Scottish County Tractor Club - silage making weekend in Aberdeenshire - now Back on for 7th and 8th June 2014

[Valley Axe Man]

Thanks for posting the taster's Bill .... only problem is is that now I've seen them I'm hungry for more   Great to see them in action again and also looks as though you got great weather too, hardly a cloud in the sky. Just got my fingers crossed that you make it back today to give us another wee fix until next issue of Classic and the rest of your pics are posted up

 

In a way I'm gutted I didn't bite the bullet and missed work to head up early doors yesterday... but sounds as though you could be looking forward to lunch

[BC]

Yes it was a lovely day Paul and even warmer than the last year. We had overnight rain but the sun is now out but there is light rain forecast for noon and even heavier for later on in the day. As such I will rearrange my plans and go back gets some more photos and footage have lunch and then catch the classic commercial road run on route from Ballater to Huntly since Huntly is only 1/2 up the road from where the silage event is being held. I had to leave just after lunchtime but there were about a half dozen spectators including a chap and his wife from Germany who fitted in two weeks holidays to coincide with the event....now he was taking an even bigger risk than you. He is speaking of flying back over and hiring a car and going to some Blue power event in England later on this year.

[Valley Axe Man]

Now that's commitment to your hobby and interests , though I guess being on holiday they'd have other things planned in case the weekend didn't go ahead  Hope you get a grand morning Bill and also get to enjoy the Commercial run and your lunch this afternoon too  

 

I've seen in the video's a different tractor or two from last year... Has the club attracted a few more members or have the existing members had a bit of a spell in the workshop with a fresh restoration or two??

[jmd]

great video,s bill like paul said it will be good to come and watch one year

[BC]

Now that's commitment to your hobby and interests , though I guess being on holiday they'd have other things planned in case the weekend didn't go ahead  Hope you get a grand morning Bill and also get to enjoy the Commercial run and your lunch this afternoon too

 

I've seen in the video's a different tractor or two from last year... Has the club attracted a few more members or have the existing members had a bit of a spell in the workshop with a fresh restoration or two??

 

I had another great day at Premnay from 8am until 2.30 pm including an even better lunch which was a three course one with pea and ham soup for starters  The heavens broke out half way to Huntly so I don't know if that stopped them but they had a day of stoppages ...mainly replacing shear bolts due to the heavier and wetter grass due to the overnight rain.

 

Well spotted on the different tractors Paul and you have got me thinking...host farmer Tony Wood has acquired a County 774 which was pulling the twin axle Fraser cart driven by James Gray Charlies cousin who was on Charlies cabless county last year on the pit with Mike Lumsden.Both James and Mike were not keen on a repeat performance this year since all the clutching and gear changing was a painful process    

 

In addition the County 7600-4 was a new addition from Keith to the Merchant brothers Kenny and Stephen and was pulling the twin axle Nicol of Sauchen trailer belonging to the Wilson Contractors from Sauchen.

 

Finally Fred Smith from between Strichen and New Pitsligo towed his County 964 to the event behind his Valtra and even with a 50k box took an hour and a half to get there. He was pulling a single axle Fraser trailer belonging to Tony Wood.

 

great video,s bill like paul said it will be good to come and watch one year

 

I'm glad you enjoyed them only one from today. A lot of time was spent down shots from the air in a basket. There were five of us up in the safety basket and taken and lifted and where we wanted to be by Tony Wood's son Glen.

 

I could almost swear on a stack of bibles as long as Tony Wood is around it will be an annual event

[BC]

Another 6 or so hours today at the event but I'm afraid to say only one  wee video. An early lunch was called to allow the grass extra drying time and well after lunch I kinda hung around the pit and the workshop since I was kinda filling in time to get off to my next mission at Huntly  

 

Anyway all you are going to see for now but come back after the next issue of Classic Tractor assuming Rory uses my article   ..when I can post my photos ....just less than 200 from me and around 50 from secretary Frances Ritchie.

 

[Valley Axe Man]

Great to hear it was a good 2nd day Bill  and also for posting todays little taster..... can't wait now for the rest of your uploads once Classic in the shops  Really nice to see some new tractors this year and like both John (JMD) and i said, it be great to make it up to the event in years to come

[BC]

I'm sure you would be made most welcome Paul...drop a fiver a day into the tin and you will get morning and afternoon teas with butteries and biscuits and at least a two course lunch and maybe even three on a Sunday plus enjoy the sight and sound and smell of County's chopping silage  

[Valley Axe Man]

Probably be the best fiver or tenner I'd spend in any weekend Bill.... the reek of a hardworking diesel....and the smell of freshly chopped grass in an oldschool kind of way..... I don't think life could get much better than that ........ unless of course you are there with your tractor but that would be one hell of a road run  

[BC]

Fingers crossed Paul now established it may well become an annual event.

[justy 46]

Thanks for sharing those clips Bill . Ye had good weather for it. It was looking dodgy there for a bit on the run up to it.  It would be great as you say for it to become an annual event. Could even throw a few round bailers on them next year to add to it .... would love to see would one of those 4600 FOURs manage a chopper!!! 

[BC]

Aye they were lucky with the day time weather Justin . I wonder if a 4600-4 would be fit since the 6600-4 on the 719 was fairly belching out black reek...photo will follow but later on in month or next  

[BC]

Here are some photos of non County related items I took at the event over the weekend.

 

Glen Wood's own Ford 7700 which until last year was the spraying tractor.

 

 

And his first JCB Fastrac he bought which he says he won't sell just because it was the first new one he bought.

 

 

Demonstrator McCormick tractor from Glen's brother Mark and agricultural engineer with a McCormick franchise which was on the pit with a front buckrake.

 

 

 

 

[BC]

 

 

 

 

 

[justy 46]

Aye they were lucky with the day time weather Justin . I wonder if a 4600-4 would be fit since the 6600-4 on the 719 was fairly belching out black reek...photo will follow but later on in month or next  

Enough said if the 6600 was struggling !!!    

[BC]

I would not say it was struggling..... but rather it was putting it through it paces and seeing what it could achieve Justin  

[justy 46]

I would not say it was struggling..... but rather it was putting it through it paces and seeing what it could achieve Justin  

Could look at it that way too I spose. 

[BC]

Club member Geordie Anderson son Christopher who is 12 made this video on the Sunday. By next year he will be 13 and eligible for carting duties on his dad's 4600-4 and fraser trailer.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tLuwJeuP-4&list=UU1gUl0eUkj8pqefz8lumpcQ

[Valley Axe Man]

Could look at it that way too I spose. 

 

Or could always hope a New Holland 339 or 342 doublechop would be found, 4600-4 would make a nice outfit with one of them Justin .....

 

Nice photo additions, Bill  one or two working classics there  Thanks for posting up the extra video too

 

[BC]

Anything could happen between now and next year with these club members Paul so you never know what we could see  

 

I never heard the 7700 or 8210 running but Tony's JD 4455 climbed the pit with ease and had a serious grunt to it,

[justy 46]

Or could always hope a New Holland 339 or 342 doublechop would be found, 4600-4 would make a nice outfit with one of them Justin .....

 

Nice photo additions, Bill  one or two working classics there  Thanks for posting up the extra video too

 

I wont post a vid of it to stay on the topic,but I can dig out a vid (quailty is poor tough) of a guy I know running his  4600 7A1 on a Taarup double chop & pulling a  14 FT trailer also behind the Taarup. It manages it well.. but would probably take its toll after a while  . I remember years ago your contractor running a Taarup double chop behind a 7700 & it really tested the tractor all threw the summer. A first cut could take a month to complete with every farmer that had him hired & by the time the first was done ,he was coming around again full circle to start into the second... Black smoke for 3 months solid !! 

[BC]

Go for it Justin...it's chopping related and it's another 3 weeks before I can post another 200 odd photos to please the County fanatical members on here or otherwise bore the the other non blue or county members on here  

[justy 46]

Here it is Bill. Declan Murphy with his pride & Joy 46 being put threw its paces . He & his brothers run a nice contracting out fit . Their main tractors are a few  NH T6's ,TMs & a Valtra T141 . He also has a beauty of a 2wd 7810 & a 7610   AP cap .But he will never part with the little 4600.... 

[Valley Axe Man]

Thanks for sharing that video Justin  a bit smoke but just a sign of a hardworking diesel and a tractor with proper air-con too!!    must have been a bit of a challenge for the 4600 when the trailer was nigh-on being full

[justy 46]

Thanks for sharing that video Justin  a bit smoke but just a sign of a hardworking diesel and a tractor with proper air-con too!!    must have been a bit of a challenge for the 4600 when the trailer was nigh-on being full

Well I think he lapped the field 4  or 5 times with the 4600 & then changed over the setup to the 7610 & used the 4600 to cart the silage away afterwards..  You can see the 7610 there idle in the middle of the field around 6.27 in the vid.  It was only a play day really with the Taarup  ...That Taarup had not seen the light of day for 15 years before then.