own mind.

If you aquire the parts you need to build one from Dave, you can use a TW35, TW25, 8730, 8830, Lambourghini 1706 as all these used the same chassis as the base. I think that the Landini 10000S and MF 2680 and MF 3680 also used the same chassis base, the only difference was the weight on the front end.

The blue ones were the exact same tractor but decalled 1884 and yes, the front axles were very weak.

My advice would be to 'keep it as it is'. I'm saying this because these white ones are not as common as the blue ones, come up less often and are worth more. So don't spoil it.

I already have all those models, the 1412 bottom right, came in 2 variants, the one pictured and another with the cab frame and black roof, these are NZG made models, the others are Ertl. There seem to be more of all these models to be found in the US than over here although they do frequently turn up. All these models boxed normally carry a price tag each of around £45 to £65 and the NZG from between £85 and £120. Just out of interest, the NZG 1412 was also produced in gold mounted on a slate base, commissioned by David Brown and presented to the D.B. dealership annually for 'the most tractors sold in the year'.

There are 4 tractor dealers around me which from my location are about the same distance, these dealers supply MF, NH, JD & Same. Travelling a little further distant, around 40 miles, we have Claas, Lambourghini and Landini. There's one dealeship about 25 miles away that deal in McCormick.

In my area there are a general mix of tractors, McCormick, Landini, JD, New Holland and MF. It's what's the best deal that the farmers and contractors can get from the tractor dealers that determine what they will buy being the main criteria. 30 to 40 years ago it used to be David Brown first, Ford second.

A stall holder in at the toy fair in Exeter last Sunday had a boxed Britains set with the early Ford pre-Force 5000, pale green and white box, priced at £1,250. I don't think he sold it! This particular chap and his helper are always rather 'expectant' in their pricing and have a rather arrogant attitude when it comes to negotiation on items. They do have some rather good stuff though.

If water cannon was used then the fires would have not been started, anywhere else in the World this would have been the first thing deployed against rioters, I just can't understand why this Country is so soft on these thugs, they don't care what they do so why should we care about what we would like to do to them?

Two's and blues are still used, more of a 'figure of speech'. Watch the programmes on TV about the Police and they always refer to their siren and lights in this way.

Electricity been off from 8.30am to 4.30pm today, some numpty idiot felled a tree and took out the power lines and knocked out 4 villages and surrounding area. Might have singed himself as the fire engine passed my place at a rate of knotts with all two's and blues.

I have found this problem with the later multi fold-out David Brown brochures. Wheather it was intentional or just a coincedence, they are just that smidgin wider than standard A4 and when inserted into the normal document protection sleeve, they will not lay flat. Having said that, it is mainly the W.H Smith 'branded' sleeves that this relates to but the non-branded generic sleeves are ok, perhaps Smiths sleeves are made not quite so 'generous'.

I should have posted the pictures of my latest purchases in this topic but have instead posted in the 'Westpoint Exeter' topic.

The 4711 set Bill first appears in the 1970 Britains catalogue listed and pictured as 'a new complete model farmyard'. I knew this was an early one being in a plain cardboard box with the large stick-on picture. The Haynes T20 book, like I say, is not their traditional type of repair manual like their car ones, more of a history of the tractor and the story of it.

Two the same weekend eh! have to start saving hard now. Here are my today's purchases. First is a boxed early Britains Farmyard 4711. In near mint condition and missing a few bits but these I have most of in my spares bin so will be able to complete it. With it was a litre ice cream tub of Britains animals. This is what was in the ice cream tub minus the two Herald Highland cattle and lying Jersey calf which I bought seperately. Third item, the new Haynes Ferguson T20 book. An interesting Ferguson T20 history book with loads of pictures, nothing alike their normal manuals, it's a totally different animal. Marky would love this one! Lastly, of which I consider to be my best buy of today was this lead Britains 'Boy on a swing'. Absoluteley mint and rare to find.

Next fair is confirmed, Haldon Racecourse, Sunday 13th November. Was announced at Westpoint today. A lot of the traders were unaware of the change in venue until it was announced. Pictures and descriptions of my purchases at Exeter later, have to charge the camera battery.

For those close to or planning to go, don't forget that the toy fair at Westpoint Exeter is on today. Hope to see some of you there.

Haldon is just across the valley from me looking East, can hear the lodspeakers on a race day when the wind is in the right direction or no wind at all. The monthly Devon Antiques fair that was held at Westpoint have moved to Matford auction market for the same reason, getting too expensive, greed, pure greed.

Been sorting out the 'new' Land Rover most of the day. Went shopping to the local 'motor accessory' shop this morning for a few bits and bobs in order to do a bit of 'tidying up' as I don't think the last owner had done much maintenance in the time he had it. Changed the air and fuel filter, greased up the UJ's on the propshafts and greased the door hinges and fitted a new pair of windscreen wiper blades as the old ones had just started to 'feather' each end.

The Land Rover was registered 27th October 1994. There are a few corrosion issues on the body, bottom of both doors has some bubbling and the inner frame of the rear door is a little weak in places due to the weight of the spare which is to be expected for a 17 year old Landy and the cappings on the side panels and the rear corner one side have a little bit of bubbling which can be sorted pretty easily, they are not galvanized cappings, just plain steel, other than that there's hardly a mark or a ding on any of the panels, it's only ever been used as a car and has been pretty well cared for. Chassis has had a bit of patching here and there and a rear section/crossmember a couple of years back, all needs a really good cleaning off and painting with proper chassis paint. Taxed till the end of next February and MOT'd until first week next March, done just over 600 miles since last MOT. Had nearly a full tank of diesel when I fetched it which I was pleased about. All the seats in it are brand new Exmoor Trim cloth seats, they're not cheap, 3 fold-down each side in the back with belts and there's a middle front seat. Been sorting out the sun-roof this evening as someone had rubber siliconed it shut so had to cut the glass away from the seal and rob the seals out of a scrap Dico and cut them, one to make it fit the frame because a Disco sun-roof is smaller, and the second seal to cut a section to fill the gap, I'm hoping that it will seal ok, the glass shuts down really tight, we'll see when it rains again! Me and Brother spent all day on it Sunday cleaning inside and out, Brother's a bugger for the polish, you have to be able to see your reflection in the paint otherwise the jobs not done! Looking a bit brighter now than it was. It's got quite a nice Philips radio/cassette in it too, don't think I'll bother to change it for one with a CD player, nowhere to store the discs, you know how much storage there is in the front of a Defender, not a lot.

Perhaps I should post this in the Land Rover topic. This is my most recent 'general' buy, bought off eBay on Saturday late afternoon and drove it home the same evening. A mate of mine whent with me to have a good look at it last Thursday evening, give it a test drive. Been looking for some time now for a Defender County, this one being pretty tidy for its age and only having done 68,000 miles and around the price I was prepared to pay for such together with only being 50 odd miles away I thought I'd have a go. It was on for 10 days, one enquiry and no bids so I was the only bidder.

Saw the title and thought it was going to be something to do with noses! Nice thinking there Josh in the making of a fifth wheel (that's what we down here always call tractor/trailer dollies), surprising how many are actually used in the real world of farming.

After about an hour researching, or should I say searching, I have now got a difinitive ID on these thatched music boxes. Made by someone called Pauline Ralf dating from around the 1970's, Barnstable (North Devon) seems to be the suggested location for her 'studio'. She produced a series of these musical boxes, others being a pub, mill, larger cottage and another type of shop so they are out there.