Old Pond publishing days

Praise for Farming in Miniature Volume 1

Farming in Miniature Volume 1 continues to be praised. This time it is by the Collectors Gazette, November 2013 issue:

"A real treat ... absolutely jam-packed with information and pictures ... most striking throughout is the wonderful photography. There are almost 1,000 photographs and each will take you on a trip down memory lane. We can't wait for volume two!"

A unique trucking gathering and drive-past to celebrate Martin Phippard's 70th birthday

There was a very special occasion on Saturday to mark the 70th birthday of Martin Phippard.

Some 88 trucks gathered at the BP Services on the Warminster by-pass, Somerset.

Many of the trucks and drivers represented Martin's customers. Others came to show their respect for a great trucking enthusiast and journalist, the co-producer of the CP Productions series of trucking DVDs filmed all over the world.

The police closed the by-pass for a few minutes so that the trucks could parade in the Salisbury direction past Martin who observed the procession and the air-blasted greetings from a strategic layby.

Heavily involved in the organisation was Martin's co-producer, Pete Connock (second from the right in the first photograph). All Martin's family were there too.

It was a wonderful occasion, fit for a king of trucking, to which the following photographs are unable to do more than scant justice.

A strong recommendation for the Hymac book from Graham Black of Earthmovers magazine

Graham Black, editor of Earthmovers magazine has written a very positive review of Jeremy Rowland's new Hymac book. Here is what he says:

‘I thought I knew a thing or two about Hymac, but Jeremy’s book has opened my eyes to the full range of equipment they produced. Cranes, re-handling machines, long-reach excavators, truck-mounted backhoes, demolition rigs – the list is almost endless. It is not just the basic concept of the 360-degree slew – the configuration that is still used today – that put Hymac at the cutting edge of muck-shifting machinery design. Even today, some excavator manufacturers would be hard-pressed to develop such a range of special adaptations in-house.

‘The hundreds of photographs provide a fantastic glimpse of construction sites in times past. As you may have gathered, I strongly recommend this book as an ideal Christmas present for the muck-shifting machinery enthusiast.’

Earthmovers magazine, November 2013, page 96.

Ransomes & Rapier book needed

Another gap in manufacturing history (see previous post on Hymac) that we would dearly like to see filled is Ransomes & Rapier. Is anyone preparing a book on the company?

Farming in Miniature authors at Sandown Park

The first airing for advance copies of Farming in Miniature Volume 1 (see blog post 5 August) was on Saturday at the Sandown Park Toy Collectors Fair. This was the first time the authors had seen copies of their printed book. They are, left to right, Peter Wade-Martins, Adrian Little and Robert Newson.

They also signed the bookplates which will accompany orders for the book received up to November 1st by Old Pond and affiliated retailers.

Why is Chris Jaworski's MF35 tractor workshop manual so useful?

Today we received an unsolicited email from Mr VB of Singleton, NSW, Australia in praise of Chris Jaworski's hardback book The Massey Ferguson 35 Tractor Workshop Service Manual published by Old Pond this summer.

Mr VB writes that the book "has many useful pieces of information that are not contained in factory service manuals and:

1.The techniques used for dismantling and assembly use standard tools not special tools which are no longer available.

2. The colour photos and illustrations are much clearer than theoriginal factory manuals.

3. Covers areas such as painting and bodywork - not covered by the factory manuals."

Gaydon truck model best in show

This weekend we really enjoyed ourselves running a stand at Kelsey's Classic & Vintage Commercial Show where we were part of the Gaydon Model Truck Festival organised by Ashley Coghill and friends.

Author and classic truck enthusiast Patrick Dyer (right in the first photograph) signed plenty of copies of his new book Volvo F10 & F12 1977-83 at Work.

He was frequently asked what he was working on next: the Scania 2 series. Due for Gaydon 2014.

The winning model at the show was a conversion of an Italeri 1:24 scale tractor unit converted to an Iveco 6x6 recovery truck with a Bro underlift.

For this information and photograph I am grateful to Peter White, editor of Truck Model World who presented modeller Jan Rosecky with the magazine's silver salver for Best in Show.

Pete Connock a star ahead of Leonardo DiCaprio

Whereas Trucking magazine, July issue gives the Old Pond DVD Australian Heavy Metal a five-star review, it only gives Django four stars. So does this put Pete Connock (who appears in the trucking programme) a star up on Django actors Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L Jackson?

Old Pond Publishing summer catalogue of books and DVDs

At Old Pond we are about to mail our summer catalogue of books and DVDs. This contains details of the titles released or distributed between January and July this year.

A pdf of the catalogue is now available from a link on the home page of the Old Pond website or direct here.

The front cover shows a Scania R580 Topline run by the Yorkshire-based Fred Greenwood & Son. It is derived from one of the many fine photographs contributed by Xavier Stéfaniak and Ferdy De Martin to The World of Custom Trucks published this spring by Old Pond.

Photographs taken by Chris Lockwood during the filming of One Farm, One Year

Here are some of the photographs taken by Chris Lockwood during the filming of One Farm, One Year. Reading from left to right, top to bottom: Vervaet Beeteater 617 harvesting sugar beet; Claas Xerion 5000 with a Simba Cultipress; John Deere 6930 on Terra-tyres; John Deere 6410 drilling sugar beet; Ford 8340 SLE spraying spring barley; Ford 3000 power-harrowing; Claas Challenger 75E pulling 10-furrow plough; Claas Lexion 760 & 570+ combining wheat. See Mid Suffolk Agri Photos for many more of Chris's photographs.