Classic Tractor Issue 284​​ December 2024

V8 Field Day:​​ Yorkshire​​ farmers get out their four V8 US-built​​ Masseys​​ and put them to work.

Reader Rebuild:​​ Perseverance pays off as this father and son team work wonders on a rough​​ DB.

Retro Harvest Day:​​ Classic harvesting with​​ NH 8000​​ Series combines and a pure blue carting team.

From the Archives:​​ We chronicle the final years of​​ Burgess​​ and look into the reasons for its closure.

Farming Diary:​​ The Suffolk Bunch have been buying again; this time, it’s two big combines!

Memory Lane:​​ This former employee of​​ Farmhand UK​​ made the country’s first big round bale.

Case Study:​​ We visit 16​​ Neuss-built IH tractors that are still working well on German farms.

Silage Event:​​ The grass was flying at this silage day for classic foragers held in West Cork.

Classic Tractor Issue 283​​ November 2024

Fleet Profile:​​ Fendts have been the brand of choice on this Herefordshire farm since 1981.

Reader Rebuild:​​ A Scots mechanic known as an MF fan gives a Marshall 702 the full treatment.

Show Report:​​ Tractors and operators wow the crowd as they take part in a time trials event.

HARVEST SPECIAL:​​ Massey Ferguson 410: A reactivated MF 410 combine and an​​ MF 135 recreate a 1960s harvest scene.

HARVEST SPECIAL:​​ A-C Gleaners:​​ Three 60s A-C Gleaner combines go to work together on a farm in Oxfordshire.

HARVEST SPECIAL:​​ Ransomes Set:​​ Five different Ransomes combines from a huge collection head out into the field.

HARVEST SPECIAL:​​ Massey Ferguson 788:​​ A Massey Ferguson 788​​ bought in ’84 for just £100 is still working in Norfolk.

HARVEST SPECIAL:​​ Laverda M182:​​ We visit a rare flagship Laverda M182 that may be the last one left in the UK.

HARVEST SPECIAL: NH Clayson Study:​​ Five older New Holland combines were visited this harvest for this Case Study.

From the Archives:​​ Exploring the golden years of Burgess, once the biggest dealer chain in Europe.

Classic Tractor Issue 282​​ October 2024

Fleet Profile:​​ Ford Super-Q tractors are quite a theme in this mostly-blue Cumbrian farm fleet.

Reader Rebuild:​​ A​​ 1995 Matbro​​ TS270 telehandler gets a full refurbishment and upgrades too.

Market Shares:​​ Our analysis of tractor market shares in 2023, using data sourced from the DfT.

Farming Diary:​​ The Suffolk Bunch head south west to try out some nice classics in Cornwall.

From the Archives:​​ From humble origins back in the 1800s, Burgess became Europe’s largest dealer.

Log Splitters:​​ Log splitter considerations and a guide to some of the different types available.

Reflections:​​ A​​ service engineer recalls the changes in pea and bean harvesting in the ‘70s.

Memory Lane:​​ Retired MF photographer Ted Everett remembers the MF 200 Series launch.

Tractor Trade:​​ More career highlights and advice from long-serving New Holland dealer staff.

Classic Tractor Issue 281​​ September​​ 2024

Reader Rebuild:​​ A​​ Case-IH 1056XL gets an upgrade, more power and additional comfort.

JOHN DEERE​​ SPECIAL:​​ 20 Series Features:​​ A retired John Deere manager looks in detail at the Mannheim-built 20 Series.

JOHN DEERE​​ SPECIAL:​​ 20 Series Collector:​​ We meet​​ a UK collector who has put together a set of JD 20 Series models.

Case Study:​​ Seven users of Meltham-built 94 Series tractors show us their working machines.

Show Report:​​ Our selection of the best classics from this year’s Tractor Fest at Newby Hall.

Reflections:​​ Andrew Walley, aka the Baler Doctor, specialises in old and new small balers.

Claas Celebration:​​ We celebrate the half-millionth Claas combine with a look at past milestones.

Tractor Trade:​​ Long-serving New Holland dealer staff share their career highlights and advice.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 280​​ August​​ 2024

Reader Rebuild:​​ A​​ Massey Ferguson 590 is made mint after sitting out in woodland for years.

Farming Diary:​​ A round-up of field operations carried out by the Suffolk Bunch this Spring.

SILAGE SPECIAL:​​ Case Study:​​ User opinions on multiple classic Fiats that still work for a living in Co. Cork.

SILAGE SPECIAL:​​ Classic Demo: ​​ Crowds flock to see classic kit working at a Grass & Muck demo held in Wales.

SILAGE SPECIAL:​​ Fleet Profile:​​ Parts from donor machines are helping to keep a 35-year old JD 5830 running.

SILAGE SPECIAL:​​ Running Report:​​ A Mengele SF300​​ heads into the field and recreates a 1980s/90s silage scene.

SILAGE SPECIAL: Jaguar Celebration:​​ We celebrate 50 years since the launch of the first self-propelled Claas Jaguars.

SILAGE SPECIAL: Trailed Forager:​​ This Notts farm has been using trailed forage harvesters for the past 55 years.

Original Classic:​​ A one-owner Muir-Hill 111 Series III is fired up and its history is examined.

Memory Lane:​​ Retired MF photographer Ted Everett recalls some of the MF people he met.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 279​​ July​​ 2024

Farming Diary:​​ The Suffolk Bunch recreate a test from 1995 that involved four high-hp rivals.

Reader Rebuild:​​ A retired IH manager has concentrated on the details during his IH 454 rebuild.

Ford Conversions: Myth-Holm 131:​​ Our Ford conversions special kicks-off with the only complete Myth-Holm 131.

Ford Conversions: Matbro Mastiff Mk III: ​​ A visit to see what is possibly the only Matbro Mastiff Mk III to be produced.

Ford Conversions: Roadless Turbo:​​ This Roadless Ploughmaster 65 may be the earliest Ford-powered turbo tractor.

Ford Conversions: County 7610-Four:​​ A County 7610-Four, one of just seven to be built, has turned up in Hampshire.

Prairie Monsters:​​ A rare Waltanna Trac 225 crawler has been saved and returned to full health.

Reflections:​​ Chris Tallis, the founder of a major JD dealership, recalls his career highlights.

Memory Lane:​​ How Fendt toolcarriers revolutionised operations on a veg farm in Middlesex.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 278​​ June​​ 2024

Fleet​​ Profile:​​ David Brown tractors have been central to this Somerset mixed farm since 1967.

Collector Profile:​​ We travel to Lancashire to view a full set of red-cab MF 500 Series tractors.

Family Archive:​​ A Norfolk family share photos of their past equipment from the 1970s and ‘80s.

Farming Diary: ​​ This Suffolk Bunch update focuses on recent land work and a big new arrival.

Memory Lane:​​ Sid Pitchford recalls his apprenticeship working at Victor Cabs during the ‘70s.

County Archive:​​ A delve into the County archive reveals details of unknown past tractor projects.

Tractor Storage:​​ A specially-built test rig is used at this dedicated centre for PowrQuad repairs.

Farm Security:​​ Top tips for keeping precious classics out of the hands of rogues and thieves.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 277​​ May​​ 2024

Collector Profile:​​ We travel to south-west Scotland to see an epic collection of Massey Fergusons.

Tractor Trade:​​ H. Curtis & Sons, a dealer in Somerset, shows us its very tasty stock of classics.

MF Logo Review:​​ How MF’s Triple Triangle emblem has changed since it first appeared in 1957.

Farming Diary:​​ ​​ We report from a mega​​ Schlüter​​ event and get up close to a rare Mali Li-Trac.

County Archive:​​ We reveal where County’s archive has gone and visit the site of its successor.

Dyno Day:​​ The results from Lichfield YFC’s first Dyno Day, which attracted 30 tractors.

Tractor Storage:​​ How to plan a new tractor/machinery shed and important points to consider.

Show Report:​​ The classic highlights and results from the bustling 2024 Tractor World show.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 276​​ April​​ 2024

Original Classics:​​ This Notts farm still relies on Ford, IH and JD classics it has owned from new.

Reader Rebuild:​​ A rare Northrop 5006, one of a handful built, gets saved and then totally rebuilt.

Budget Buys:​​ What you can buy for up to £3,000 and points to consider, such as parts prices.

Fleet Profile:​​ A fleet of MB-tracs do all work on this family-owned arable farm in Germany.

Show Report:​​ A review of the classics and interesting parts at the LAMMA show at the NEC.

Farming Diary:​​ A Suffolk Bunch member heads to the east of Germany for a special ploughing event.

County Sea Horse:​​ The story behind the County Sea Horse and its Channel‑crossing publicity stunt.

Reflections:​​ Former Muir-Hill sales staff recall the days of selling the big yellow tractors.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 275 March 2024

Farming Diary:​​ Suffolk Bunch members test out an​​ MF 1200​​ and compare a​​ JD 4050​​ and​​ 7600.

LEYLAND SPECIAL: Memorable Models:​​ We select a Top 10 of Leyland’s most memorable and​​ biggest-selling models.

LEYLAND SPECIAL: Leyland Rebuild:​​ A​​ Leyland 245 Synchro​​ is rebuilt and put to work on a small farm in Wales.

LEYLAND SPECIAL: Bespoke Six-Cylinder:​​ A repowered​​ Leyland 384​​ gets rescued and then stripped down and overhauled.

LEYLAND SPECIAL: Styling Mock-Ups:​​ How Leyland finally settled on a new look for its​​ Synchro​​ range of tractors.

1974 Review:​​ Reviewing the farm machinery scene and new market arrivals back in 1974.

Front Linkages:​​ A retired vegetable grower describes the impact of front linkages on his business.

Tractor Trade:​​ We are back at​​ Swinnerton Machinery, finding out what has been in for repairs.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 274​​ February 2024

Case Study:​​ A study of the classics that still work for a living on arable farms in Ireland.

Farming Diary:​​ A Suffolk Bunch member’s Deere fleet goes into action, establishing new grass.

Fendt Search Results:​​ The winners of our search to find early UK Fendt imports and high-hour units.

Conservation Special: Expert Advice:​​ Some great advice on how to conserve classics, preventing them deteriorating.

Conservation Special: Clear Coat Nuffield:​​ An unconventional approach is taken to preserve a Nuffield’s original paint.

Conservation Special: Rust Beater Test:​​ A six-month trial of anti-rust products produces some very interesting results.

Fleet Profile:​​ This German family farm relies on an all-classic fleet of Fiats to do its work.

Original Classic:​​ A rare equal-wheel Leyland 4100 has returned home after a life in Barbados.

Old vs New:​​ An early Claas Jaguar forage harvester goes to work alongside a current model.​​ 

Classic Tractor Issue 273​​ January​​ 2024

Modern Classics Special: John Deere 6910:​​ This rebuild of a 6910 by a John Deere dealer was a huge hit at shows in 2023.

Modern Classics Special: Scottish Maxxums:​​ 42,000 hours and bespoke paint on two Maxxums in the north east of Scotland.

Modern Classics Special: McCormick CX105:​​ This striking 2006 McCormick CX105 Diamond Edition has only done baling.

Modern Classics Special: Systems Rarities:​​ A fleet of Claas, Schlüter and Kramer systems tractors is visited in Germany.

Farming Diary:​​ We catch up with the Suffolk Bunch as they do autumn work with their classics.

Memory Lane:​​ A retired MF photographer recalls the photo shoots he did on the Firm’s farm.

Newark Tractor Show:​​ Classic winners and our selection of the best at the Newark Tractor Show.

Tractor Trade:​​ Ireland’s biggest John Deere dealer is celebrating 40 years with the marque.​​