When the Love Affair began .....

[Meanderer]

Hi guys,
My first real love affair started right back in Nov 1963. I was 15yrs 10 mths old. My brother-in-law was given a job at Bundanoon south of Sydney to dig drainage ditches across fields prone to water logging. I had the opportunity of helping him for a few days. So this is where I had my first "close encounter of the 3rd kind" with this beautiful shiny new lady.
It was only weeks old. It was my first time to operate a backhoe. I loved it and it stuck with me for life. Not that I got to do it on a regular basis. From that first encounter onward, I've been in love with Fordson Super Majors. Never surpassed by any other make or model.
My brother-in-law gave me this one and only photo as a slide. He found it and gave it to me in 1970 and while it got put away and stored with thousands of my own slides, I haven't been able to locate it ....... until this evening!!!!! It has been on my mind for many years but I just couldn't find it. I've mentioned it on here before and it has frustrated me. I'm so pleased it has come to light in nearly forty years since I last saw it.
Funny thing is, I could have sworn it had a front end loader on it! Maybe at a later stage. After this particular job. I know the company had other Fordsons with loaders and hoes.
I know what I'm going to dream about tonight!

Feast your eyes .....

[Kiwi Kev]

Rick
Thats abit freaky you put that photo up last night.
Over the last month, I've been getting a Fordson Major with backhoe/front end loader combo into a running condition, so I can drive it home to my place. I was supposed to bring it home yesterday, but Norfolk had our annual show on.
My model looks very similar to your photo, it did come from Australia.
Kiwi Kev

[The Swanndri Guy]

Any chance of some pictures Kev?

[Kiwi Kev]

All in good time.

[Meanderer]

@Kev & Paul,
I didn't think the connection between my photo and your acquisition was all that freaky but I did just have a freaky moment myself!
You said you are going to NZ on Thurs and meeting up with Paul (The Swanndri Guy). I have read all of Paul's posts in the past and never understood WHY he used "The Swanndri Guy".
I was looking for some items to finish off the packing of a shipping carton. In it I had a fragile decorative Antique Pendulum mantle Clock packed upright between a lot of my wife's clothes. I needed a few more items to top it off. There were some pullovers stored away in a protective bag. One my wife had picked up for me in an Op Shop a few years ago and I haven't worn it. (I told her I refused to wear it because it was NZ wool AND made in NZ.... shock, horror ). I had similar ones but was only taking Pure Aust Merino Wool garments with me to Canada. However, I now have to take this NZ one because its label reads ...... Swanndri. Never having heard of Swanndri other than Paul's useage, I googled it and looked at the company's history. Now I have to reveal to you (all) that the company was started in NZ in 1913. Well it so happens that my late father was born in 1913 at Mt. Albert in New Zealand !!!! Of Scottish immigrants I hasten to add. They then migrated to Australia around 1920.
So the pullover is spared and can now join me in Canada when I get there.
We will require an in depth photo chronological report of your meeting .... OK!

[Kiwi Kev]

Rick
Nice connection for you with NZ.
As soon as I saw Paul's user name on the board, I said to myself "he's got to be a kiwi" as I knew swandri's were made in NZ.
Before I can take any photo's, I have to buy a new camera, as I dropped it on the concrete yesterday, and yes, now it's broken.
Good to see you back on the board Rick.
Kiwi Kev

[The Swanndri Guy]

Meanderer,I uesd "The Swanndri Guy" as my name, because to any other Kiwi's they would be able to identify where I'm from , and to confuse everyone else. In that respect you have proved me successful! I'm also from "South of the Bombay Hills" because I'm proud not to be a "Jafa"(ie, not from Auckland.)Traditonal Swanndri's are really good in wet weather, even if they get wet they will keep you warm.Also good out on the farm.At best a New Zealand icon, just like real Marmite (Cant eat Vegemite),L&P,Pineapple lumps, Tip Top icecream ,Jandals, Redbands,Minties.....I hope Kev gets a new camera so he can take a picture of my 4000.

[Mark]

Hi guys, I know this is not my thread, but I try to read almost all of the posts.
I was watching a show on the Discovery channel the other night, and they were showing the digging of an underground hydro electric plant. It was very interesting.
Is this close to either of you in NZ.

[Mark]

Rick,
Nice back hoe and the socks look good as well. I was wondering since I have never worn wool socks, just wondering if you feet got to hot.
I had my first love affair with a 8N my Uncle Burl had, I was to young to run it, but I put in a lot of time on the fender.
She was beauty, your back hoe.
Ditto on what Kewi Kew said about you being back on the board posting more.

[The Swanndri Guy]

Hi Mark, with regards to the underground hydro electric power station that you saw on Discovery, that would be the "Manapouri Power Station".Been there, done that.The turbines are underground, but the main engineering feature is the outlet tunnels from the turbine to Doubtful Sound.It the sort of thing you have to see in reality, to understand how hard this was to achieve.Its also located in the middle of nowhere with NO road access.Well worth a visit if you come to this part of the world. Also its about 1500/1600 km from here, as Manapouri is at the bottem of the South Island of NewZealand in Fiordland.Cheers The Swanndri Guy.

[Mark]

Paul,
I know this is going to come out wrong, but here goes. They said that they measured the rain where these lakes are in feet instead of inches. Does it rain like that all over NZ, or just in this area. I'm sure it's just in this area, but nothing like asking someone who lives there what the climate is like in there home.
New Zealand looks like a nice place to live.

[Meanderer]

Mark,
About wool socks. Wool itself is an insulator that breathes and wicks. Wool socks vary dramatically in their blends and quality. They contain varying amounts of nylon. About 10-20% nylon is the best blend so help the sock keep its shape when washed. Wool is cool in summer and warm in winter. Unfortunately there are very few manufacturers that tell the truth about their blends. The so called reputable brands claim 80/20 blend but when tested they are closer to 40/60 !!! (40% wool). It's criminal in my books.
The reason I know about it all is that I have friends in town here that have a small sock manufacturing business. They are the opposite. They claim on their labels 80/20 and I know it is actually 85/15. They don't want to risk anyone, (large companies) using dirty tactics to put them out of business.
Farmers around this district wear this brand Summer and Winter. I do!! Thick wool socks and boots fit snuggly all year round. Wool will 'wick' the perspiration away from the skin and wool breathes naturally so odour is reduced dramatically. Another factor is the "Merino" wool sourced locally is far superior to wool from other sheep breeds.
Megan has given them as presents in Canada. Everyone has commented that they are the warmest socks they have experienced and ask to buy more through us. I haven't looked into import costs to Canada. Problem is this little family business in town probably couldn't cope!

[The Swanndri Guy]

Mark, yes in Fiordland and the West Coast they measure rainfall in metres.3 metres of rain a year quite common, 4 metres not uncommon, and probably up to 5 metres in some parts of Foirdland.When it rains it RAINS! 1 metre = about 38 inchs. Now you can understand why they built a hydro power station there. But if you go to Alexandra, est 150 km away there annual rainfall is only 350/450mm per year.Hope that answers your question.Cheers TSG. :)The average annual rainfall for Milford Sound(About 100km north of the Manapouri Power station ,as the crow flys.) is only 6526mm/257 inchs.(Probably a place you would really want to wear a Swanndri!)

[Chris Ivin]

Paul, That really brings back memories, I have made several trips to NZ and on one trip I tramped the Routeburn track on the edge of Fjordland Natinal Park. It is about 32km(20miles long) over the Harris Saddle at 1200m+. In the three days it took me to walk the track 17 inches of rain fell!!! The smell of body odour in Mackenzie Hut at the end of the 2nd day was something to behold (there were twice as many bodies as bunks!)

A fantastic experience, there is an amazing alpine flora over the saddle area and the waterfalls really blew me away (almost literally). At the end of the track I picked up the bus going on down to Milford and experienced its amazing scenery. Luckily the Milford backpackers had a very efficient drying room!!

[The Swanndri Guy]

Ive been "Overseas", but there are few places that look better in reality than on film/TV and Fiordland is one of them, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a New Zealander either. Avoid Queenstown as its just a tourist trap,and quite honestly Bungy jumping is boring, I'd rather go "bush" or go on the "rail trail".

[The Swanndri Guy]

Ok , I know the last post was 6 month ago but they have had a little bit of rain down in Fiordland. The rainfall for Milford Sound for the last 24 hours was only just over 500mm/ 20 inchs. TSG. From Saturday night (24 April 2010) to Monday morning (26 April 2010) 793mm of rain recored.

[Chris Ivin]

they have had a little bit of rain down in Fiordland. The rainfall for Milford Sound for the last 24 hours was only just over 500mm/ 20 inchs.

That must have been something to behold! I think the wettest day I saw was around 10", and the mountains were just one big waterfall then!