Old Pond publishing days

Massey Ferguson Farm Implements and Machinery Part 2 DVD advance information

Massey Ferguson Farm Implements and Machinery Part 2 1970-77, George French and Dennis Burston. DVD, approx 90 minutes. ISBN 978-1-908397-44-7. Now available from Old Pond at £16.95 inc. VAT.

In Part 2 of this 3-part set we move on to 1970-77, a period when MF was responding to the drive for increased agricultural output.

The programme starts with a couple of MF 40 ploughs, two of seven ploughs featured along with a wide range of ground-engaging and other implements. The very first MF 1100 tractor sold in the UK is shown pulling an MF 23 coil-tine cultivator. MF’s famous pressure-control coupler is seen operating with a set of 520 disc harrows and 178 tractor.

How many MF 51 mowers are now to be seen working? We have one hitched to an early MF 135 Multi-Power 4-wheel drive tractor. We finish with a pair of combine harvesters – a 415 and a 515 – both new in the late 1960s and a common sight throughout the 1970s.

The programme includes: 
MF 135 and 40 2-furrow plough
MF 135 and 40 3-furrow plough
MF 135 and 11 spinner–broadcaster
MF185 and 28 disc harrows
MF 135 and 34 multi-purpose grain & fertiliser drill
MF 175 and 727 subsoiler
MF 135 and 721 multi-purpose blade
MF 135 and 35 loader
MF 165 and 19 manure spreader
MF 178 and 41 3-furrow plough
MF 185 and 24 chisel plough
MF 165 and 52 10ft disc harrows
MF 178 and 738 tiller
MF 165 and 39 spring-tine cultivator
MF 690 and 30 15-row corn drill
MF 175 and 40 loader
MF 788 combine harvester
MF 711 potato harvester
MF 1080 and 86 6-furrow plough
MF 86 5-furrow plough (static)
MF 86 4-furrow plough (static)
MF 1080 and MF 41 5-furrow plough
MF 1200 and 52 semi-mounted disc harrows
MF 1100 and 23 coil-tine cultivator
MF 178, pressure-control coupler and 520 disc harrows
MF 595, 30 4m drill and Reekie transport trailer
MF 135 4wd and 51 rotary mower
MF 165 and 60 5ft cutter-bar mower
MF 178, 740 forage harvester and 17 trailer
MF 675 and 124 baler
MF 187 combine harvester
MF 18 and 22 trailers
MF 415 combine harvester
MF 515 combine harvester.

The first DVD in the three-part series is available here.

Opencast Images new British Coal book by Dave Wootton advance information

Opencast Images: An Informal Look at British Coal Opencast Sites 1986-1994, Dave Wootton. Hardback book, 210 x 265 mm (landscape), 144 pages inc. 230 colour photographs. ISBN 978-1-908397-42-3. Now available from Old Pond at £24.95.

In the United Kingdom surface coal mining began in 1942 in response to a national shortage of deep-mined coal. By the 1980s, when Dave Wootton began touring sites and taking photographs, the industry was firmly established with major operations and very large machinery.

His fully captioned pictures cover the period from 1986 until British Coal Opencast (BCO) was privatised in 1994. There are panoramic shots showing the scale of operations and fine close-ups of individual machines of many kinds at work. He includes several walking draglines such as the 4,000-ton ‘Ace of Spades’, the largest of its kind in Europe. Another record holder was O&K’s RH300 hydraulic shovel beautifully photographed by Dave at its Godkin, Derbyshire workplace.

Dave visited some two dozen sites in Derbyshire, Northumberland, Yorkshire, South Wales and elsewhere, capturing the full range of surface mining activities. The equipment was manufactured by famous names such as Caterpillar, Ransomes & Rapier and Ruston-Bucyrus. BCO used contractors – so Wimpey, Taylor Woodrow, Fairclough and others are all seen playing their parts.

The surface-mining industry has changed considerably since 1994, meaning that this collection of photographs has great historic interest for enthusiasts. The author also includes a short history of BCO, some Open Days material, machine specifications and a full index of machines. Dave Wootton, a retired bus driver, lives in Hednesford, Staffs. He has been fascinated by opencast mines since childhood.

The sites covered in this book are:
Ackton • Airdsgreen • Bleakhouse • Brown Lees • Butterwell • Chalmerston • Chapmans Well • Chester House • Coalfield North • Cornwall • Damside • Derlwyn • Dixon • East Chevington • Ffos Las • Ffyndaff • Gilfach Iago • Godkin • Incline Top • Keekle • Kirk • Maesgwyn Cap • Nadins • Nant Helen • Newdale • Parkslip • Potatopot • Ryfield • Skelton • St Aidans • Stobswood • West Chevington.

The principal machines shown:
Cable Shovels: Lima 2400, Marion 182M, P&H 1900AL, Ruston-Bucyrus 22-RB, 150-RB, 195-B.
Crawler Draglines: Lima 2400, Marion 195M, Ruston-Bucyrus 150-RB.
Walking Draglines: Bucyrus-Erie BE 380W, BE 480W, BE 1150B, 1260W, BE 1550W, Marion 7500, 7800, P&H 757, Ransomes & Rapier W600, W1800, W2000.
Dump Trucks: Aveling Barford RD050, 773, Cat 789, Euclid R50, R85, Komatsu HD785, Lectra Haul M100, Terex R50, R65, 3311, 2366 ADT.
Hydraulic Excavators: Ackerman H10, Cat 215, 225, 235, 245, 325, Demag H85, H121, H241, H185, H285, Hitachi UH053, EX1800, EX3500, JCB 812, Komatsu PC210, PC240, Liebherr R912, R932, R974, R994, O&K RH6, RH9, RH40, RH75, RH90, RH120, RH200, RH300.
Dozers: Cat 814 wheel dozer, D8, D9, Komatsu D155A, D275A.
Wheel Loaders: Cat 966, 988, 992.
Scrapers: Cat 631, Terex TS24. Drill Rigs: Compair Holman RBH30, Reedrill SK40.
Ancillary Plant: Cat 16G grader, Cat 825 compactor, Norwest Holst / Terex TS24 grader, Terex TS24 & R50 water bowsers.

UK Heavy Haul DVD awarded five stars by Biglorryblog

See Commercial Motor magazine's Biglorryblog for a five-star appraisal of the new DVD by Pete Connock and Martin Phippard, UK Heavy Haul. Brian Weatherley writes: "The 85-minute DVD gets a BLB five-star rating. I enjoyed every minute of it, backed up as usual by Martin's expert commentary."

Seventy Years of Farm Tractors new book by Brian Bell advance information

Seventy Years of Farm Tractors 1930-2000, Brian Bell. Hardback book, 246 x 189 mm. 304 pages inc. 348 illustrations. ISBN 978-1-908397-34-8. Now in stock at Old Pond at £24.95.

Brian Bell’s encyclopaedic book traces the evolution of the farm tractor from the starting handles and pan seats of the 1930s to the 4-wheel drive machines and computer management systems seventy years later. He deals in particular with developments of the classic period from the 1950s to the 1990s.

The book is arranged alphabetically by manufacturer from Allis-Chalmers to Zetor, one hundred marques in total. These are all machines to be found on British farms irrespective of their country of manufacture.

Brian runs concisely through the histories of the companies and their major models, illustrated with a wealth of photographs and extracts from sales literature. He adds special features on items such as hydraulic systems and cold-starting aids. He includes a glossary and full index.

This book replaces the author’s earlier, successful, Fifty Years of Farm Tractors. Many of the photographs are new and the text has been brought up to date to include developments of the early twenty-first century.It is a companion to Brian's books Seventy Years of Farm Machinery Parts 1 and 2 which are to be found in the Farm Machinery section of the Old Pond website.

Brian Bell lives in Suffolk where he was formerly Vice Principal of Otley College. He has written over 25 books and DVDs on farm machinery and contributes to a number of specialist magazines. He has been awarded the MBE for his services to agriculture.

UK Heavy Haul new DVD now in stock

UK Heavy Haul, the latest trucking DVD from Pete Connock and Martin Phippard (CP Productions), is now in stock at Old Pond at £16.95 inc VAT. Customer Mr D.R. from Penrith, Cumbria reports: "I enjoyed the DVD so much I just wish it had been longer." Details and online ordering are here.

Eddie Stobart Series Three 4-DVD set in stock

The 4-DVD set of Eddie Stobart Series 3 is now in stock at Old Pond at £19.95 inc VAT. Details and online ordering are here.