Ian 2,417 #1 Posted July 12, 2014 Harvest time is not very far away, it's going to be an early one this year! While I was digging though my photo's I found a few photo's of the monster Claas combine they use up here.. It's a beast to say the least.. Thought you might like to see it 1 pmackellow reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pmackellow 2,738 #2 Posted July 12, 2014 By 'eck I bet that can cut some corn !! 1 Ian reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neil 524 #3 Posted July 12, 2014 It amazes me how these combines work , I was told that they harvest crops via satellite information . I did some work for a company that used to sell Massey ferguson combines in Bedfordshire.& I got to sit in the cab , it felt like you were driving a space ship. Great fun 1 Ian reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C-101plowerpower 548 #4 Posted July 12, 2014 It amazes me how these combines work , I was told that they harvest crops via satellite information . I did some work for a company that used to sell Massey ferguson combines in Bedfordshire.& I got to sit in the cab , it felt like you were driving a space ship. Great fun true on the satellites, a lot of em use gps to stay on target so they are more efficient Koen Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #5 Posted July 12, 2014 By 'eck I bet that can cut some corn !! It clears field directly behind my place in about 5 mins! It amazes me how these combines work , I was told that they harvest crops via satellite information . I did some work for a company that used to sell Massey ferguson combines in Bedfordshire.& I got to sit in the cab , it felt like you were driving a space ship. Great fun It's all a bit high tech these days, I did get a ride in the Claas a couple of years ago and the farmer showed me the cruise control as he called it.. Flick a few switches and it steered itself around the edge of the field! all the high tech stuff can't stop the belts breaking though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #6 Posted July 12, 2014 They are awesome bits of kit, I stop a lot of nights by the roadside to watch them The dust they kick out blocks the sun, and covers everything.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hillsider 16 #7 Posted July 12, 2014 There is one of those machines that works around here and travels between jobs on the highway, doesn't hold the traffic up to bad either it trundles along quite well with the header removed, would not want to meet it head on in a narrow lane though! Makes the old Massey 788's, 400 and 500 combines with 8,10 or 12 foot fixed headers seem small in comparison and we used to get a police escort to deliver those out to farms. Ray. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #8 Posted July 12, 2014 This one is almost to big for around here, it can't get up my lane though and has to come across the fields from a different farm to get it here Good to see another local member by the way Ray Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hillsider 16 #9 Posted July 12, 2014 Do suppose we have seen the same machine? The one that I passed was a few years ago near Eastry on the Dover to Sandwich road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paul 64 #10 Posted July 12, 2014 On the farm behind me they have got a new valtra tractor that inflates or deflates its own tyres to suit wheel slippage and ground conditions. Don't know how it works yet but told formula one cars also have it. Wouldn't like to fix it if it went wrong though, expect its a laptop job Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wristpin 400 #11 Posted July 12, 2014 (edited) One of two being prepared for work on a friends farm last week and a picture taken in the early 60s when I was a pre-college student on the same farm. The two Lexions will each do in an hour more than the fleet of Masseys did in a very long day! Edited July 12, 2014 by Wristpin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #12 Posted July 14, 2014 Do suppose we have seen the same machine? The one that I passed was a few years ago near Eastry on the Dover to Sandwich road. It is possible, but I have a feeling that it lives on a farm not that far away in Benenden. That's a great picture of the old Fergie combines Wristpin The lexion looks like a big monster.. A very clean monster but a monster all the same D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hillsider 16 #13 Posted July 14, 2014 I am inclined to think they are not the same machine to much distance in between locations, I don't think that UK farmers are into the custom harvesting operation like they are in USA. Those guys cover immense mileages between farms never mind around there fields. I think that the combines shown in wristpins photo are the Massey model 780 with the air intake to the radiator vertical, the later 788 had the horizontal intake. The machine nearest the camera is not one that I am familiar with I would guess it is a Viking by the name on the grain tank but don't know who sold those around this area. Ray Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wristpin 400 #14 Posted July 14, 2014 (edited) The Vikings were imported by a company called Watveare (spelling?) down in the West Country and was bought by my Lexion friend's father for a farm that he had in Cornwall but as it had a single rear wheel it was somewhat (!!!!!) unstable on the banky ground down there so it was brought up to the flat lands of the Marsh. It was a strange beast with a narrow header but a wide drum. Consequently one could really tramp on without the risk of the dreaded wrap up. Push the Masseys too hard , particularly if there was a laid patch or the straw a bit green and you'd spend the next half hour unwrapping it much to the amusement of the other drivers and the displeasure of the Boss! The pair of Lexions are new this year , the third pair of tracked Lexions on this farm, each pair bigger than the last. These have 42 foot headers; no wonder they need gps! Edited July 14, 2014 by Wristpin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hillsider 16 #15 Posted July 14, 2014 Another quirk of the Massey 780 & 788 range was the strip of canvas used to cover the access to the concave located just under the threshing drum and accessed by climbing under the raised header and reaching up over the batteries and the engine. This was very popular with mice and was always eaten at the lower corners! It was held in place by a row of 7/16" AF nuts and bolts along its top edge and long pin running through an eye sewn along the bottom edge of the canvas and always seemed to be the apprentices job to fit the new ones - such fun. Ray. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wristpin 400 #16 Posted July 14, 2014 Mice and combines seem to go together, last year one of the Lexions had to have an extensive rewire due to Micky damage. As for claiming up and under to change that canvas it was at least only once a year. The daily jobs of climbing in the back to grease the straw walkers, wiggling under the grain tank to grease the bottom auger bearing and sitting on top of the front elevator to paddle it round with your feet to line up the grease nipples all added to the fun and left one feeling like having done a days work before turning a wheel! Who said, good old days?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #17 Posted July 14, 2014 I noticed the beret worn by the Viking driver. Very popular head gear in those days for farm workers, motorcyclist, cyclists and open vehicle drivers/passengers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wristpin 400 #18 Posted July 16, 2014 Lift off! The stand of rape may look a bit green and patchy in places but in early spring much was under water so it's not turned out too bad. The two Lexions dealt with 75 acres in afternoon! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hillsider 16 #19 Posted July 17, 2014 That is a lot of header to try to watch what is being swept up into the drum - things like lumps of concrete, old bike frames etc used to be the cause of damage to elevator cross bars, drum rasp bars and concaves on machines working near housing estates. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wristpin 400 #20 Posted July 17, 2014 Fortunately not usually a problem in the middle of the Marsh but years ago when the high voltage power lines from Dungeness were strung across there was all sorts of stuff left lying around, sacks of nuts and bolts and lots of lengths of heavy section galvanised angle iron etc ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #21 Posted July 23, 2014 passed a brand new 770 up the road yesterday, looking forward to seeing and hearing it go! 16litre V8 - though you can't usually hear them for the fans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #22 Posted July 24, 2014 A 16 Liter V8 eh.. Now there's a thought No harvesting happening here yet, but I did spot a Claas combine driving past Nigel's workshop the other day.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian 2,417 #23 Posted July 28, 2014 The harvest finally started here today.. Here it comes.. A bit hard to miss As was the dust!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #24 Posted July 29, 2014 they aren't hanging around on harvest this year! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #25 Posted July 29, 2014 Still a lot to do up here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
