Old Pond publishing days

Massey Ferguson Combines Part 2 DVD advance information

The Massey Ferguson Combine Part Two: 1970-2011 Walkers, Rotaries and Hybrids, Steven Richmond and Jonathan Whitlam (Tractor Barn Productions). DVD approx 70 minutes. ISBN 978-1-906853-93-8. Available now from Old Pond at £16.95 inc VAT.

The second part of two programmes in which - using archive footage from AGCO - Tractor Barn tells the story of the Massey Ferguson combine from the reaper to the latest high-tech machines.

Part Two picks up the story at the beginning of the 1970s with the new 520, 525 and 625 combines built in Europe before moving on to the American 800 Series giants and then the smaller European versions. A giant rotary combine appeared in the 1980s that had been developed by White and then MF entered into an agreement with Dronningborg of Denmark to produce a range of European combines as well as Finnish company Sampo for a range of compact and plot machines.

The Dronningborg connection gave MF a leap in electronic monitor technology and would lead to the introduction of field mapping using satellites with the 30 Series machines and the dawn of the new era of precision farming. After the purchase of MF by AGCO the combine line was soon rejuvenated with many more models appearing once again in the USA thanks to the use of Gleaner technology. In the 21st century a whole range of combines is built for Massey Ferguson by Laverda giving a very comprehensive and modern range, fit for today's harvest fields all over the world.

Both Parts One and Two use original Massey Ferguson archive film taken when the featured machines were new and at work.Taken together, these two programmes tell the fascinating story of the development of the red combine harvester line from its origins right up to the present day and also include glimpses of how these machines were built in factories in Canada, Scotland and Denmark. Buy the two programmes together for only £32 inc VAT from the Old Pond Offers website page.

Massey Ferguson Combines Part 1 DVD advance information

The Massey Ferguson Combine Part One: 1847-1980 Reapers to Giants, Steven Richmond and Jonathan Whitlam (Tractor Barn Productions). DVD approx 70 minutes. ISBN 978-1-906853-92-1. Available now from Old Pond at £16.95 inc VAT.

The first part of two programmes which - using archive footage from AGCO - Tractor Barn tells the story of the Massey Ferguson combine from reaper to the latest high-tech machines.

Part One starts in 1847 with reapers and moves through binders, the Massey-Harris merger and then the successful reaper-threshers built by this company that introduced the rasp-bar cylinder method of threshing. Then Massey-Harris set a worldwide trend when they produced the first self-propelled combine, the 20SP, followed by the hugely successful 21SP that became famous as the instrument of the Harvest Brigade in North America in 1944. The combine range gradually evolved and soon combines where being made in Europe as well as Canada and the Massey Ferguson 400 and 500 Series and their derivatives were among the best selling combine of the 1960s. Then in the mid 1970s Massey Ferguson produced the world's first 'super' combine - the giant 760 - and we pay tribute to this simply massive machine and the way it ruled the American prairies as well as the smaller fields of Europe.

Both Parts One and Two use original Massey Ferguson archive film taken when the featured machines were new and at work in the fields of the world. Taken together, these two programmes tell the fascinating story of the development of the red combine harvester line from its origins right up to the present day and also include glimpses of how these machines were built in factories in Canada, Scotland and Denmark. Buy the two programmes together for only £32 inc VAT from the Old Pond Offers website page.

Gardner: L Gardner & Sons book advance information

Gardner: L. Gardner & Sons Ltd, Graham Edge. Paperback book, 275 x 205 mm, 216 pages inc. approx 280 illustrations (8 pages colour). ISBN: 978-1-906853-88-4. Available now from Old Pond at £19.95.

This book by historical transport expert Graham Edge is a comprehensive study of a Manchester company whose name became revered in over forty countries. It traces the story from the origins of the firm in 1868 until it ceased engine production almost 130 years later.
In 1929 L Gardner and Sons Ltd perfected a small high-speed, direct injection diesel engine, the world’s first for an engine of its size. The company soon developed this into the first purpose-built automotive engine of its type. This renowned Gardner LW series was also revolutionary in its use of lightweight aluminium alloys.
Because diesel fuel was more economical than petroleum spirit for most of the last century, and especially in the 1930s, Gardner’s was able to capitalise on a huge and growing market. Their diesel engines went on to gain an unrivalled reputation for reliability and economy in buses, coaches, lorries, rail, shipping  and industrial installations. Their heyday was probably from the end of the Second World War to the early 1960s, a time when their order book was always full.
As well as telling the story of the company’s engineering achievements (and setbacks), the author also brings to life some of the personalities involved, not least the members of the Gardner family. Although they were ‘engineers par excellence’, some of the ‘could be quite irascible!’ By the 1970s Gardners were being left behind by changes in the transport market and also faced damaging industrial relations. In 1977 they became part of the Hawker Siddeley group.
This is a reprint of a book first published in 2002 and revised in 2006. Graham Edge was able to draw on knowledge freely provided by former sales director Dion Houghton. The superb photographs are mainly from the archives of Dion Houghton and Paul Gardner, the great-grandson of the founder. Each photograph has a detailed caption and the book’s Appendices include production figures.

Rubber-tracked tractors DVD advance information

The Rubber Track Revolution, Chris Lockwood. DVD approx 100 minutes. ISBN 978-1-906853-85-3. In stock at Old Pond at £16.95 inc VAT.

In 1987 Challenger introduced the Challenger 65 model with a startling innovation: rubber-belt drive to replace rubber tyres. This combined the traction advantages of traditional crawlers with the mobility of four-wheel drive machines.

In 1990 Track Marshall followed with its 210 horsepower TM200. From that time rubber tracks have been a steadily increasing sight on Britain’s farms, with a claim to offer less soil compaction than their wheeled counterparts.

In 2010 Chris Lockwood filmed 25 examples of those to be seen today, from the Cat Challenger 65 to the latest John Deere 8345RT. Where possible each tractor is shown working with a different implement, and the programme includes subsoiling, cultivating with one-pass disc/tine cultivators, discing, ploughing, pressing, power-harrowing and drilling. As the filming was over a relatively long period it also includes different conditions, ranging from early cultivations in fresh stubble in July to winter ploughing in November.

The story that Chris tells is one of a dramatic increase in horsepower from the 200 mark up to nearly 600. This is coupled to an increasing technical sophistication, with GPS technology and automatic steering becoming routine.

Tractors included inthe DVD:
Cat Challenger 65 - Track Marshall TM200 - Cat Challenger 75D - Cat Challenger 85D - Case IH Quadtrac 9380 - Cat Challenger 55 - Claas Challenger 55 - John Deere 8410T - Claas Challenger 85E - Claas Challenger 95E - Morooka MK-160 - Morooka MK-220S - John Deere 8420T - John Deere 9320T - Case IH Quadtrac STX450 - Challenger MT765 - Cat Challenger MT865 - Case IH Quadtrac 430 - Case IH Quadtrac 530 - Challenger MT765B - Challenger MT865B - John Deere 9630T - Challenger MT765C - Challenger MT865C - John Deere 8345RT.

Some stills taken by Chris while filming can be seen in the blogs of 31 October and 2 November 2010. Chris has previously had two books, Know Your Tractors and Know Your Combines, published and two DVDs, Combine Harvesters parts 1 and 2, released. Chris runs the website Mid Suffolk Agri Photos.

 

Long Haul presented to the British ambassador in Qatar

The British ambassador in Qatar, John Hawkins, has been kind enough to accept a copy of Ashley Coghill's book The Long Haul Pioneers.

Left to right: Peter Carroll (the current owner of Astran), N P Ishmail (Astran Doha office), Kevin Letham (Astran MD), Mr John Hawkins.