The Tractor Twitcher Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 I'll start this thread with some vintage equipment I always enjoy seeing used at working days I attend, cable ploughing between steam engines. This pair were seen at Festival of the Plough last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Always nice to see a steam ploughing outfit in action David. The last time I saw a team working would have been at the Dorset Steam Fair some years ago. There is a family up my way who have one ploughing engine and a plough but it not the same having to use a Cat D2 or a County crawler to pull the plough back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Always nice to see a steam ploughing outfit in action David. The last time I saw a team working would have been at the Dorset Steam Fair some years ago. There is a family up my way who have one ploughing engine and a plough but it not the same having to use a Cat D2 or a County crawler to pull the plough back. Really enjoy seeing them in action too, seen a few over the years, at Driffield, South Croxton in Leicstershire and Festival of the Plough. Most impressive demonstrations of this kind of equipment i've seen were both at the World Ploughing Championships at Lincolnshire Showground in 2000. There was the most extraordinary machine been used to pull a balance plough on the saturday, a Sherman Tank belonging to and converted by Robert Crawford. On the Sunday they had the "Steam Plough Off" with over half a dozen sets lined up, including a pair of engines that had been converted to run with McClaren diesel engines, I'll have a look for the photographs I took in due course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 That would be good David. I recall seeing a photo / article of the Robert Crawford converted tank in one of the tractor magazines some time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
them3kid Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 seen a pair like this working at dorset last year. could watch them for hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 seen a pair like this working at dorset last year. could watch them for hours. I know exactly what you mean mate. As much as I enjoy watching and listening to a big tractor or crawler pull a large plough, there's something very serene about watching a balance plough trundle up and down a field when all you can hear is the furrows being turned themselves. I Really need to get down to The Great Dorset Steam Fair, i've never been before and it looks like an amazing event, i've seen some aerial photographs taken there, the whole place looks like it spreads for miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 Some photographs of the equipment used by the Headly brothers at Ellers farm from yesterday. Firstly a 19 year old Grimme Mustang de - stoner. Although the farm doesn't grow any of it's own potatoes anymore, the eldest of the brothers also works for a local big potatoe growing farm. Cultivation equipment and the drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted March 12, 2009 Author Share Posted March 12, 2009 Mowers and balers. Soon to be sold Landmec drum mower. New Lely Splendimo disc mower. Old Claas rectangular baler that hasn't been used in a few years. Corn dryer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashmach Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Some nice tackle there David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 Some nice tackle there David Thanks Colm, should be plenty more to add to this thread over this year, looking forward to seeing and photographing the Grimme de - stoner in action on my friend's MF 6290, it's going to be working alongside a fleet of Case IH MX tractors in the not too distant future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 I'm liking what you are saying a fleet of Case IH's....excellent David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 I'm liking what you are saying a fleet of Case IH's....excellent David Looking forward to getting some photographs Bill, I believe they're mostly MX135 and later MXM140 tractors they run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 I've had another enjoyable afternoon sifting through old photographs and thought i'd update this thread of mine with some more cable ploughing photographs my Dad and I have taken over the years including a favourite of mine, a pair of engines converted to run with McClaren diesel engines seen at the World Ploughing Championships on land surrounding Lincolnshire Showground back in 2000. First couple taken at Driffield Steam Fair many years ago: Next couple come my first visit to Festival of the Plough at Epworth around a decade ago: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Next two are from the excellent South Croxton working day in Leicstershire: And finally one the pair of converted steamers seen at the World Ploughing Championships, one of the most interesting and unusual exhibits i've captured working: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IH885XLMAN Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 hi walter i take it that last photo was a steamer retro/converted to diesel do you ever come accros any old potao toppers from the mid 70s to mid 80s as I want to make one for The ERTL IH 784 im Re-making aswell cheers nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 hi walter i take it that last photo was a steamer retro/converted to diesel do you ever come accros any old potao toppers from the mid 70s to mid 80s as I want to make one for The ERTL IH 784 im Re-making aswell cheers nigel It certainly was Nigel, according to the official program it's one of a pair of Fowler engines originally built in 1917 that were then converted to run with the McClaren diesel engines in 1935. Unfortunately i'm unable help you with your request at present, however now i'm aware of what you're looking for i'll endevour to keep an eye out for any on my travels. Regards David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IH885XLMAN Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 It certainly was Nigel, according to the official program it's one of a pair of Fowler engines originally built in 1917 that were then converted to run with the McClaren diesel engines in 1935. Unfortunately i'm unable help you with your request at present, however now i'm aware of what you're looking for i'll endevour to keep an eye out for any on my travels. Regards David. Cheers David I seem to remember two fowlers in welshpool some 10 years back but i cant remember if they where converted like the ones in your pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Cheers David I seem to remember two fowlers in welshpool some 10 years back but i cant remember if they where converted like the ones in your pictures Your welcome Nigel, the converted machines in the photographs above reside in Cambridgeshire and that's also where they were originally converted too, they certainly made for a fascinating contrast to the other sets of untouched steamers working alongside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IH885XLMAN Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 was there much in productivity between the two I.E did diesel out preform steam on the day im not taking into account the time it takes to get a fowler up to steam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 was there much in productivity between the two I.E did diesel out preform steam on the day im not taking into account the time it takes to get a fowler up to steam In terms of field performance operating the plough, from memory there wasn't any real significant differences between the two, perhaps harder to tell also in the confines of a small demontration plot. I would imagine the biggest benefits of the conversion would be the convenience to the people operating the engines. The converted Fowlers were pulling a 4 furrow balance plough between them whilst there were also a couple of 6 furrow examples also working but with smaller mouldboards and ploughing to a shallower depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 Here's another unusual power source for pulling a balance plough in the shape of Robert Crawford's twin engined Sherman tank converted for farm use also seen at the World Ploughing Championships in 2000, even with only one engine cranked up this machine made quite a noise: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masseyjack590 Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 some cracking pictures here i like the tank conversion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 27, 2009 Author Share Posted November 27, 2009 some cracking pictures here i like the tank conversion Thank you Jack, appreciated, it's a very impressive and ingenious way of gaining lots of horse power. I've just found the book where I first saw this machine, called "A History of Farm Tractors" by Nick Baldwin. There's an old photograph of it being used to pull a big 3 foot single furrow balance plough and according to the caption it was converted by Robert Crawford in 1948 as a result of there being a shortage of heavy crawlers after World War II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdc Posted November 29, 2009 Share Posted November 29, 2009 Good pics of some well kept machinery on that farm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tractor Twitcher Posted November 29, 2009 Author Share Posted November 29, 2009 Good pictures of some well kept machinery on that farm. Thanks John, haven't been back over since harvest with the camera to capture some of my friend's machinery in action, they're pretty consciencious when it comes to maintainence, especially as most of the equipment they run is rarely bought brand new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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