Colin Fraser's biography, Harry Ferguson inventor & pioneer, is unquestionably the finest book of its kind in the tractor world. Partly this is because Ferguson was such an exciting and complex man whose achievements were enormous. Partly this due to Colin Fraser's expertise in going through the Ferguson archives and drawing out all the features of the man and his dealings. Colin wrote the book in the very early 1970s when memories of Ferguson - who died in 1960 - were very much alive.
Old Pond first reprinted this book in 1998. For our latest reprint we have re-set the text in clearer type, but have very much kept to the look of the original. The sixteen pages of black-and-white photographs are once again included.
Harry Ferguson inventor and pioneer by Colin Fraser, paperback, 320 pages is now back in stock at £14.95.
Old Pond's latest annual catalogue, 40 pages including details of just under 300 DVDs and books, is due in to stock this Thursday. Customers should receive their copies by post next week, 8-12 October.
For further information please email [email protected].
Ax Men Season Four,The History Channel. 4-DVD set, approx 10 hours. ISBN 978-1-908397-53-9. Now available from Old Pond at £19.95.
Welcome to the forests of North America, where money really does grow on trees. Across the wide continent, from the wilds of Alaska to the steamy bayous of Louisiana, and from the heat of Florida to the vast and untamed Pacific Northwest, eight crews compete for the title of King of the Mountain in the latest and greatest season of Ax Men.
Each location poses its own threats to our fearless loggers, from the deadly snakes and alligators of the swamps down south to the black bears of the Pacific coastline, and that’s before you even consider the day-to-day dangers involved in bringing down and transporting mammoth pieces of timber. Technical malfunctions, equipment failure or a simple lapse in concentration are each enough to spell the end for any one of our tree-felling heroes.
Featuring a host of familiar faces as well as an injection of new blood, this logging season proved to be the most fiercely contested to date. So strap in tight and get ready for the most exciting run yet of History’s smash-hit series Ax Men, where the stakes – like the trees – could not be higher!
Earlier seasons of Ax Men and other forestry DVDs can be found on the forestry section of the Old Pond website.
Agriculture in North America Vol. 3, Jörn & Tammo Gläser. DVD, approx 90 minutes (plus 15 minutes of Extras). ISBN 978-1-908397-51-5. Now available from Old Pond at £19.95 (inc VAT).
In the third part of their American travels Jörn and Tammo have visited the Midwest states of Iowa and the Dakotas in spring when enormous machinery prepares the ground for corn and soybean planting. In this 90-minute film they show us more than 25 different modern and sometimes very unusual agricultural machines associated with seedbed cultivation, drilling and slurry technology.
The scenery and weather phenomena are also stunning.
The motive power is provided by 4-wheel drive and tracked tractors from John Deere, Case IH, New Holland and Versatile among others. Interviews and narration provide insights into the farm equipment, crop farming and the stories behind the machines. There is an English-language voice-over.
This programme will also be available in Blu-ray at a price still to be determined.
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 ploughMF 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 ploughMF 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: 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.