Scratch the surface of any community and, it is said, its true character is revealed. So what are we to make of the amazing number of vintage machines, especially tractors, arranged outside The Bluebell at the recent Glinton Heritage Day?
Tractors on display at Glinton
A deeper explanation is the reflection of historical economic activities of our region – Engineering and Agriculture. Our communities have hosted many famous engineering names – from engines to beet harvesters and implements. Each village hosts working farms to this day. The Tribune reveals the people and stories behind the machines on show.
First up are those actively involved in agriculture today:
Graham Smitheringale, when not running his farming business, collects rare implements including the Glinton-made horse-drawn plough by Simpson Blacksmiths. Graham also organised the machinery at the recent Willowbrook Farm Open Day. There he managed to ‘tweak’ into life an old Fordson that had not run for 40 years – host Rosemary Morton could remember driving it on her father’s farm many years ago. Then there are the working horses Graham keeps in Etton…
Also in this ‘working’ category is the collection from John Neaverson, Jeff and Nobby Noble – Fergusons, International Harvesters (one still on active duty) and Fordsons – all renovated in the village. These machines provided a human angle – Jeff Noble deserves all our thanks as the organiser of this part of Heritage Day; Andrew Warne recalled his days at the IH factory in Doncaster and Julie Owen (Neaverson) showed you can take the girl out of the farm but not the farm out of the girl – by demonstrating her prowess as Fordson driver on the day!
Finally in this group comes Mark Weston of Peakirk – whose business trades old agricultural machinery and spares.
Although no machines were on display from the largest and most varied collection in our villages, Mark’s contribution is vital to many that were.
Next come the long-term collectors. The oldest tractor on display was Barry Cooke’s Marshall winch tractor from Peakirk. You may be familiar with the slow and distinctive single-cylinder “wumpha wumpha” noise as this rare machine is driven to events.
Barry lit the ‘tinder’ (a smouldering paper) for the hot bulb needed to start the engine – the oldest machine was the only one to run during the event!
Another “green machine” was the John Deere belonging to Derek Pooley, seldom seen, and also in beautiful condition. This was in “rowcrop” style – with a single front wheel and narrow rear tyres, designed for cultivating maize or cotton (USA) or potatoes and sugar beet in the UK.
The ‘little grey Fergie’ and the more modern red and grey Massey Ferguson illustrated a global “first” of agricultural mechanisation, the hydraulically-powered three-point linkage at the rear.
Huge advances in efficiency arose from the combination of tractor power and mounted implements. Another strand of heritage is that the two machines from Phil Clifton of Glinton and Den Johnson of Helpston were both powered by diesel engines from Perkins, celebrating their 75th anniversary this year.
Lastly comes my own Ferguson – now just 58 years old. After a lifetime working in Lincolnshire, given a little restoration, it now takes gentle local exercise only – ploughing at Willowbrook, parading at Deeping Show, cutting grass at Peakirk, carting “muck” for the garden and wood for the Peakirk bonfire.
Thanks are due to the owners of all the other machines, bikes and cars that rounded out the show.
SO, eleven tractors, all driven from one of the Tribune Villages, over five hundred years of history, average age over 50 (like most of their owners…!)
What is the secret of the Tractor Boys, where is the heritage?
My view is the celebration of the machines’ achievements – pioneers in their time, through their design and operations on the land;
1) The satisfaction of ‘hands-on’ engineering – no ‘black-box/fit another one’ repairs here, oil and spanners are the order of the day;
2) A vibrant network – all the advice and help needed comes locally from other owners or small businesses;
3) A historical connection – many of the owners worked for an organisation making or using the tractors.
4) Unlocking the experience and recollections of older people AND indulging the “can I sit on it” dreams of children;
5) The satisfaction of coaxing a vintage machine to carry out its original task.
If all this passes you by, just think of a really open ‘off-roader’, at much more modest cost.
Breaking news is that Glinton Heritage Day will run again – here’s looking forward to more old tractor sights and sounds on Sunday September 7th 2008.
David Cowcill
