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Visiting a customer at work today and got chatting about different things like you do and we got talking about old garden tractors and stuff at which point he say "come with me young man I've got some thing that you might be interested in taking on" so off we pop to and old barn and he shows me this a converted (I think) bmb plowmate says he got it from a big old house years ago in a dispersal sale. He said I could take it on on one condition I didn't weigh it in as he wants to downsize his farm. Few more pics

Day 2 of the Tractorfest at Biddenden in Kent today, we took the "new" International Cadet 81 along and had a nice chilled out day despite the rain showers The arena parade was well supported and various folk were trying their hand with various machines and implements in the working area A great day, thanks to Kev and Ethan for all their hard graft, well done chaps !!

i would like to give a big thanks to all that attended. we had a very good mix with around 45 machines plus 4 awning displays and with out you we would not have a display. also extra thanks to those that braved the wet conditions for the arena on sunday. i would also like to pass on thanks from the btf commitee for being a valued part of the show. i you have any feedback (good or bad) for the section or any other part of the show please P.M me and i will pass it on to the commitee. once again thank you very much

Today I made up a replacement axle. I put a piece of solid 20mm bar (the originals were hollow tube that nearly allways bends) in the lathe and drill and tapped 2x 8mm holes. Then I welded 2 washers in place. Now just needs another coat of paint to finish.

A few more photos...

More photos of other exhibits... can you tell I like Ford cars ??

I have been down to Dorset this weekend to collect what must be the ultimate in Ransomes barn finds. After some brilliant detective work by my friend Anthony I visited a farm early in the year and discovered not one but three rare Ransomes MG machines. The elderly owner was not really wanting to sell but eventually a deal was made for me to buy two machines and leave him with one that was up and running. The three machines were an MG6 fitted with a Demon loader and petrol TVO engine, the second was a 1957 ITW wheeled tractor fitted with an inboard Boughton winch. This machine was used at Brighton railway station for shunting trucks. Originally fitted with a Drayton diesel engine, the tractor now has a later petrol engine. Fortunately I managed to obtain the original diesel engine which has been very cleverly fitted with a flywheel ring gear and electric starter.The third and possibly most rare machine is an ITC Skimmer tractor an amazing machine used for skimming a shallow layer of sand off water treatment filter beds. This machine is ex Bristol Water and was one of a number sold at the Dorset Steam Fair about 25 years ago. Luckily for me it was towed home into an old barn as a project machine for cleaning out a mill stream that never happened. Much of the actual skimming parts have been removed but thankfully the transmission ,tracks and main chassis are untouched and intact. These machines travel incredibly slowly due to an additional final drive reduction gearbox on each track. The original 600cc petrol engine had to drive the machine, operate the skimming auger and power an elevator that loaded the sand into ITC dumpers. Consequently a number were modified to achieve extra power, this one is fitted with a water cooled crossflow Ford engine which is from Mk1 escort ( even has a Weber carb. ) The plan is to fit the original diesel to the ITW and use the petrol engine on the skimmer. ( anyone want an escort engine?) With the 80th anniversary display next year the timing of the find is perfect as I can now guarantee to have at least one of every Ransomes MG machine on display. Hopefully I will have the skimmer mobile under its own power and the ITW driveable pending restoration. Apologies should read ULTIMATE

Hi all The challenge for this month is to make a grass area The house is a new build 5 bedroom bungalow with 1/4 of an acre of land it is what you say a blank canvas except for the stones hope you like George pulling trailer out of tractor shed the field of stones some day it will look nice

Hii all some pics of walk behinds at local rally

Yes I think it would be rude not to

A few other pictures, the colour ones seem to have the rubber pads. Also a trencher working, Jonathan you just need to find one of these now

A skimmer as new

Very Very Very nice. :D I was only talking to Alastair about skimmers on Sunday at trac fest You will need a low loader to shift them all to Tractor World I must come up & see that when it happens!!

There was a very nice American truck there called a Freightliner that ticked all my boxes, it had just been repainted and had a long trailer that i might be able to get all my herd on, all i need is a big drive to put it in

Great photos Paul, the working area was nice and soft and my plough worked very well its no good behind the Rowcrop as i had problems steering it, now i know the plough works I'll put a hitch and lift cable on the Raider 12 and use that. It was good to give the Trachorse a work out and I was well pleased with its performance

Some great photos of the cars, especially the Morris (Austen badged) 1000 van.

I think a line-lock should be next on the list, then you could do flame burnouts