These pages are for my Vintage Tractors and Engines. I started in this hobby in 1987 when my neighbour asked me if I would like to accompany him to his club which he thought I would find interesting.

The club was the Thames Valley Group of the National Vintage Tractor and Engine Club. There I met a lot of interesting folk who mainly came from a farming background but also included people from other walks of life. The bug bit and I soon acquired a "basket case" of parts of a Lister "D" type single cylinder engine. This engine I restored and rebuilt and soon had it running at a local Farm open day. Since then having attended various auctions around the country or been told of the whereabouts of engines and Tractors I now own 3 Tractors and 3 Engines. This is still a bit too many to keep on my own property as thats only a bungalow so most of them live down on my friend Bill's farm who I met through the club.

My collection consists of a 1917 Lister "J" 4.5 HP single cylinder petrol engine, a Lister "CS 6/1 single cylinder Diesel engine and a Petter "AVA2" sectionalised classroom instruction engine.

The Lister "J" came from a work collegue contact and is restored. The "CS 6/1 is unrestored and is earmarked to provide the power for an old sawbench so I can cut up firewood.

The Petter sectionalised engine was prepared by Petter apprentices and presented to Reading University. After many years use in the Agricultural Engineering Department it was given away with other old equipment to a friend who then passed it on to me.

After the Lister "D" engine I wanted a tractor to restore and Patrick, Bill's son found me one the next year.

This tractor is a 1948 Fordson Major E27N with a petrol/TVO (Tractor Vaporising Oil) engine and Magneto ignition. Starting is by hand with the petrol and once the engine is warmed up the fuel tap is changed over to run on the TVO.

Restoration involved the removal of Tin work for de-rusting, degreasing the rest and then sand blasting away the rust. Several coats of primer and then top coat of Empire Blue for the body and Fordson Orange for the wheels and the tractor was ready for the road.

This tractor was shown at shows and rallies around Reading and also taken our annual club road run.

• Technical Details:

My next tractor was obtained from South Wales where my friend Ian put me on to a chap who was in the process of restoring a 0-6-0 steam shunting locomotive and wanted space. This is also a Fordson Major E27N but what made this one different was it had the engine replaced by a Perkins L4 Diesel engine.

This tractor was fitted with full electric's which included lights, generator and starter motor. Flashing turn indicators were fitted by myself as a necessary precaution.

Restoration of this tractor was similar to the first but it also needed new rear tyres and one front.

The difference in performance is quite noticeable !! This engine gives 45 HP and runs at a slightly higher RPM so the road speed is now 13 mph and uphill it doesn't falter like the TVO one does.

I've recently acquired a Ferguson TEA20 1949 model for use around my field. It is good condition and only required a silencer and new battery to get up and running again. I can live with the leaking oil seal on the front wheel hub, that is a long way down my list of jobs.

Follow these links to my other pages

Go to my Home Page
Go to my Hobby Page
Go to my Restoration and Preservation Links Page
Go to my DUKW page 1
Go to my DUKW page 2
Go to my DUKW pictures page
Go to my Vintage Tractor Picture Page
Go to my Pet Pictures Page