The journey really went with a "BANG" on the M6 when a trailer tyre blew out! We picked up something sharp on the carriageway that, luckily, only took out one of the two wheels on the righthand side. The hard shoulder on the M6 on a day when the traffic is really heavy and fast moving is not the place to change a wheel so we limped slowly along to a slip road where there is more room and the job could be done safely. Once there we changed the wheel quickly and were soon on our way again.
Brimfield is getting more impressive each year. Last year there was a hiccup but this was not due to the organisers, this year we were on a very good site with excellent parking and a big field of wheat stubble, cut low and ideal for our types of plough. The ground was dry and hard as there had been little rain in the area for some months and our farmer friend is suffering with a lack of winter fodder, the grass did not grow so little hay or silage is available to see them through the winter. The price of hay and straw is increasing daily and the merchants are trying their best to support our livestock sector by exporting it as fast as they can to France, where the government has subsidised livestock farmers to help them through the shortage. (source Farmers Weekly). That realy does help the "level playing field" of Europe. Still the ploughs went into the ground and it turned over, not smoothly, with many clods and it certainly freed off the draft control if it had been sticking.
It was a very large turnout of tractors ploughing and on display.
A Claas Europa, Mercury and an Allis Gleaner were there ready to help this Model "N" bring in the plot of standing grain and a thrashing set driven by a steam engine was waiting for the first load of un-threshed crop.
We had been joined by Mike, looking very smart in his FTP Sweat Shirt and we made quite a sight as we walked around the exhibits and stalls. I was wearing blue shorts and my Orange Polo shirt so all the Fordson colours were on display
. Ann and I had a sausage and bacon roll each from one of the stalls,and very good it was too! Well we had come to the site from our hotel without breakfast.The tractor pullers were warming up with tractors pumping out clouds of black and white smoke as they warmed to their task. Bags of noise!
A Big Massey!
County 1174 with Dowdeswell 4 furrow plough, working hard and fast in the conditions.
It was the day for big ploughs and tractors. This Cat is pulling two 6 furrow Ransomes Jumbotrac ploughs.
And the Fowler VF had one too.
They made the PM behind Dotty look tiny.
We had chosen our plot so that Edward, Mark, Ian and Brian could all work together in a group, with two Petrol Dextas, an Allis B and a P6E27N and we were all happily set up for a nice quiet day ploughing in the sunshine.
I ploughed my opening split to comments about "dogs hind legs" and "broken legged hares" from Ann and Mike. Others said the new sighting poles were not tuned in correctly but I shut my ears to all these cruel comments and ploughed on.
Mike had never ploughed before, so once the first furrows were open we got him in the seat. This also allows me to walk behind and see how the plough is performing.
Mike getting instruction on the controls. He has not driven a Dexta before.
Off we go!
Ann says she is going to call this one "The Follower" after one of my favorite, and very moving poem by Shamus Heany. I was even carrying my fathers "spud" for cleaning the plough.
Then, when all was going nicely, and I had prised Mike off Dotty (this was perhaps more to do with his age than the want to continue) (sorry Mike)
We were talking when suddenly the big Cat with its twelve furrows, set in on my plot, In two and one half rounds of twelve furrows he ploughed the majority of the plot and moved on to some one else! We were finished by 2 pm and with no other plots available, work stopped.I felt this was a very selfish action and un-warranted as there were other larger plots close by. Yes, the outfit was impressive but it was one tractor and the site transport taking people around looking at working tractors was soon redundant.
That left us plenty of time to chat and look around but by just after 3pm, tractors were leaving the site and loading, long before the days close. A number due to the action of the Cat driver.
We loaded Dotty and made our way back to the hotel.
On Monday morning, we got a new tyre fitted by a very pleasant tyre fitter in Ludlow, Ian Jones, near the river, behind the Shell Garage. ( Plug, Plug). We went to the local market for local cheese, bread and meats for our lunch on the way home.
We returned across England with no excitement.
I started by saying "Trouble comes in threes" yet have only mentioned two things. The third happened as we unhitched the trailer in our yard. The ball was very close to the side of the hitch so the safety wire on the brakes was not completly clear. I pushed it up over the hitch but as I drew away it flicked forward and lassoed the ball!
"PING"!!!Well the third thing could have been worse!
My dad had something similar on his farm from time to time, but with draft horses, instead of tractors. Dandy Dave!
If you are not sure of your exact year JC, post the serial number and I will look it up for you. Dandy Dave!
). Its a high-track with single-lever differential steering, and all the comforts of home. At the end of the day you felt like you'd driven a nice car for 10 hrs. With the one in the picture, you felt like you'd been moving dirt with a pick and shovel for 10 hrs.
If that aint just the plain truth...