The Tractor Twitcher

Stunning work Barry, very impressive machine Regards David

I personally think it's closer to 1:32 scale, but I could be totally wrong, especially when you consider some of the farm tractors Joal have produced in the past that are badged as 1:32 but for their size seem a bit smaller in relation to 1:32 models produced by other manufacturers, so i'm still a little bit undecided as to what's the correct scale of the machine.

Thanks mate, more on the way Just good friends mate Here's the John Deere harvesters I took at Cereals last year. T670i Older model 9880i STS on a Maize header. Lastly an S690i guarding the gates.

Some very nice tidy equipment there, that Lexion looks very impressive Pete. Regards David

I'll admit i'm unsure, most of the other Joal JCB models I have such the Fastrac, 4CX and Telehandler are all 1:35 scale. However I know of some of the smaller JCB kit I don't have that Joal produces such as the skid steer loader are promoted as 1:32 scale. For comparison here's the 801 along side the other Joal mini digger I have in my collection, a Yanmar B37, which I am aware in real life is a bigger machine than the 801, however the model also has 1:32 scale on the underside of the model and cab detail seems fairly close to size of that on the JCB.

Here's the modern successor to the TF, a CR9080 and it's straw walker brother a CX8090 seen at Cereals 2008.

Got to agree Nick there's nothing quite like the sight and sound of a big uncomplicated Caterpillar that makes the earth move, and given the chance my Dad would much rather be on something similar today aswell, as it is, he starts a new job on Monday after been laid off since Christmas on a 6 tonne JCB 360 degree excavator. No problem mate, thanks for sharing, some superb old footage there.

Thanks Niels, it really is one of the most impressive "classic" combines working in the area, they're still using it and it's kept in really tidy condition. Because of the poor weather last summer they also ran TF44 along side the TF46 which came from another farm the company owns. I'm really good friends with the daughter of the family who run this farm so i'm planning on visiting a lot more with my digital camera to get some proper pictures this year as it's only 2 miles away from where I live.

This next series of photographs were taken when I was barely 3 years old and I had my first experiences with a "Big Cat." My Dad was using the machine, a D6, to take off layers of top soil in readiness for the installation of a gas drilling rig.

Cracking combination you've made yourself there Brian, impressive work.

Very pleased they've decided to make the later model, looks very promising.

You are correct Ben, on the bottom of the actual model it says 1:32 but on the box it says 1:35. Regards David.

Just been looking through several of your topics Brian, absolutely superb craftsmanship on those foragers. Regards David.

As promised a local behemoth, a New Holland TF46 These photographs were taken on a disposable camera approximately 6 years ago so they're not that sharp but hopefully do a little bit of justice to an absolute monster of a machine. The farm this belongs to can also call upon the services of TF44 from another location at peak times and also used to run a very tidy red Deutz - Fahr. I'll post pictures of the very tidy Case International 956XL and JCB Fastrac 1135 4WS that were leading the crop away in my "tractor" topic.

Continuing with the very Case theme to the start of this topic. This machine was one of a pair bought by the company who ran the tracked loaders. Although Dad had driven a couple a JCB 3Cs for brief stints, this Case 580G was the first backhoe loader he spent any length of time on. He used quite a few of these over the years before switching to another company with JCB 3CXs.

Thank you Rich, there's a few more on the way I love the nostalgia and stories associated with the older machines, especially the tracked loaders and bulldozers Thank you Tris, as you will see in some photos i'll post soon I have quite a fondness towards big "Cats." My Dad clearly did too when he was younger. The story goes, he was drilling turnips on the farm in Dalby when a chap who was doing some land reclamation work on an old gas drilling rig site with a Cat D4 wondered across the field to where he was working. He asked him whether or not could he operate a bulldozer? My Dad said he'd have a go even though he'd never driven one before. A very hastily arranged "trial" was set up and Dad played on the machine for a few hours and confessed to really enjoying it and was promptly offered a job. A week later he was sat aboard a Cat D7 levelling top soil on a quarry in the Yorkshire Dales. Although he returned to the farm to live when working closer to home (and prepare a pair of pretty quick rally cars, his other major interest for a while) he's never looked back from a world of plant.

Here's a Caterpillar 951 that was ran by the same company, my Dad used it on a site near Guisborough.

Thank you Pete, hope to continue adding more models, my Spalding shopping list is growing by the day Regards David

Thank you Mark for your kind comments, you are correct it's an MF200b bought as an ex - demo machine. Thank you Tellarian, i've just given my Dad an impromptude interview on the subject and this is his honest verdict: They were good machines capable of operating faster than the Caterpillars but in the smaller models this did lead to some drive train trouble and parts wearing out quicker, later Cummins engined machines were less frail, but the Cat loaders were probably better engineered, my Dad drove a number of 951, 955 and 977 machines in between and after operating the Cases. Look forward to seeing some of your classic plant pictures too. Regards David

That's correct mate, I have a Canon A4 sized scanner that scans them to a program that allows me to trim up the edges and remove any scratches, i've had it about 4 years and it's finally getting some proper use.

Thanks Rhys, these are from around or just over 30 years ago mate.

I thought I'd start this topic to share some of the machinery my Dad John has driven for the best part of 40 years of his life having left the family farm to persue a career in civil engineering. He's driven quite a few different machines over the years spending a fair amount of his career on bulldozers and other heavy plant, before spending the latter part mainly on JCB 3CXs and similar machines on new housing estates. The first selection of photos are of some Case 850 tracked loaders, a solitary Massey Ferguson and a JCB 806 excavator. JCB 806, MF and Case Tracked loaders being used on a slurry lagoon project near Gristhorpe, Filey. B series tracked shovels awaiting delivery at Bradford. Dad aboard his 850C Working a steep slope in preparation for housing near Whitby.

Couple of pictures of the John Deere sprayer that has been causing plenty of discussion recently. Not sure about the model Britains have recently launched, but here's the real deal seen at Cereals in 2007 and 2008. 2007 version. and last year.

Some brilliant models in amongst those Pete, certainly given me a few ideas for my Spalding "shopping list" Those 55XL series tractors look superb along with all your very nice conversions

Here's my two most recent purchases and a selection of old items my Dad found in an old margerine tub whilst spring cleaning the garage today. The Major and 65 aren't in the greatest of shape, but do hold a little bit of sentimental value.