Old Pond publishing days

Britains Farm Model Balers and Combines - new book

Dr Pullen's first book Britains Model Tractors (pub. Old Pond) was excellently received. David has now produced a companion book on balers and combines.

David describes all the baler and combine models produced by Britains since they were first added to its product range, and provides details of their development. As well as the standard models he gives details and photographs of rare and prototype ones.

The history is complemented by a catalogue describing the main features, differences, issue dates and codes of each model produced. Each is illustrated with six colour photographs showing the model from different angles and the issue packaging.

Britains Farm Model Balers & Combines 1967-2007, David Pullen. Hardback book, 176 pages inc. over 400 colour photographs, publication November 2008 (Veloce Publishing). NOW IN STOCK at Old Pond. £16.99

Massive Earthmoving Machines Part 3 (Aitik) - new DVD in stock

For more details of this new DVD by Steven Vale, see blog for 24 August. It is now in stock at Old Pond for £15.95 (inc VAT).

The Moon & the Sledgehammer - new DVD

Aptly described as 'bizarrely entertaining', the 1971 documentary The Moon & the Sledgehammer gave glimpses of a family cutting itself off from the world nearly forty years ago.

Mr Page and his grown-up children Kathy, Nancy, Jim and Peter lived in six acres of woodland at Gun Hill near Heathfield, Sussex (south of London). Water was from the well. There were no electricity or gas.

While the girls embroidered, gardened, skivvied at home - or escaped to the coast - the men immersed themselves in machinery, including two steam traction engines. One moment Mr Page was building a submersible iron boat; the next he was shooting rabbit and pigeon for the pot.

Director Philip Trevelyan drew out the conflicting ideas and fantasies of each of the five characters. The men's distrust of technological advance beyond steam has a resonance today.

Filmed in colour, sombrely, without artifical lighting and with plenty of large close-ups, the images build up to what could be something rather nasty in the woodshed - but isn't quite.

Pirated versons of the programme have been shown over the years but this is the first good, legal print to be in circulation, distributed by Vaughan Films Ltd.

The Moon & the Sledgehammer, approx 65 minutes, directed by Philip Trevelyan, produced by James Vaughan, available from Old Pond Publishing at £19.95. NOW IN STOCK.

New Marshall Diesel Tractors book in stock

Full details of Peter Anderson's Marshall Diesel Tractors 1930-1957 are given in the blog of 20th May. The book is now in stock at £24.95. See www.oldpond.com.

Kings of Construction - DVD set in stock

Old Pond is now able to distribute the Discovery Channel's Kings of Construction DVD set. 

This is real value – over 6½ hours of viewing on eight DVDs in one package.

Kings of Construction tells the dramatic story of some of the world’s most demanding building projects:
• Gotthard base tunnel, 58 kilometres long.
• Hallandsås ridge tunnel, Sweden, two 8-kilometre tunnels.
• Snohvit natural gas plant, Cadiz.
• South China cable car, 5.8 kilometres long.
• Stonecutters bridge, Hong Kong, main span 1,000 metres.
• Hoover dam bridge, America’s longest concrete-arched bridge.
• El Cajon dam, Mexico, the world’s highest rock-filled dam.
• Dubai ski resort, world’s biggest artificial ski slope.

All are ambitious designs requiring vast amounts of money and the highest skills for the engineers, builders and architects trying to deliver on time and on budget.

Six-disc DVD set, approx 400 minutes, released 2007
£21.95 from www.oldpond.com

New catalogue of DVDs and books on the land-based industries

The new free catalogue from Old Pond Publishing, in stock today, contains details of 160 DVDs and books on a wide range of topics associated with work on the land.

The range includes:

tractors and farm machinery history
ploughing skills
farm machinery and welding skills
harvesting in North America
earthmovers and construction
forestry
heavy transport and trucking
ice roads
livestock farming and veterinary
farm breed recognition
heavy horses
sheepdog training
rural photograph books and archive film DVDs
reminiscences by land girls and others; rural novels
Paul Heiney's television series and the humour of Henry Brewis.

To obtain a copy email [email protected] or telephone 01473 238200 (in the UK); 0044 1473 238200 outside the UK.

Demolition DVD - second session of filming

In his second session of filming Steven Vale has captured the very first outing of the world's tallest demolition rig.

Based on a Caterpillar 5110B mining shovel, it reaches a mind-boggling 90 metres (right) and is about to be added to the Guinness Book of Records.

Director Jonathan Theobald and cameraman Roger Wiltshire have recorded some superb footage of the machine at work, while detailed close-ups reveal all of its secrets.

Joining it at the site is another modified Cat 5110B (left), this time with a specially developed three-piece rig working to 30 metres. Fitted at the top with a range of 12-tonne tools, this machine has an insatiable appetite, pulverising everything in its path.

When Old Pond eventually releases the DVD next year you will be able to see these two superb machines working together - yet another unforgettable sight.

Old Pond Trade Stands

These are the next shows at which Old Pond will be running a full sales stand:

Tractor 2008 Autumn Show, Spalding.  Sunday October 5th. www.spaldingmodeltractor.com

National Tractor Show, Peterborough. Saturday/Sunday 1-2 November. www.kelsey.co.uk

The 6th Newark Vintage Tractor & Heritage Show. Saturday/Sunday 8-9 November. www.newarkshowground.com

LAMMA ’09, Newark. Wednesday/Thursday 21-22 January 2009. www.lammashow.co.uk

Ferguson TE20 in Detail - book distributed by Old Pond

Old Pond has taken delivery of a consignment of Ferguson TE20 in Detail, published two years ago by Herridge. It will be included in the 2008-9 catalogue due out shortly.

This handsome hardback book by Michael Thorne contains 176 pages including 263 photographs. Many of the photographs are well-chosen archive shots; an equal number are new tractor portraits by Andrew Morland. Published 2006 (by Herridge & Sons), ISBN 978-0-9549981-3-4. £35.00.

• Harry Ferguson the Man

• The Ford-Ferguson
• The First TE20
• The TVO and Lamp Oil Versions
• Diesel Versions
• The American-built Ferguson TO20
• Ferguson in France
• The Ferguson TE20 Overseas
• Industrial Fergusons
• Conversions
• Implements
• Options and Accessories
• The LTX
• With the TE20 to the South Pole
• TE20 Ownership Today
• Ferguson Spin-offs
• Identifying your TE20
• Specifications
• Suppliers and Dealers.

Know Your Cattle - new book in stock

Jack Byard's second book came into stock today at Old Pond. Know Your Cattle illustrates and describes in pocketbook format the 44 breeds of cattle you are most likely to see in Britain. Retail price: £4.99.

Fuller details are given in the blog for 13 July.