There are many people for whom happiness is the sight of an old tractor working the land. We reveal our favourite 5.
The gentle clatter of an old tractor working in the distance is as British a sound as the thwack of willow on leather and you don’t need to be a farmer to appreciate it. There’s nothing like a vintage-tractor rally to get the blood flowing on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Perhaps you know someone who has a treasured tractor collection, tucked away in a barn and maintained as lovingly as any fleet of Aston Martins? We reveal our top 5 vintage tractors.
1. Fordson Major (livery: blue/orange or blue/grey)
Introduced in 1952, the all-new Fordson Major was built by Ford at its factory in Dagenham, Essex. During its 12-year production life, the 50hp Major was heralded as Britain’s most popular diesel-powered tractor.
2. Nuffield Universal 4/60 or 10/60 (livery: orange)
Manufactured by British Motor Corporation, the Nuffield Universal was launched in 1948. Subsequent diesel versions included the 60hp 4/60 (1961) and the 10-speed 10/60 (1964), built at BMC’s factory in Bathgate, West Lothian.
3. Ferguson TE20 (livery:grey)
Launched in 1946, the Ferguson TE20 was built in Coventry. It introduced the world to the Ferguson System and was nicknamed the ‘grey Fergie’.
4. David Brown 990 Selectamatic (livery: white/chocolate)
Launched in 1965, the David Brown 990 Selectamatic replaced the popular 990 Implematic, with new styling, a new livery and David Brown’s innovative Selectamatic single-lever hydraulic system.
5. Massey Ferguson (MF) 135 (livery: red and grey)
Introduced in December 1964, the 45.5hp three-cylinder diesel MF 135 was the most popular tractor MF manufactured in the UK. In the late 1960s, one in five tractors sold in Britain was an MF 135.
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