The 26th Deeside Steam & Vintage Club Members Only Fun Day Ploughing October 2013

[BC]

The 26th Deeside Steam & Vintage Club members only fun day ploughing match will be held on Saturday 5th October on a stubble field at Rosehall Farm Drumoak. It is only a 1/4 or 1/2 mile from me and having rejoined the club after deciding to renew my membership for reasons I don't want to bore you with other than the then Chairman did something to a fellow committee member which I thought was below the belt so I did not renew my membership. 

 

Anyway onward and upward and new blood at the head of the club so today I looked out my 1957 French Farnall Cub and circa 1948 Ransomes TS 42A single furrow trailing plough.

 

The next problem is can I or will I fit both on a twin axle Ivor William's trailer...me need's to do a little measuring and arithmetic me thinks  

 

 

 

 

 

[b11jwd]

You could just drive the tractor there or make 2 trips

[BC]

I could drive the tractor there James but although insured it is not yet road registered so I would not be road legal and I try to be a law abiding citizen. In addition it might be a bit bumpy pulling an iron wheeled plough with three wheels behind as well so I think it will be a trailer job. In addition I like challenges to see if I could load them both on to the trailer and be road legal with width and  length overhangs etc since I don't want any run in with the local "Old Bill"  

 

Friday evening could be interesting to see what I can actually fit on but as you say maybe I should just make two runs...fly low and fly long which was a great saying of my late grand mother on my dad's side of the family  

[Stabliofarmer]

The answer to your problems are simple Bill Plough on your Audi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcBTdQdABTQ and the Ifor on the back of the plough

Id still try and stay away from the rozzers (and the neighbours for a few weeks)

[BC]

Very good James but I think I will use my A4 Quattro to take the plough and tractor to the field. I tried a dummy run in to the field today and the A4 Q managed no bother and no scraping noises.....the finger bar section's have now been fitted and the 6 foot blade back on so now only need to get stocked with petrol, clean plugs and hope the old 1957 French girl behaves on the day....and well whether I manage to plough straight and get the stubble looking well and covered....maybe the reason I took a tractor with a mower...so I could cut before I tried to bury  

 

Anyway all new to me as a wee bit of fun but I know you need at least 3 poles to set up the feering. I found a wind break in my late dad's loft so I think I will just cut and wrap and nail the canvas to the poles since I think these will be seen as well as white poles with red marks.

 

[BC]

Poles ready and if I reverse the tractor on I should get the plough on but with a 2 foot overhand at the rear so all I need to do now is get the old girl started again since she was misbehaving earlier today.

 

 

[BC]

Well a little bit of servicing needed...fuel off and clean out glass bowl of gunge. Open up and bleed and then open bottom of carb and get fresh fuel through. Then plugs out again and sand blasted since well although the old girl runs well she likes a drop of oil     but something I never grudge since an easy mechanical job.

 

Anyway I had to go on a mission and well by the time I got back home it was too dark to load and in addition I have never transported a tractor facing behind so I think I will manage to get the tractor and plough on and both facing in the right direction with only a minimal overhang within a meter or 39 inches in old money...so I have been told about the legalities.

 

 

[Valley Axe Man]

All the best for a straight furrow today Bill  Hope you get a good day for it

[BC]

Fingers and toes crossed for straightness Paul but all a very new game to me but I'll give it a go and well the weather is looking good

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ab31

[BC]

I was up and ready to roll circa 7.30 am this morning so I thought if I'm up every one else should be (And talking to 3 neighbours on my return this afternoon nothing was said ) anyway the 1957 gal started on the first crank today so I was as happy as a pig in the proverbial. On and up and then the plough which  without of any helpers or neighbours at 7.45am I thought one of these hand cranked winches which I have had for years but only used once before...best thing I have bought in the past and not used for years

 

Anyway enough chat and on with some photos ( they are limited and some may say thank goodness) but one cannot take part in a 22 participating  fun ploughing match and still go around and take photos...but my 1st real attempt at trailing ploughing is as bad as some of my photo's on here...but hey ho I enjoy playing with vintage tractors and also point and clicking so what you see is what you get..and if you don't like well you don't need to view or pass comment.

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Adam's need's a hand with his DF trailing plough re the trip wheel ( I had problems later..but no photo's ...well don't look at my ends since if judged...I would be spending the night in Craiginches Prison in Aberdeen  

 

[BC]

Bob gives the Thumbs up to Reece Morrison on Duncan Wight's digger who kindly gave the club the field for the match...the payment to Duncan...a bottle of spirit of whatever he drinks... so nice to see such a charitable gesture from the DSVC who donated £ 6,050 to local charities including Bowel Cancer which the newly appointed Chairman Mike Morrison suffered from 3 years ago.

 

 

Me myself aye but as I was in deep concentration to keep straight to the first marker I looked back and saw my plough had tripped and was still at the end rig...one really does learn by mistakes since this ploughing caper is all new to me.

 

 

 

Oh tatties are almost ready so come back tomorrow if you want to see anymore

[BC]

My attempt at the feering which at least was fairly straight so that was a confidence boast.

 

 

Time for a fly cup and then a look at some of the others rigs.

 

I have barely started and this one is miles ahead 

 

 

 

 

Ian Chalmers on his Allis Chambers was using a heavy DF Motrac plough which had been sitting behind a dyke in the village of Strachen for over 50 years. He was making a fine job and I have to thank him for advising me about moving over my hitch on my drawbar.

 

 

[BC]

Raymond Ewen from Dyce was making a fine looking job but then again this was not Raymond's first time plus he was getting a bit of help from Charlie Morrison from Mason Lodge who was a champion ploughman in his day when he was competing

 

 

 

 

Covering nae bad but not very straight.

 

 

.Back to me...something must have gone wrong after the feering since I ended up ploughing one way downhill but that was easier since I was struggling for grip on the last attempt uphill due to lack of tread on my tyres as well. Not very level and uniform but well first time and flying solo. One chap said I needed a scrifer to help bury the stubble. I have one and also a disc so i need to get them fitted up before next year or even before BA Stores next May since I actually was enjoying my day at the fun match.

 

 

Don't look at the ends...I had problems getting plough to lift out before adjusting the depth handle....amongst other things you will be saying   ....but hey ho its a learning curve and only a bit of fun.

 

[BC]

 

 

At the back of two a lot were finished so I decided to set for home. I went along three fields and then crossed the main road and into the housing estate and walked back for my car and trailer and the raffle to safe a 1/2 hour loading and unloading at each end.

 

 

Off to a ploughing match at Alford today to watch and photo and try and learn a bit more since I'm keen to have a go at this again.

 

Back home and Monday evening will be clean up time and regrease the boards etc and get teh tractor wheels power washed and away for the winter.

 

 

[Valley Axe Man]

Thanks for posting the photo's Bill   Multi-Tasking..... taking photo's whilst ploughing...... could be a new spin on both hobbies     Joking aside both looks and sounds as though you really enjoyed yourself at the fun day and had a bit of fun whilst you were there   ... again like you said it's a learning curve.... think we'd best watch this space.......future ploughman in training  

[BC]

I must admit I did not have time to take many photos Paul and never saw past the other 7 rigs after my own one at no 14. The weather was lovely.... a little too warm for boiler suit really. I have a lot to learn but I really enjoyed it and to be honest I won't be so scared next time round and I think after yesterday I have a better idea about who to go about a feering. I now know where I lost the plot and went for one way ploughing...(other than lack of wheel grip uphill due to worn tyres).....plough 12 furrows either side of your feering and then plough up and against your neighbour one up and hope the remaining narrow bit of stubble in the middle remains parallel for the finish.  

 

Anyway the Grampian Supermatch champion ploughers are holding a coaching day for all classes at Keith next Saturday....so I'll be there from early till late.

 

It could be a long training process Paul....its hard to learn an old dog new tricks  

[catkom3]

I appreciate it's probably something you wouldn't want to do Bill,but would the tyres / wheels off your American nash work better at least on the plough,??

Regards

Joe.

[BC]

That would work Joe but no I think if I really get into this ploughing caper I should just get a new set of rear tyres fro her. In fact i should get narrower front ones as well and get rid of that odd front wheel rim now I have fot a replacement on.I have wheel weights for the french one as well but I think they are 1 - 1/2 cwt each so although weight might also help I don't want to add 3cwt to my payload.

[BC]

Despite driving  my tractor and plough into where the A4 normally stays I did not remove the sticking earth from the board until Monday and a spray of WD 40.....anyway today I was kinda of annoyed I had not cleaned the board which I had removed the grease fron on the Saturday morning..but hey ho...yet another learning process in this trailing plough caper  

 

 

 

[Valley Axe Man]

Try to think of it as preparation for the next outing Bill.... I'm sure by the time the next couple or three weekends have passed you'll be well and truly addicted to your new hobby    

[BC]

Aye Paul the only way to think    ...I have always liked spectating at ploughing matches but until last year I was always a bit dubious about getting in and out of fields without getting stuck.....but since last year that has not been a problem....well so far so good

[BC]

Yesterday I had the time off so it was time to put away a tractor and plough and get my garage cleared so I can get my car in since the frosty mornings can't be far away.

 

I had been told that you cannot plough without a scriefer or skim as Dave Carnegie calls them in his next of the woods so I dug out what Ransomes spare bits I had. There is a scriefer and a disc there and a lot of parts from the discs which were scrapped before I bought the MG2 and implements so all I need to do now is find the bits to attach them to the right place on the plough.

 

 

 

 

 

[BC]

Plough all greased up and tucked away and tractor in its shed and water drained.