Stormin

I wish we had some ground we could grow stuff in and use the tractors on. Just suppose I'll have to be content with mowing the green and verges.

You should have bought it off him.

The mower or Steve?

Looks like an early version of the Hi Lift jack or farm jack. Useful but dangerous in the wrong hands. Give it a good soaking in diesel for a while to free it up.

I was unable to get a new cable and after a bit of thought, I decided to see I could repair the broken outer. I think I've been more or less successful. Temporarily anyway. I cut away the broken pieces of the plastic cover and gave the steel sheath a good wire brush. Then pushing the broken ends together, I slipped a piece of shrink wrap over the joint and shrank it in place. Next I wrapped some insulation tape on top of that. Finally refitted the cable and all works as it should. Be interesting to see how long the repair lasts. I'll still see about a replacement though.

Always spins over quickly, Angus. No sign of burning due to shorting out. I think it has been damaged at sometime and decided enough.

SEVENTEEN POUNDS?? I only paid a couple of bob.

Here you are Chris. In detail. M.C.A. Hydraulic Cable Lubricator. Had it for 50 something years, so don't ask where I got it. Certainly NOT on line. Slight boo boo here. Cable, washers and seal go in the other end. This shows cable inserted from the left. You inert the cable etc as shown. Fill with oil then fit the other end and screw the T handle in and that forces oil through the cable.

Err! No! I shall go and take a couple post haste.

At Biddenden the Black Horse started to run rich. The reason was traced to a sticking choke cable. Today I set too to sort it. I rooted out a cable lubricator from my motorcycle days, disconnect the cable from the carb and connected it to the lubricator. Filled the lubricator with hydraulic oil, (good for freeing rusted parts) and pushed it down the casing. Operating the lever I worked it back and forth. Seemed nice and free. THEN I noticed the outer cable was moving and oil was appearing alongside the battery. The outer cable had broken. So I'll have to get a new cable, as I couldn't find one of the right length among my pile of spares. Another job I had to do, was the bonnet hinges on the Sears/Roper. Some of the screws had worked loose. Most likely due to driving over rough ground and the bouncing of the trailer. These have now been replaced with more substantial ones that should last.

Look for any cut out switches. P.T.O. , Seat.

Same from me, Kev. Worth the drive down. Not sure of the drive home.

What I'd like to know, is what did you see when you were looking down the exhaust pipe in the third photo, Alan?

It certainly created a lot of interest. Chatted with the owner and it's another scrapyard special. All built from what was about. The book of photo's of the build was handy to see.

Returning home from R.P.T. and Biddenden, due to the A1 being closed for some reason, I had to use the M1 and M6. Mile after mile of roadworks and 50mph limits. All this work is for the so called Smart Motorways. What's smart about doing away with the hard shoulder? How many people will be killed and injured when they have nowhere to go, if experiencing a breakdown, puncture etc? I think it's down right stupid and dangerous, if not criminal.

Here's a few wot I tuk.

You must have been stuck longer than me, Iain. When I got there you where 5 car lengths in front of me. Took 3/4 of an hour to do 2 miles.

A little damp on arrival Thursday afternoon. Cleared up though and the weekend turned out ok. The stand line up. More on the Sunday. The Showman holding court. Can't remember this lads name, but I think he's related to Alan. As the ground was so hard, we went to play in the potato patch Not get many chips out of these. Iain demonstrating the Norfolk version of Bottoms Up. Chris rotavating Big boys and big toys. If you'd taken those glasses off like I told you, this wouldn't have happened. Nothing like a bit of organ music. Charge! And finally!

Some nice machinery there, Mike. Thanks for posting.

I did at Newby hall. He doesn't say much though. Couldn't get a word out of him.

Had a good show and also good to catch up with friends not seen since last year. I've taken a few photo's but they'll have to wait till next week when I'm home. I'm on Chris's lap top. Got a couple of nice surprises this afternoon, on my return from playing in the potato patch. The C-81 got 1st in class, (Again!) The Sears/Roper got 2nd. Alan's Mini D is really something to see and drew many admiring comments and looks. Just to give you a chuckle, I went to get my phone from out of the Disco, to tell SWMBO the good news about the tractors. Only I couldn't find it. Then I had a thought. I got Chris to phone me. Just as I thought, we heard my phone ringing from INSIDE MY PACKED AWAY popup tent.

Trailer loaded? Check! Disco loaded? Check. All ready to roll come morning.

I don't want it! I've got my own.

This year was the 12th year this has been held. Not bad for what was intended as a one off. Each year it seems to grow a bit with craft stalls, horses, static displays and other attractions. . I've only been involved for the last 8-9 years helping with the organising and setting up. I have never plough there though, as for the last 5yrs it clashed with my annual foray darn sarf to RPT and Biddenden. This year I could attend so entered. Unfortunately only two people entered with horticultural tractors. Myself with the C-121 (Black Horse) and a friend with a Raider 12 and ex, expeatfarmer Ransomes drag plough. So we decided to just have a play. Blind leading blind. Unfortunately due to the prolonged dry weather, the ground was quite hard. Not the mention stoney. My plough would hardly break the surface. So we just played with the drag plough. That would, due to it's weight, cut in. After several adjustments, trials and errors we manage to get a decent furrow. As my friend is badly crippled, Lewis my number 3 grandson did the driving, to save Ian getting on and off. Not many photo's sorry to say, but I was busy being mechanic. Some of the field and the view across the Solway Firth to Scotland. Ian, Lewis and Billy the collie. Lewis ploughing for the first time. It was a good day and I think the best attendance by the general public so far. I did get a surprise and very unexpected. The C-81 got another rosette. That makes two 1st's and a second.