Jim Hall has created an amazing “relaxation room” or Mancave. It’s all around a Fergy theme; to see this amazing room please click on the link below…see how many MF/Fergy items you can spot. There will be a full article in the Members Club Journal……..what a great way to relax!
Click on link to see Jim’s Mancave pictures….. (Link opens in new window, close window to return)
Dear Sir.
Please apologise the inconvenience this message causes you, but it concerns a historical point that I would like to resolve about the manufacture of Ferguson tractors.
We know that a small number of Ferguson TE, TEA, TEF… tractors were assembled between 1947 and 1952 with pressed aluminium body parts.
As far as I know, these parts are systematically non-load-bearing and concern either the side panels of the bonnet, the grids, the bonnet, the dashboard or the fuel tank. I don’t know of any rear fenders or aluminum seats, for example.
We also know that Ferguson tractors were manufactured at Banner Lane’s shadow factory in Coventry. The plant was built and financed in 1939 by the British Air Ministry on 93,000 square metres and rent to the Standard Motor Company who has had to carry out work “in the shadows” of its skills as an automotive engine manufacturer, parts for 20,000 radial wave jacket engines Hercules VIII type, as a subcontractor for the manufacturer Bristol Aeroplane.
The Standard Motor Company also contributed to manufacturing at its Canley industrial site, which came into service in 1916 and was located in the southwest suburbs of Coventry:
The attribution of the origin of aluminium parts in the bodywork of Ferguson’s tractors is often justified by the state of the British economy at the end of the Second World War, by the appalling winter of 1946-1947, by shortages of raw materials, particularly steel and finally by the rationing implemented by Clément Attlee governement between 1945 and 1951.
There were therefore deficiencies in the supply of steel filled by the use of aluminium plates.
The main issue I would like to resolve is the exact origin of these aluminium plates. It is said on some websites that they would be parts of the cabin of reformed or wrecked aircraft. No documents, no sources, no evidence are published to support these statements. Nothing exists other than the facts that show that aluminum was used.
It so happens that I have on a TEA tractor, an entiere hood cover completely made of aluminium, which is nothing original; but what is unique, I think, is that under the original paint now very worn, you can see in its middle the letters and numbers: BB3 ODQ, of a size near eight millimeters high and large each, over which the Ferguson grey paint was applied in the factory. This provides a serious indication that this is a reuse of an aluminium sheet, previously used for another purpose, with a marking unrelated to Ferguson.
Do you have a specific clue to identify this code ?
Knowing that the Standard Motor Company has manufactured fuselages parts for the Bristol Beaufighter heavy fighter plane in Coventry, could the code B.B 3 have anything to do with this aircraft? Maybe, the BB.3 code could have a signification for any Bristol plane like the Beaufort, or the Blenheim ones?
I hope to be able to count on your understanding and help, and I would like to thank you in advance.
Editor’s note ; If anyone can provide any further information or has any answers raised in this letter please contact Website Co-ordinator / Gary Anderson and we will forward as appropriate.
Success again for the Lincolnshire area of the Ferguson Club winning best group stand at the show. Thanks go to Malcolm Robinson for nominating us for this award.
Thank you to all club members and wives for help setting up on Friday manning the stand all weekend and taking down Sunday night, to the chairman, vice chairman and all area reps far and wide for their help and support on the stand. Special thanks to Peter Aston for bringing displays and manning the merchandise stall and signing up new members. To Judy for her floral displays of pots and buckets which enhance the look of the stand and play a functional role, also her wonderful Armistice Sunday Centenary Display. To David for serving tea/coffee and the generosity of the visitors resulting in £178 in the pot for John and Judy to present to Macmillan Cancer Care. Thank you to members who brought tractors and implements to display on the stand, it was a bonus when we finished up with a winner on the stand Chris Turner from South Yorkshire with his 1955 TEF 20.
John, Nigel and myself spent most of Saturday judging which is a hard day due to the standard of restorations but one we all enjoy. This year we had the best entry of Ferguson implements ever both on and off the stand the winner being the original mk1 three ton tipping trailer owned by Colin Taylor, commiserations to all you runners up.
Overall it was a good show and a great weekend for the club and the visitors.
Regards John Sharpe.
To celebrate 60 yrs of the rally the theme will be made and supplied in Lincolnshire.
The Ferguson Club is looking for members with implements or memorabilia with a Lincolnshire connection to display on the stand. We also require nine tractors to cover all four registration areas of the County.
-DO and -JL Holland.
-CT and -TL. Kesteven.
-BE -FU and -FW. Lindsey.
-FE and -VL Lincoln.
Any members with Ferguson or MF tractors with these registrations please contact any of the following if you can help.
David Chapman. 07966402141
Nigel Harness. 07702322088
John Sharpe. 07971286030
For those members that have been waiting many months, Reproduction Ferguson T20 Goodyear diamond pattern rear tyres and now available to order from British Rubber Co.
Call Tom on tel: 01274 585427
… Photos from left clockwise:- Jacob Havelock;Richard Welham;Colleen Pearce (measuring) & Gemma Arbon; Paul Sadler; Brian upchurch; Sara Tween; Adam Eaton; David Allen; Adrian Bland:
Colin Powell sold his large ferguson collection by auction at Stable House, Munstone, Hereford, HR1 3AH on 29th September 2018 Auctioneer HJ PUGH Ledbury Full list of results on PUGH Website
Link to H PUGH Website – http://www.hjpugh.com/new.html (Opens in new window, close window to return)
We came across the above film recently and was surprised to see it featuring an early Ferguson TE20 tractor.Starring: Basil Radford, Kenneth Moore, Niall MacGinnis, Bernard Miles, Hattie Jacques.
Great Britain At It’s Best, Innovative Engineering and Manufacturing.
The workers in a small plough factory take over the firm, but when a large order falls through, the old management come back to help out. At the time it was very Political and even Harold Wilson’s Cabinet had to intervene as to whether to release it to the Public.
Original clip is no longer available,
there is a short clip here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=404098306406558 (Opens in new window, close window to return)
60 tractors took part in the annual event on one of the hottest days of the year. The route of about 18 miles went through local Suffolk villages and some very bumpy farm tracks. After about 10 miles a pit stop was organised and a very welcome bottle of water was handed out.
The road run has become part of a Vintage and Classic Vehicle Display.Various trade stands attended together with stationary engines,vintage tractors and classic cars. A small static display of MF 35s celebrating 60 years of Massey Ferguson.
The whole event was organised by local Rotary clubs and by Ferguson club member Don Sapsford. An estimated total of £2,500 was raised in aid of St Elisabeth Hospice Ipswich and St Nicholas Hospice, Bury St Edmunds.
