There is only a week to go until the Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show, with vintage enthusiasts gearing up for one of the highlights in their calendar. So what can visitors expect on 5-6 November?
Welcoming more than 1,000 vintage tractors, implements and commercial vehicles from across the centuries, there promises to be plenty of competition for the coveted trophies. And visitors will also be treated to the usual live auction of vintage equipment on the Saturday of the show, as well as the autojumble and the annual Service of Remembrance on the Sunday.
Some important milestones will be celebrated this year, including the 50th anniversary of a true workhorse – the Massey Ferguson 1200. This four-wheel-drive articulated tractor mirrored the huge 1500 and 1800 models produced for the US, including its hard-nosed bonnet and integral cab. And its central pivot allowed for tight turns on headlands while the Perkins 5.8-litre diesel engine produced 105hp.
Also celebrating a special birthday is the Series II Field Marshall, manufactured at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. And the Field Marshall holds a special place in Ross Anderson’s heart, brother of Peter – the founder of the Field Marshall club. Their mother bought the Series II for the brothers for £35 back in 1968.
“She was only 20 years old when we bought her, so not in that bad a state, but we still rubbed her down all by hand with a wire brush, repaired a frayed decompression cable and a broken clutch cable,” remembers Ross.
“Without this tractor we could have become football hooligans or something, but instead we spent our time repairing and recycling with her.”
And the very same Field Marshall will be at the Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show. “It all started with this tractor – she’s special and she means a lot to us,” he explains.
The David Brown Cropmaster or VAK1C is also celebrating three quarters of a century. With several variants including the Vineyard, or narrow version – in 1949 David Brown became the first major tractor manufacturer in Britain to launch its own make of diesel engine.
And celebrating 70 years is the Fordson New Major E1A (produced 1952 – 1958). Launched at the Smithfield Show in December 1951, the E1A replaced the old E27N model and featured a choice of three new four-cylinder overhead valve engines in petrol, diesel or vaporising oil.
A fan of Fordsons is Alex Kettlewell, 24 from Davenham in Cheshire, who recently purchased a 1959 Fordson Power Major. Alex was bitten by the vintage bug at a young age and as a teenager saved up to buy his first tractor – a 1979 Ford 3600 – and it’s the sense of achievement he enjoys. “What I feel I’ve achieved doing the tractors up is brilliant. I’d say don’t be afraid to have a go – if you save up and buy one, it’s a big daunting project, but it’s also a huge learning experience.”
And there’s something new for the commercial fans – three new classes: British commercials, non-UK commercials, and pre-1950 commercials. “Classic commercials play an important part in our history and are much loved by many, so we’re delighted to be expanding the classes we are offering,” says show organiser Elizabeth Halsall.
“Excitingly we also have a restored No. 4 threshing drum coming to the show, together with the original tractor it was used with, which has been recently rediscovered.”
There will also be a wide range of other classic and vintage machinery and engines on display, with a celebration of Nicholson’s of Newark machinery and Ruston stationary engines from Lincoln, she adds. “It’s brilliant to be able to celebrate these milestones at the Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show – it’s really special for everyone involved.”
Editor’s notes:
- Advance tickets are now available for a discounted saving to the show. Advance tickets close on Friday 28 October. Thereafter gate prices apply.
- There is also the opportunity to book a weekend camping experience which includes three nights camping and two adult weekend tickets.
- To book tickets or enter the show competitions, visit www.newarkvintagetractorshow.com.
About the show
The Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show is organised by the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society and supported by the Nottinghamshire branch of the National Vintage Tractor and Engine Club (NVTEC). The Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society is a charity whose main objective it to promote and champion agriculture throughout Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands region.
Contact for further information
Elizabeth Halsall
Events and Development Manager
Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society
Organiser of Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show
T: 01636 705 796 E: [email protected]
