The Nuffield Tractor Story Volume Two: Nuffield and Leyland 1963-1982, Anthony Clare. Hardback book, 275 x 215 mm, 160 pages including 228 photographs. ISBN 978-1-908397-65-2. Now available from Old Pond at £19.95.
In Volume One of the Nuffield Tractor Story, Tony Clare took the account up to 1967, the era of the powerful 10/60 model. In Volume 2 he continues with the development of the Mini tractor. Tony shows the final development of the Nuffield mid-range tractors, the 4/65 and the 3/45, and their further evolution into the first of the re-badged Leyland Tractors, the 384 and the 344 models.
With detailed research and many photographs the author goes on to cover the roller-coaster ride that awaited this key part of the British tractor industry. He deals with the later difficulties of the British Motor Corporation and the government-initiated merger with Leyland Vehicles. Further development of the tractor range was to continue with the introduction of the ‘98’ series engines, safety cabs, the ‘Synchro’ gearbox and the ‘Harvest Gold’ range. Finally British Leyland decided to dispose of the tractor business in 1982.
Tony Clare, a chartered building surveyor based in Surrey, has previously had two books published by Old Pond. He competes in ploughing matches with his Nuffield M4 tractor.
Know Your Cats, Jack Byard. Paperback book 104 x 155 mm (landscape), 88 pages including 41 photographs. ISBN 978-1-908397-60-7. Now available from Old Pond at £4.99.
Among the 41 breeds of domestic cat in this selection, Jack introduces us to long-haired, short-haired and curly-coated types; pets with a vast array of colours, patterns and personalities. Each breed is covered with a full-page photograph, facing which is Jack’s emphatic description – leaving the reader wishing they could have one of each!
Jack also unravels some of the history of the breeds and their connections to each other. While some of these are modern creations, others have a long history during which they helped control rodents or even became revered as gods. Each breed has its own fascinating story to tell.
Jack’s Byard’s fondness for cats, for their playfulness, intelligence and companionship, shines through on every page of this introduction to the domestic feline world.
Breeds included are:
Abyssinian ● Balinese ● Bengal ● Birman ● Bombay ● British Longhair ● British Shorthair ● Burmese ● Burmilla ● Calico ● Chartreux ● Chausie ● Chinchilla ● Cornish Rex ● Egyptian Mau ● Exotic Shorthair ● Havana ● Khao Manee ● Korat ● LaPerm ● Maine Coon ● Manx ● Norwegian Forest ● Ocicat ● Oriental Longhair ● Persian ● Pixie-Bob ● RagaMuffin ● Ragdoll ● Russian Blue ● Savannah ● Scottish Fold ● Selkirk Rex ● Siamese ● Siberian ● Singapura ● Snowshoe ● Somali ● Sphynx ● Tonkinese ● Turkish Angora.
Know Your Cats is the eighteenth book in the popular 'Know Your ...' series, and the eleventh from Jack Byard who seized retirement as the opportunity to write about animals for novice enthusiasts. In the series he has two books on sheep as well as titles on cattle, chickens, dogs, donkeys, ducks, horses, pigs and rare breeds. Jack lives in Bradford with his wife Elaine.
Farming in Miniature: a review of British-made toy farm vehicles up to 1980.Volume 1 Airfix to Denzil Skinner. Robert Newson, Peter Wade-Martins and Adrian Little. Hardback book 285 x 305 mm (landscape) including 970 photographs. ISBN 978-1-908397-55-3. Now available from Old Pond at £49.95.
Farming in Miniature will prove essential for collectors of British toy models interested in farm tractors, farm horses and associated agricultural equipment. Many of the toys identified and described have never previously been mentioned in collectors' literature. The three authors, all leading authorities, have drawn on their extensive past experience coupled with another five years to research, write and prepare photographs.
There are to be two volumes, each arranged alphabetically by manufacturer or brand. Each manufacturer has its own chapter introduced by an account of its history that inevitably ranges more widely than farm models but sets them into context. These introductions cross-refer to the captioned photographs that follow and which make up the bulk of the chapters.
In their general introduction the authors say that they have ‘attempted to illustrate all significant variations of colour and packaging, particularly of rare or unusual models, so as to make the book as comprehensive as possible.’
The volumes are being published separately, starting in autumn 2013 with Volume 1 which covers the following: Airfix – Authentic Model Books – Benbros – Britains – Budgie – Bullock – Chad Valley – Charbens – Cheerio – Cherilea – Childs and Smith – Coral – Corgi – Crescent – D.C.M.T. and Lone Star – Deltoys – Denzil Skinner.
Volume 2, to follow in 2014, will deal in another 900 photographs with manufacturers from Dinky to Wend-al, including a chapter on unidentified models. It will also include model and general indexes covering both volumes as well as a guide to the easy recognition of farm horses separated from their carts or wagons.
The authors
Chartered accountant Robert Newson started collecting Matchbox toys as a teenager. His interest developed into research and writing about the less well-known British manufacturers of diecast and lead vehicles. He has written extensively for toy collectors’ magazines.
Dr Peter Wade-Martins has spent his working life as an archaeologist in Norfolk, with a special interest in countryside conservation. His other interests include rare sheep breeds. He has made a 20-year study of farm models.
In 2003, having dabbled in antiques and toys as an amateur for twenty years, Adrian Little founded Mercator Trading Ltd – dealers in interesting toys. The company specialises in the minor makers, vintage figures and pre-Second World War items.
The three authors’ work has been collated by Brian Bastiman who, with his son David, is a collector of model tractors and other Britains farm toys. Brian is retired from the national agricultural advisory service ADAS where he spent much of his time writing and editing scientific reports and papers.
The Illustrated History of Hymac, Jeremy Rowland. Hardback book, 210 x 265 mm (landscape), 160 pages including 242 photographs. ISBN 978-1-908397-76-8. Now available from Old Pond at £24.95.
There was a time on most UK building sites when any make of 360-degree hydraulic excavator was referred to as a Hymac.
The Hydraulic Machinery Company (Great Britain) Ltd, or Hymac for short, manufactured its hydraulic excavators from the early 1960s. It sold machines at home and abroad before finally ending production in 1993.
Hymac made its mark with the first all-hydraulic crawler excavator manufactured in Great Britain. The company then became the first in Great Britain to design and build a full 360-degree slew crawler excavator with the launch of the famous Hymac 580.
This book deals fully with the foundation of the company by Peter Hamilton and its long, successful Powell Duffryn era. The fine photographs (many from the Hymac archive) show the machines at work in a range of activities. They also include prototypes and some of the less successful ventures such as the Hy-Lift cranes.
The author goes on to describe the company’s later, rather sad history when it was faced with Japanese competition and became associated with the IBH, NEI Thompson and BM enterprises, and finally with Kennedy/Interfrigo.
However, this is not quite the end of the story. Machines are now being restored and re-equipped for work with the help of Hymac Parts and Service, a testament to the approval felt for the brand during its glory days, and particularly for the 580C.
Author Jeremy Rowland has been a Hymac enthusiast since his teenage years when he was first allowed to operate Hymac machines at a scrap yard. He has a detailed knowledge of the company, as shown in this book. Many of the photographs included here have not been published before. Jeremy works in engineering in the Midlands and contributes articles on Hymac and classic plant to enthusiasts’ magazines.