The Aughton Valley Collection

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Some very nice red ones you have bought David   Also the MB Trac's looking great, you have 2 more to go.

Texas

Thank you Bas, still consider the 9150 to be my favourite out of that bunch, i'm really hoping we see a high detail or precision example of the earlier 9380 Quadtrac in the not too distant future, I think Spec-cast did a basic 1/32nd a few years back. As for the MB-Tracs i'm smitten with the 1500 so the Weise 1600 and Schuco 1800 in standard livery have risen up through my endless shopping list as a result. I have noticed a very striking Kommunal version from Schuco too, but i'm keener to have them in their proper colour scheme.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Two recent familiar blues from the Universal Hobbies stable to join the fleet. Despite it taking me an eternity to remove them from their bases i'm delighted with them both.

Couldn't resist but photograph these two together.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

For most part today instead of packing ready for my road trip south tommorow I've found myself playing, fiddling and faffing with every possible combination and variation I could create from the three terracotta treats served up by Replicagri recently and the sum of their remaining ingredients. It became quite an addictive and satisfying afternoon spent removing and un-removing dual wheels. In fact I reckon it's the closest i've come to creating something that tennously and vaguely resembles a conversion without the need for any skill, super glue or a Dremmel.

Voila, in true Blue Peter style, here's one I made earlier. I just need reminding to put the pin the top link before I take the photograph.

Alongside my ROS 180-90.

The duals on the tractor they came with.

With their linkages fitted.

All lined up in standard trim alongside the two Ros versions I have.

[robbo]

David, I am struggling to see the difference between the 110-90 and the 100-90, apart from the decals is there any difference?

[Paul Palmer]

some nice additions again david,the one im looking forward to recieving is the shuco mf 9585 combine,but wont be here before i go on holiday,do you have a connection with the fiats then david?

[The Tractor Twitcher]

David, I am struggling to see the difference between the 110-90 and the 100-90, apart from the decals is there any difference?

Aside from the model number Mike, the only other difference I can find is the 110 - 90 has rear mudguard extensions and the 100 - 90 doesn't. However im planning on displaying the 100 - 90 with the front linkage that came with it to differentiate them a little further.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

some nice additions again david,the one im looking forward to recieving is the shuco mf 9585 combine,but wont be here before i go on holiday,do you have a connection with the fiats then david?

Thank you Paul very pleased with my recent purchases, let the cabinet reshuffle commence. In regards to the combine harvester you mention I think i'm going to wait until the Challenger version appears so I can display it with the photographs I took of the real machine last year.

I don't really have a close connection with the Fiat brand. They just remind me of the 90 series tractors that worked locally on farms close to where I lived and went to school. I have many great memories of seeing them in action. They are also from my favourite era of tractor styling. They might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely love the work Pinninfarina did on these tractors, I much prefer them to the curves and frog eyes of todays modern counterparts.

This one was taken by my Dad at a ploughing match I attended as a youngster around twenty years ago.

[NewHolland2]

Some cracking additions there David - I agree the 7810 and T6020 are superb models - very happy with those two myself 

[mrol]

How does the ros and replicagri 110-90 compare - is there a clear winner?

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Some cracking additions there David - I agree the 7810 and T6020 are superb models - very happy with those two myself 

Thanks Martin, very pleased with them. The 7810 is a joy to look at ( aside from the rear hitch perhaps ) and again takes me back to the many that operated around here before the 40 series machines appeared on the scene. Really looking forward to the imminent arrival of the Jubilee version now.

How does the ros and replicagri 110-90 compare - is there a clear winner?

Whilst there are many similarities to both ROS and Replicagri models, it's the latter that I find more pleasing. This is largely down to the playability for displays and dioramas encompassed within them. The Replicagri models all come with detachable front weight blocks that can be interchanged with the front linkages that come with two of the models. The rear hitches too are much more refined and appear to be a lot less ungainly than the ROS example. They each come with realistic seperate top links that screw in and out properly compared to the rather ridiculous looking ROS version. Finally there is the dual wheels. Whilst there is only one set of bright white ones that strictly belongs to the terracotta New Holland they are capable of being fitted to all the Replicagri models unlike the ROS model which doesn't the required holes in it's rear wheels for the delicate plastic locking pins of the duals to fit. It's all these extras that give the collector much more satisfaction when taking them out of the box, it's like an excuse for grown ups to go carpet farming.

[Paul Palmer]

Thank you Paul very pleased with my recent purchases, let the cabinet reshuffle commence. In regards to the combine harvester you mention I think i'm going to wait until the Challenger version appears so I can display it with the photographs I took of the real machine last year.

I don't really have a close connection with the Fiat brand. They just remind me of the 90 series tractors that worked locally on farms close to where I lived and went to school. I have many great memories of seeing them in action. They are also from my favourite era of tractor styling. They might not be everyone's cup of tea but I absolutely love the work Pinninfarina did on these tractors, I much prefer them to the curves and frog eyes of todays modern counterparts.

This one was taken by my Dad at a ploughing match I attended as a youngster around twenty years ago.

there were 2 around when i used to live in a village called crapstone,one 780,at the next village and one i used to see around tavistock a 680,in the late seventies tavistock had a fiat dealership,farm industries it was called, but closed in the early eighties

[The Tractor Twitcher]

there were 2 around when i used to live in a village called crapstone,one 780,at the next village and one i used to see around tavistock a 680,in the late seventies tavistock had a fiat dealership,farm industries it was called, but closed in the early eighties

I'd love to see one of the 80 series tractors reproduced to a high standard in 1/32nd scale by one of the model manufacturers Paul. I used to have the Britains 880DT on my carpet farm and there was also a 2wd terracotta 880 that worked around here on a farm for a time similar to the one Brocks had advertised in Classic Tractor many moons ago.

[Paul Palmer]

I'd love to see one of the 80 series tractors reproduced to a high standard in 1/32nd scale by one of the model manufacturers Paul. I used to have the Britains 880DT on my carpet farm and there was also a 2wd terracotta 880 that worked around here on a farm for a time similar to the one Brocks had advertised in Classic Tractor many moons ago.

im surev somebody will do one david

[The Tractor Twitcher]

im sure somebody will do one david

Hopefully the 1/43rd scale orange 880DT Universal Hobbies did will be increased in size by them, if not i'll happily wait for a Replicagri example.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

It was my Dad's birthday recently and rather than treat him to the book i'd planned getting him I thought i'd endeavour once again to cajole his thoughts towards collecting construction models after finding this.

It's a 1/50th scale Siku Super Series Volvo EC290 tracked excavator, very appropriate given Dad currently operates a smaller 16 tonne machine for a living and has driven a bigger 36 tonne machine in recent years too.

He was rather impressed with it and at least I wasn't greeted with his usual stereotypical Yorkshire response of "what on earth did you get that for?" or words to that effect.

I has to be said this is a tidy little model from Siku and much better and far more realistic than their generic Liebherr based efforts from the past. Slick graphics and even a driver esconsed in the cab make it a worthy shelf partner for his much older and larger Joal Caterpillar 375.

   

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Here's the first mini review from my most recent additions to my collection. Starting with the Britains John Deere 8345RT. Finally a rubber tracked crawler capable of going carpet farming. With very little hardship and without risking taking the cab on an unintentional journey to freedom and leaving the rest of the tractor behind the tracks move with effortless ease. Another nice feature is the vertical movement within the track frames that mimics the suspension on the real deal. These leap forwards in playability aside, my example doesn't appear to have been put together with quite the same care afforded to the 9530T and 8430T that also reside in my collection. Some of the plastic parts appear to have been slightly ill fitted and loose. This isn't a particularly major issue for a collector like myself but given the hands it were designed for there's a chance it could end up in the work shop before it's escaped the confines of the box it's delievered in.

 

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Continuing the rubber tracked theme with Norscot's Challenger MT765C. I absolutely adore this model, it's wider tracks, twin beacons and stunning graphics. This is vastly more exciting than the rowcrop B series machine produced by them previously and makes for great cabinet display model.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Since I bought the Siku Massey Ferguson 8680 around a week ago I'd decided it would be quite nice to put aside a shelf for the 1/32nd 8600 series tractors also available from Universal Hobbies. My original intention was to stick rigidly to the red ones. However as part of a miniature AGCO deal I brokered at the weekend i've also ended up with a white one too. I'm still not totally convinced by the livery. I like how other graphics such as the badge stand out but that's about it. Personally I derive much more excitement from the line up of true coloured counterparts i've assembled.

Trying an alternative background, two pieces of A4 black card.

 

[The Tractor Twitcher]

The dual wheeled example, my favourite of the line up and perhaps deserving of a nice big drill sometime in the future.

The Siku 8680, another very fine chunky and robust carpet farming machine which doesn't look out of place lined up alongside the higher detailed Universal Hobbies models.

The white machine joins the rest of the reds on the back door step.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Now i'm not one for collecting every-colour-under-the-Sun Fendts that exist in 1/32nd scale, but i'm a huge fan of Wiking models which is the main reason why this alternatively liveried 828 is now living alongside my existing 936 and 828. Whilst it also makes a nice shelf partner for the Siku Golding example too.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

I've also started my first themed implement line up with the purchase of a pair of Siku Krone balers to add to my existing Britains example. The Comprima V150 XC round machine is bold caricature of an implement very much in keeping with their tractor releases. Whilst the Big Pack isn't quite as smart it still honours it's brief as a toy very well with a nifty wheel driven mechanism to push out the bales which come with the model.

[The Tractor Twitcher]

Ready for action yoked to some of my Same tractors.

[Lord Ferguson]

Lovely photographs of a wonderful collection David.. thanks for sharing as always mate.  I especially love the white MF against a black background... smart idea that

[Marmitemania]

I really like the look of the JD David I think that will be a purchase for me, some other nice buys you have there especially the Same, but they are not for me as I stick stictly to Britains and very occasionally an Ertl but then if its the same as a Britains and is a special.

[robbo]

I will be picking up one of those Pine Green 828's next week so it is nice to see it beforehand, as for the Same's........well...... * * There aren't enough of them in the world  ;D ;D