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Peter Anderson's book, prepared with the help of the late Jeff Bloom, is aimed at owners, restorers and potential buyers of Marshall tractors. Peter deals with the following models: the 'Colonial'; Model E (15/30); 18/30; 12/20 and M; Field Marshall Mark 1 and Series 2, 3 and 3A; MP4 and MP6; the Track Marshall; the Fowler VF and VFA and the Gainsborough loading shovel. The book includes 280 photographs.
Peter gives a potted history of the development of each individual Series and Mark. Wherever possible he offers current or potential owners a Buyer's Guide for each model. This describes areas of likely wear and tear or specific checks to be made before purchase.
At the end of each chapter Peter gives a specification sheet with details of general dimensions, capacities, optional equipment, production numbers and areas of distribution. He completes the book with chapters on preventative maintenance and trouble-shooting. Restorers are well served by Peter's knowledgeable discussion of what might or might not be counted as authentic.
Peter shares with the late Jeff Bloom a deep-rooted enthusiasm for Marshall. He is author of Three Decades of Marshall Tractors and numerous articles about the company and its products.
Marshall Diesel Tractors 1930-1957 by Peter Anderson, hardback book, approx 220 pages inc. 280 photographs. ISBN 978-1-905523-88-7. £24.95, Old Pond Publishing. NOW IN STOCK
In 1995, five years before his death, Henry Brewis recorded a double audio-cassette of some of his stories and verses. Old Pond is now issuing a re-mastered edition of the first part of the recording, 'Shepherd's Pie'.
Shepherd's Pie, written and narrated by Henry Brewis. Audio CD re-mastered from the 1995 original, runs for approx 60 minutes. Available now, £7.95. ISBN 978-1-905523-85-6.
Northumbrian hill farmer Brewis remains the the most trenchant and funny observer of farm and country life in recent decades. Whether he is talking about the cussedness of sheep or the naivety of rural incomers, he always hits the nail on the head.
Contents: May morning - Market forces - Return of the prodigal daughter - That's show business - The office - Dear diary (1) - Wotsisname? - Economical with the truth - Capital punishment - Grave concern - Dear diary (2) - One more gone - Stranger in the night - Dying race.
This 3-disk set of the complete first series of the immensely popular History Channel series is now available from Old Pond
Follow the competition and camaraderie of six truckers as they brave whiteouts, thin ice and deadly cold..... From the construction of this massive frozen highway to the final risky days when the road grows unreliable, Ice Road Truckers takes viewers on a thrilling ride.'
The programmes last 8½. There's also an Extra giving exclusive interviews with the crews.
What more could you want for £19.95?
This week we've been to Lapland, filming the Aitik copper mine, courtesy of Boliden AB. Our guide was assistant shift supervisor Sture Holmgren.
The mine is an ever-expanding and deepening hole in the mineral-bearing rock. Now 480 metres deep, it is expected to reach 800 metres before it is de-commissioned.
Although copper is the main product of the mine, there are also significant gold and silver deposits
The mine uses three models of extraction machinery. This Bucyrus 495BII electric rope shovel (right) is the only one in Europe. It is loading a Cat 793C.
Also the only ones in Europe, there are two P&H 4100 rope shovels (left) at the mine.
Another first (right): the first Komatsu PC5500 electric excavator in Europe.
Cat's largest wheeled loader: the 994F (left).
We have tried to show the whole mining process including rock extraction, drill rigs and blasting, transport on site, crushing, milling (right) and transport off site.
A regret? Yes. We didn't get to see the 60-year-old Marion 7400 dragline (left) in operation - though we were told that it is still used from time to time.
We were filming for the 3rd part of Old Pond's Massive Earthmoving Machines series. TO BE RELEASED OCTOBER. See Blog 24 August
Lameness and overgrown feet are a major welfare and economic problem in the modern dairy industry. The aim of Roger Blowey's book is to help prevent these conditions and treat outbreaks. It deals with both theory and practice.
Cattle Lameness and Hoofcare 2nd Edition by Roger Blowey BSc., BVSc., FRCVS. Hardback book, 136 pages including 198 illustrations. ISBN 978-905523-28-3. £19.95, now in stock, Old Pond.
The chapters in this book cover: 1. The incidence and cost of lameness; (2) Foot structure, function and inflammation (laminitis); (3) Weight-bearing surfaces and hoof overgrowth; (4) Hoof trimming; (5) Common diseases of the foot and their treatments; (6) The causes and prevention of lameness.
The second edition is a complete revision. Roger has provided more information about the impact on lameness of changes that occur at the time of calving. He describes new conditions such as toe necrosis and heel ulcers. In particular he draws on the findings published at the two-yearly Symposia of Diseases in the Ruminant Digit. The book is considerably enlarged and includes many new illustrations.
Roger Blowey, a practising veterinarian, is an RCVS specialist in cattle health. Among his many honours is the BVA Dalrymple-Champneys medal for work of outstanding merit in the advancement of veterinary science. His other publications include A Veterinary Book for Dairy Farmers.
The death today of John Moffitt has been announced. It follows a long period of illness.
The two Gentlemen of the Party: John Moffitt (right) and Jack Kemball during filming at the 1998 'Power of the Past' event at Wantisden, Suffolk. Jack Kemball died in March this year, just short of his 97th birthday.
Born in Cumbria in 1929, John Mofitt left school at 16 to work on his father's Hunday farm. In the early 1960s he and two other cattle breeders formed the first private AI company, CBS, which became Premier Breeders. The success of this operation, the renown of the Hunday dairy herd, the efficiency and size of his farms, his venture into Hunday Electronics, his public works and his founding of the Hunday museum all brought him acclaim and honours.
John had a deep interest in agricultural engineering, and in particular the work of Dan Albone, creator of the Ivel tractor, and Harry Ferguson. He restored an Ivel, making it perhaps the oldest working internal-combustion-engined farm tractor in the world. Working with George Potts, he built up one of the finest collections of Ferguson tractors and equipment.
John's enthusiasm was infectious. No one who was there will forget the Historic Pageant that he put on for Friends of Ferguson Heritage in June 1999 at his home at Stocksfield, near Newcastle.
Besides a parade of all his Ferguson tractors and equipment, he created a pageant in which the achievements of three great tractor innovators were recalled by actors.
(left) John Moffitt and his pageant actors: Alex Albone (acting the role of Dan Albone); Bill Martin (as Harry Ferguson), and Gerry White (Henry Ford).
John kept a detailed diary from 1950 and he was a great collector of records, literature and other items to do with his interests. In his later years these formed the basis of three books: Fergusons, the Hunday Experience (with John Farnworth, 2000); The Ivel Story (2003); 60 Years of Farming - an autobiography (2007). All have been published by Japonica Press.
Old Pond DVDs to which John Moffitt contributed are Power of the Past, in which he talked about his Gyrotiller and Ferguson Tractors which featured several of the rarer machines from his collection.
This Saturday we started off south of Birmingham at Wythall where Tim Starkey-Smith levelled a yard using Frank Bullock's 2DII (left).
The machine was at one time owned by Joe Darby (right) who made sure that it was in working order for us.
In the afternoon Tim handled a monster: a 3DIII (left). The machine belongs to Jim Brereton who has been using it for forestry clearance and general maintenance for fourteen years. Jim keeps it in frequent operation at the White House, Cannock.
Optional extra with the 3DIII, the breaker (left) was only a partial success in Tim's hands.
For more information about the DVD see blog 24 August.
