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Just arrived home with this after a 400mile round trip. Decided to miss out Aberdeen on the way home, it was a big mistake. Road was very narrow and twisty and was nightmare with the length of the combined load (pickup being 16 ft and then the trailer another 14ft) the 14% gradients didn't help, but the view was good.

Not old machine yet, but before I can get back into projects again, I'm gonna have to have somewhere to play.... Currently it looks a little like this in the shippon, I need some electric, walls and a little tidy up! Weve started on the building work to add some walls. Got a weeks holiday, hoping to make a bit more progress this week

A few photos from todays visit, Horticultural very thin on the ground with just a Suffolk Colt and a Raider 12 from Mr Showman...

Yesterday I masked up the engine so I could spray up the hydraulic tank. The load lever has a little ball on the end that nearly allways get knocked off, when I checked with JCB they wanted a stupid amount for a new one, however I spotted one on ebay for a fiver that was identical apart being tapped to M8, so I simply drilled it out to 1/2" and bonded it in place. All I need to do now is to sort out the engine support bar then build up the hydraulics which Ive got most of the missing parts on a scrap machine to help keep the costs down.

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

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

A couple of pictures of an old battery I've had hanging about for years, I guess it would have been one of a bank of batteries, anyone any idea of an age for it ?

Is that all Chris took in that ginourmous van?

Ewan doing the top course.

Froggat show today, a small local show. Including an unusual small Whetherhill loader, never seen one this small.

Nice pan head Harley.

Nice to see plant starting to turn up at shows, got to admit at first glance it looked like a converted forklift.

Different decals Charlie, not sure about the before and after idea yet, will see when I get stuck into these over the winter

Very nice! I like the idea of restoring one. And showing them side by side as before and after restorations. Are the two decals on the front of the steering column thingy different? Or has one just faded and weathered?

Found a Cub, wasn't looking just stopped roadside to take a peek-a-boo. Now the Cub is coming to my barn to spend some leisure time with the Horses. I put a bit of text on the picture so I'll remember.

You don't like them?? What's up with you all? They are great for keep ears warm Don't worry guys, those pipes were only put on like that for some experimentation.. I just posted the photo's to raise a few eyebrows The old exhaust system certainly caught a few people eye, but for me it did have a few problems. The shape of the down pipes didn't look that good where I had to extend them, the end cans made it look like someone had just bolted on a bike exhaust in the only place iit would fit, and the cans are far to restrictive in the flow department! Oh, and it sounded a bit tame! So yesterday out came the grinder and welder for operation "cut n shut" on the old exhuast sytem that came from the CX trike that Nigel and I broke up many months ago.. For me the shape of the downpipes make it look almost like a "factory" system.. Well, as factory as you can get for a bike engine stuffed in a Wheel Horse Both pipes need to be fully welded and cleaned up, then on with the black high heat paint all over.. Heat wrap for the down pipes and I have some honeycombe ally sheet to make some covers for the cans, put a bit of bling back.. But most important the system is a lot more free flowing, which is just what I need for the next stage..

Dont you just love seeing pics of peoples workshops which are bigger than your own Would love space like that

same, would like to see some stacks tho

Me an all...

Getting on a bit then, I guess its not worth trying to charge it

Prefer the originals.

thats a slab of steel if i've ever seen one

can any one help me out with a copy cos when you take these things apart theres lots and lots of bits thanks

Thanks Iain that's perfect just what I needed big pictures

Break in run....(video)

Ready for a test run....

Thanks Iain for helping Nigel out. I think I have an actual paper manual of this RAM in my collection. I will have a look if that's any help?

Nigel, I believe Andrew's Ride-a-matic is a 1961, either a 233-01 or a 234-01. This is the owners and parts manual. If that is not the case I have the manuals for most RAM's. Hope this helps Iain 233-01 & 234-01 Ride-A-Matic (1961).pdf

could it be a V4

Odds and Ends.... Turned a longer solid aluminum seat post for it to gain some leg room ... Swiped a set of suspension forks off another junk BMX bike: We had to press a sleeve in them to fit the vintage aftermarket handlebar stem. Aside from the internal springs, these also have the provision to mount a front caliper type brake. (We had to ditch the original coaster brake with the custom rear hub.)

Getting there....

Yes I think it would be rude not to

Whoa! What next!???

Those wheels will look good. As to the engine mods? I can only guess.

is that a turbo whistle i'm hearing? i do hope it is slot mags look good

I can certainly recommend using Owatrol on your projects.

Mr Showman has just donated a pair of front tyres to the project, what a star... :bow:

we still use these to pump out manholes and also with a cutter for large cables

Good find.

ive got a breaker for one of them sitting on my scrap heap if you want it give me a shout quick :)might have the cooler as well

Interesting. What applications would that be used for?