mg_rob

With the clutch now free I couldn't wait to get it back together. I gave the end of the crankshaft and inside the clutch a light clean and reassembled everything. Using the manual I checked the position of the brake pad and then fired up the engine. Pulling on the clutch lever I was glad to see the drive to the gearbox stop turning, low, high and reverse gears all worked as did the rotor drive. Time for a play (I mean test run).
Given how hard the ground is it worked very well. I will change the engine and gearbox oils next before putting it to work.
I asked my father how long the 350 has been parked up for and he said he couldn't remember, we've been trying to work it out but the best we can come up with is somewhere in excess of 15 years. My father bought this Howard 350 new when I was still at primary school and I have fond memories of watching him working it every year. It's nice that after a bit of tinkering it is still capable of a days work.

With the clutch now free I couldn't wait to get it back together. I gave the end of the crankshaft and inside the clutch a light clean and reassembled everything. Using the manual I checked the position of the brake pad and then fired up the engine. Pulling on the clutch lever I was glad to see the drive to the gearbox stop turning, low, high and reverse gears all worked as did the rotor drive. Time for a play (I mean test run).
Given how hard the ground is it worked very well. I will change the engine and gearbox oils next before putting it to work.
I asked my father how long the 350 has been parked up for and he said he couldn't remember, we've been trying to work it out but the best we can come up with is somewhere in excess of 15 years. My father bought this Howard 350 new when I was still at primary school and I have fond memories of watching him working it every year. It's nice that after a bit of tinkering it is still capable of a days work.

Over the summer I've been doing a lot of clearing and levelling around the garden. There is a large mound of soil that I've been working my way through and using to fill up a few low areas. A few weeks ago my father suggested using his Howard 350 rotavator to go over the areas to break the ground up a bit and make levelling it easier. That sounded like a good plan at the time. First problem was just getting it of of the shed where its been resting, the hinges on the door were rusted solid so had to remove the screws. Once out I pushed the 350 down to our workshop to give it a once over. I drained what old petrol was left in the tank, removed the spark plug and checked for a spark. Nothing, this was going to be a bit more work than I'd hoped for.

Hello Sam, fellow member from Northern Ireland here. No Bolens in my collection, mostly small crawlers. I've sent you a PM.
Rob

Had a good day and the weather was kind. Mainly an agricultural show as the title says, but a lot going on. Cattle, sheep, horses, craft, children's competitions and a round of champion Cumberland wrestling. Plus stalls etc. Something for everyone, but it would have been nice to see more vintage entries.
 
   First, to put you in the mood, some shots of the site.

 

 

 

 
The only stationary engines.

 
A couple of horse draw pieces of equipment. The chaps who own these, also have quite a large collection of horse draw agricultural equipment.

 

 
 
Some of the tractors.

 

 

 

 

 
This crawler created quite a lot of interest. Fergie engine mated to an American crawler, (Jonathan knows the make) done by some company in Perthshire.

 

 
Some very nice motorcycles. 

 

 
Not seen a Thruxton Velocette since my coffee bar days.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Three of the more interesting cars.

 

 

 
Last but not least the horticultural entries.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Mini Tractors NI club held a small working show on the 26 August. One of the club members had told me before about their working day but I had never managed to get round to going to it. This year I was given a flyer for the show and decided to keep that date free and take my Ransomes MG40 and discs down for a play.
We don't seem to have the same number of exhibitors for garden tractors or horticultural machinery as you do in the rest of the UK so it was good to see such a good display of machines. Changing the colour and re-branding a certain make of red tractor seemed quite popular. There were a couple of interesting home made machines that caught my eye.

The Mini Tractors NI club held a small working show on the 26 August. One of the club members had told me before about their working day but I had never managed to get round to going to it. This year I was given a flyer for the show and decided to keep that date free and take my Ransomes MG40 and discs down for a play.
We don't seem to have the same number of exhibitors for garden tractors or horticultural machinery as you do in the rest of the UK so it was good to see such a good display of machines. Changing the colour and re-branding a certain make of red tractor seemed quite popular. There were a couple of interesting home made machines that caught my eye.

The Mini Tractors NI club held a small working show on the 26 August. One of the club members had told me before about their working day but I had never managed to get round to going to it. This year I was given a flyer for the show and decided to keep that date free and take my Ransomes MG40 and discs down for a play.
We don't seem to have the same number of exhibitors for garden tractors or horticultural machinery as you do in the rest of the UK so it was good to see such a good display of machines. Changing the colour and re-branding a certain make of red tractor seemed quite popular. There were a couple of interesting home made machines that caught my eye.

The Mini Tractors NI club held a small working show on the 26 August. One of the club members had told me before about their working day but I had never managed to get round to going to it. This year I was given a flyer for the show and decided to keep that date free and take my Ransomes MG40 and discs down for a play.
We don't seem to have the same number of exhibitors for garden tractors or horticultural machinery as you do in the rest of the UK so it was good to see such a good display of machines. Changing the colour and re-branding a certain make of red tractor seemed quite popular. There were a couple of interesting home made machines that caught my eye.

The Mini Tractors NI club held a small working show on the 26 August. One of the club members had told me before about their working day but I had never managed to get round to going to it. This year I was given a flyer for the show and decided to keep that date free and take my Ransomes MG40 and discs down for a play.
We don't seem to have the same number of exhibitors for garden tractors or horticultural machinery as you do in the rest of the UK so it was good to see such a good display of machines. Changing the colour and re-branding a certain make of red tractor seemed quite popular. There were a couple of interesting home made machines that caught my eye.

The Mini Tractors NI club held a small working show on the 26 August. One of the club members had told me before about their working day but I had never managed to get round to going to it. This year I was given a flyer for the show and decided to keep that date free and take my Ransomes MG40 and discs down for a play.
We don't seem to have the same number of exhibitors for garden tractors or horticultural machinery as you do in the rest of the UK so it was good to see such a good display of machines. Changing the colour and re-branding a certain make of red tractor seemed quite popular. There were a couple of interesting home made machines that caught my eye.

Earlier this week I set about getting my HR4 discs dug out ready to use with my MG40. The cover that had been over them had come off and they were looking a little green thanks to the surrounding trees. Put the turbo nozzle on the power washer and they soon cleaned up.
I'll put some photos up in the Show Pics section of the show I took the MG40 and discs to.

Earlier this week I set about getting my HR4 discs dug out ready to use with my MG40. The cover that had been over them had come off and they were looking a little green thanks to the surrounding trees. Put the turbo nozzle on the power washer and they soon cleaned up.
I'll put some photos up in the Show Pics section of the show I took the MG40 and discs to.

Before getting into horticultural machinery I collected stationary engines with my father. Of the engines we own this Ruston Hornsby APR
2 1/2hp model from 1928 is our most rallied engine.
The last photo shows it driving our Evans water pump.

Before getting into horticultural machinery I collected stationary engines with my father. Of the engines we own this Ruston Hornsby APR
2 1/2hp model from 1928 is our most rallied engine.
The last photo shows it driving our Evans water pump.

In a rare departure, C4 was out this afternoon for some duties in the top field. Firstly pulling out some old fencing buried in the ground, and then moving a a few logs...as well as providing a little light to see.

Before getting into horticultural machinery I collected stationary engines with my father. Of the engines we own this Ruston Hornsby APR
2 1/2hp model from 1928 is our most rallied engine.
The last photo shows it driving our Evans water pump.

Before getting into horticultural machinery I collected stationary engines with my father. Of the engines we own this Ruston Hornsby APR
2 1/2hp model from 1928 is our most rallied engine.
The last photo shows it driving our Evans water pump.

If you enter your machine into Rosemount you could take it up to the working field. I'm sure they would not mind you joining in. I'm not sure if they are doing something similar this year though, it would be a shame if they don't. We don't tend to have much over here for our size of machines.
My Ransomes MG40 was down in with the stationary engines.
Rob

Before getting into horticultural machinery I collected stationary engines with my father. Of the engines we own this Ruston Hornsby APR
2 1/2hp model from 1928 is our most rallied engine.
The last photo shows it driving our Evans water pump.

Before getting into horticultural machinery I collected stationary engines with my father. Of the engines we own this Ruston Hornsby APR
2 1/2hp model from 1928 is our most rallied engine.
The last photo shows it driving our Evans water pump.

I was not going to mention your near beheading Norman but as you have!!!! Managed to get all 7 running by 7pm tonight the MG5 had not been touched since July and just needed a bit of love and a mag clean. On target for Malvern!!! Tittyvating starts on Monday !

Thanks for the comments.
Did you have a machine there or were you there as a spectator? It would be good to see something similar organised for this year.

Our club contacted the chap on the homemade tractor and asked him if he would put on a working display of mini tractors. As far as I know he was trying to organise a club to encourage younger people to join our hobby, I didn't get a chance to have a word with him to see how he was getting on.
There was a good mix of tractors working and everyone looked to be enjoying themselves.
I particularly liked the Kubota B6000 with the blade on it.

One more ride on that was at Rosemount that day. It was parked up at the side of the working field, looks to have been well made. It would have been interesting to see it hooked up to the tractor pulling sled