SPN

The collection is based on one (very big) farming operation from the 1960s to 2020 The aim is to have tractors and matching machinery right through the decades, and while the tractor back story has been relatively straighforward to put together, there are still big gaps on the machinery front - such as MF 29, MF30 & MF 500 seed drills and other common tillage machines from the 60s, 70s and 80s. It took a little while (and a lot of overtime) to finally get the tractor story for Milltown House completed, so here's a sneak preview of them all lined up. Milltown House has tillage, dairy and horticulture units. Back row is the sequence of frontline tractors, in front of them are the backup tractors, in front of them are the row crop/high clearance horticulture tractors and at the very front are the specialist tractors

The Bulldozer collection and how the new machines look on the KOBA lowloader. I must finish building a larger KOBA lowloader for the Hino 6x4 which will match better with the Hymac. The FIAT-Allis dozer is from the mid 80s and the New Holland is from the late noughties

I'm really delighted to have these three in the collection now Wespe Models Caterpillar D4C (1959-1963) Nigel Paine Caterpillar D4D (1963-1977) Nigel Paine Hymac 580C (1970-1981)

The first electric machine has arrived at Milltown House. The Weidemann 1160 eHoftrac. It is intended to replace the existing 1770 Hoftrac for most tasks at the Dairy Unit and to also provide a new range of services in the poly tunnels and greenhouses at the Horticulture Unit. The 1770 will be retained as a backup during the trials.

The Replicagri 8070 joins the Jaditoys 8070 on the contracting fleet out of Newpark (1983-1993) The Heizohack woodchipper is part of the move to bio-energy and zero emissions, but it needs some modification and a power source (Xerion? Steyr 6300?). Also on the zero emissions front is the NZG Weidemann 1160 eHofftrac (Milltown 2020- ). This is the first electric machine to join the fleet.

On the tractor front I've now added the F140 Winner (Castlebridge 1994-2000) and Fendt 106S (Milltown 1976-1985) from Jos, together with the TEA20/Baler set (Milltown early/mid 50s)

I sold off about 100 models over the summer and am reinvesting the proceeds in new kit Some new cars I have added Bburago Porsche 718 Boxster Kinsmart BMW i3 Tayumo Volvo XC60 Tayumo Volvo S90

Remember when Britains started making JD models, they also brought out a JD repair van for added authenticity That's what you saw today. Buy a combine, get a fleet of repair vans free.

Here are the two positions I recall (apologies for brutally hacking Justin's pic) Inside light cluster on right, but I also remember (could have been on a 4000) the ploughing light under/behind the toolbox on the left hand side. The difficulty with the position on the original UH pic is that it blocks the view of the indicator

Inside light cluster on rear mudguard, but have seen it in different places.

Spotted the T8.390 out ploughing tonight so stopped for some pics The fleet also includes a 7700 and a TW20, the latter has been owned by the family since new More pics coming soon

I'm surprised that nobody has made a Deutz DX in recent years. Practically every other Britains tractor has been made again in the modern era, but not the DX. I'd love a 2wd DX85 from Weise

I had these three beauties hired in to do a job for me today. T6070, T6080 and T7040. There was also a TM150 earlier. The family run 14 New Hollands including a T8. More pics of this fleet will be forthcoming very soon, once work calms down a bit.

8345R passed by again today with an 8 furrow Gregoire Besson on't back Saw a few nice 4 cylinder CASE with Broughan silage trailers. Reckon they were chasing a maize harvester somewhere nearby, There's a self propelled potato harvester working ten minutes away with a 7710, two 7530s and a 6**0R drawing away from it. I really am missing a trick here, not taking pictures.

I reversed a lowloader into a parking space with a TM155 unhitched it and hitched up to another lowloader My first time driving a TM. Nice machine. Over 10k hours. Sweet as a nut. Another one off the list.

On friday a T7.230 passed the gate followed by a CX840 and CX860 In the opposite direction went a CASE 2388 and International 1660 The big Deutz is an L720 Other highlights included an 8345r w BB9090 baler, a 7720S, a 5460, and a very rough Zetor Forterra hauling round bales of hay.

The registration number

Just looking at the Finnegans Farm website I see this picture If I am correct, this is a very unique tractor. It is the only reverse drive tractor John Deere ever built There is a reason why they never built a second one, and why the original owner went back to Fendt 900s very quickly

I'm working in Meath at the moment and the machinery eco system here is just awesome Today I saw a Steyr Terrus pulling a Chaser bin, followed by a John Deere combine (T660 I think) passing down the road. Shortly afterwards another T660 and a Lexion 670 passed in convoy. They belonged to Finnegan Farms and I'm pretty sure the first one and the Terrus did too https://www.finnegansfarm.ie/ Shortly afterwards I met a Lexion 770TT on the same road. There was a 7930 and a very big Deutz hauling grain all day, and a NH T8050 with a MF (Hesston) big baler passed as well. There was a silage outfit which passed in the other direction with a Green Eye Jag and a mixed fleet of tractors and trailers behind it. Numerous Newfies, from a very tidy TS115 to a T7.235, and Masseys from a 5480 to a 7720S with a Rolland trailer. I think I need to start taking photos

I'm working in Cyril country at the moment and the machinery they run up here is amazing. There was one of these bale chasers running around here today and it is a smashing machine in real life. So put me down for one (and possibly two) of these if they are going to be available to buy

Loving the 101 John Superb craftsmanship

Sweet

I'm not able to reunite them just at the moment, but I did take this pic at the time. Would work for the T7.165S as well.

Looking forward to seeing the T5.130 wheels on the T6.180 I put the T7.225 wheels on it, and they worked fine, but I think the T5.130 wheels will be better.

Thanks for the pics Smithy. Brings back memories of harvests past.