powerrabbit

The 'Power Farm' series from Britain's consisted of the New Holland TR96 Combine in 1988 to 1989, cat number 9575 at ?16.99p. This combine was a powered version of the NH TR85 with corn (maize) header that moved forward and rearward with the switch lever. The lights also worked on the cab and the beacon on the cab roof. The header rotor turned by means of a round rubber belt on a pulley from the motor. Powered by 2? C cell 1.5V batteries. The County 1884 black and white tractor, cat number 9324 from 189 to 1991 at ?9.50p. Forward slow gear with operating PTO for 'powered' implements. Powered by a single AA 1.5V battery Ford TW35 blue, cat number 9321 from 1989 to 1990 at ?7.50p. Basicaly the same as the 1884. Claas Self Propelled Forager, cat number 9323 made for one year, 1988 at ?12.50p. powered by two C cell 1.5V batteries. rotating the round switch on the side gave forward and reverse and the header operated in the same manner as the combine but there were no lights. The implements. Powered blue Lister Multi-Level Elevator with 'power pack' being desguised as a stack of bales, cat number 9565 made for one year, 1965 to 1966. Catalogue says at 75p. (not sure if this price is correct). Worked off a switch in the 'bale stack'. Vicon towed fertaliser spreader, cat number 9341, 1987 to 1991 at ?2.99. Maschio Powered Harrow, cat number 9343, 1988 to 1991 at ?3.50. Howard Rotospreader, cat number 9342, 1987 to 1991 at ?3.50. These models were also issued in variuos gift set variations. A lot of these models will still be found in very good condition and a proportion will be found boxed as they were very unreliable in working order, in fact a lot of them would never work from new so perhaps this is why Britain's never updated any or produced them for very long. I have found in my experience that the fault with the tractors in particular was that in their construction the motor was installed up-side-down. If anyone needs a new motor for the tractors I know how to get them but be warned, they are not cheap.

When building models or adding bits to enhance models I have found a very useful compound to fill those little gaps and joins or holes drilled in the wrong place. Obtained from most car care type places such as Halfords, it is a cellulose based grey putty the concistency of plastercene that dries and hardens very quickly and it's real purpose is to repair scratches, blemishes and little gouges on car body panels and when dry and hardened files down perfectly with a fine emmery board (nail file board for the women). If you need to make it thinner or looser would be a better word, mix a tiny spot more cellulose thinner with it. Keep the lid on tight as the cellulose in it will evaporate and you end up with concrete.

Let me have 2 of the most complete ones and I will rebuild them with the spares I have. Can soon sort out something suitable to go on the front.

I've been told that another fresh batch of these are coming in from China sometime in January 2008. As you say all the 5 & 7000's have sold out, well, what a surprise!

It looks like an American spec tractor because of the wider rear rims and tyres and also the position of the headlamps and different air pre-cleaner, the U.K or European spec ones had the headlamps in the grille lower down, this was because of the difference between the lighting regulations of the regions. You are all most probably correct in saying that it was British built but built for the American market. In late 1970's and through the 1980's huge numbers of this size Ford tractor were exported all around the world from secondhand tractor dealers and franchised dealers alike, I remember at our local D.B. dealers, about twice a year, two men would arrive in the yard in an expensive looking car, two men got out, one rather buisness looking type wearing a posh suit, the other was a big, let's call him an 'African' looking chap with a big lump of white chalk in his hand, again in a posh suit, and they would tour the yard with the owner looking over the secondhand tractors and the African would mark one back tyre on each of the 'chosen' tractors, we knew where they were off to!

Marky, Make me an offer I can't refuse and it's yours. PM me mate and we'll go from there.

Just for you Marky, these are the last MF leaflets I have left. Sorry for poor pics of 3 of them, could only scan one. Black & white this one. 595 MK11.

Sold one of those 260 leaflets on Ebay about 2 years ago, did'nt make a fortune.

Money wise, as it is, worth a small fortune. Fully re-furbished, worth a lot lot bigger fortune.

Nice tractor. reminds me of the Ertl precision one. You ought to stop the birds pooping over it mate, try a shotgun, otherwise once the acid from the bird doodoo (high in Amonia Nitrate ) eats through the paint and gets in the metal you will never get it out and it will rust the tinwork right out in no time at all, nows the time to act.

I had an Email from Vectis informing me of this site this morning, have'nt looked at it yet.

Do I remember correctly that around 46watts = 1hp? (1Kw = 1000watts). On the debate as to what the tractor may be or not, perhaps Case are entering the Fastrack market.

Well, it is most definitley better than a Britain's Ford painted white and called a David Brown!

More than likeley there will be a good report on the sale in one of the tractor mags next month, we'll all be able to get a rough idea of what sort of money was changing hands for some of the tractors then, megga bucks I reckon. Look forward to that Cracking set of photos Mandy. 'Official FTF Photographer'

Wonder where the Standard originaly came from, it has a Devon registration, Torquay to be precise.

Pity Britain's did'nt use the 7th one up to model the 5000, they might of got it right then!

Never seen a Massey with a mushroom shaped glass exhaust! Someone liked it though.

Looks like this tractor could be trying to be a 'child of the sixties'. Could do with a few pink flowers to finish it off! At least it is different from the 'run-of-the-mill ltd editions, just another tractor in another single colour. We've had a 'cow' tractor so why not a sunflower. Be interesting to see what it actually looks like in the 'flesh' and what else comes along.

In the toys and games, diecast and vehicles etc categories. Britains and other manufacturers, also by tractor make in the diecast categories, type in 'scrapyard', 'bits', 'parts' 'spares' 'wheels' etc after your key-word and it's surprising what comes up.

Been listing old machinery handbooks and parts list books and an IH tractors handbooks on Ebay. Have to have a good clearout to reduce the 4ft pile.

Is this a 3700? I may be mistaken but the latest one I know of is the 3300. If it is the latter one, there are 2 types of box, dealer and regular. Price around ?27. \

Strange is'nt it how the richest people have usually made their money from other peoples rubbish! Another profession that comes in this category would be scrap metal dealers.

Went to a farm sale this morning. Known the farmers for several years and they have just retired and sold the farm. All their kit was in very good nick having been housed all its life. Have not got the whole list of what the tractors and machinery made as yet as I could not stay to the end but a freind was going to make a note of it all, the principal stuff that is, and ring me tonight. Have taken quite a few pics of the machinery and all the tractors and will probably do a peice for one of the tractor mags, most likeley CT, have to speak to Rory on that one. Anyway, Cock-Pheasant hay turner made ?38, McConnell PA32 flail trimmer made ?1,650. McConnell ditcher with 3 buckets made ?90. Will post up the rest when I know the prices.

When me and my Father drilled a field of barley one of us always had to 'ride' the drill to operate the handle, it was an old 13 coulter horse drill, 'the Knapp one horse drill' made by L.R. knapp & Co. Oxon, adapted to tractor drawbar. The handle would raise and lower the coulters or more accurately hollow feet with a bolt-on steel toe, in and out of the ground and when the handle was raisecd it would put the seed feeding mechanism out of gear and the further down you put the handle the deeper you planted the corn. I think that the rear platform or step on most of the later drills were a 'left over' from the early ones and was also there for you to get up and empty the bags of seed in the drill. I don't think steps of some form or another were completely dropped up until the pneumatic type of drills came in.

To my mind they are both equally as good, afterall, they are both the same model but in diferent liveries. The silver has the edge as this was the original Claas colour with the red elements like the decals etc and I was always pretty sure that the green livery came with the first Matadors. Unsure at present as to wheather I will get a green Europa might wait to see what the UH Matador is like when it is finally released. \