Further DVLA updates

[Brian]

As I mentioned in the last post the DVLA in the UK are changing the way they look at our old tractors when it comes to registering them. I made a comment about the importance of casting codes and their relevance to dating and registering your tractor.

A short article in "Tractor and Machinery" about classic vehicles and the DVLA reinforces the value of aids to dating you vehicles. They are checking the repairs and modifications that have been done to vehicles going back 25 years and if extensive changes have been made or in their view too many new parts have been fitted, the vehicle may no longer be allowed in the "Historic Vehicle" category.

This would be a concern to people who have fitted new/newer engines as in some cases the engine number is the tractor serial number. This should really have been changed to the original number at the time of fitting but in many cases this has not been done.

(Makes me wonder about the tractors at shows with Ford Cargo truck engines, all new tin work and wheels. Where would they fit in)?

[Bensdexta]

This would be a concern to people who have fitted new/newer engines as in some cases the engine number is the tractor serial number. This should really have been changed to the original number at the time of fitting but in many cases this has not been done.

Quite so; I think in the days of buff log books, many county councils used the Engine no as the 'Chassis, Frame or Car No'.

Not easy to change the engine number of a 2nd hand block though - would it be 'ethical' to do so? I suppose a number could be stamped on a new block, but it would be pretty obvious it's not original.

Should we assume that tractors will be inspected prior to registration, to confirm their originality? Mine wasn't a couple of years ago. I suspect there's a lot of ASPs (bitza's) slipping through the net.

[oehrick]

Whilst it has not been led by the DVLA, much the same has been going on in the steam world for many years regarding the large number of rollers converted / customised to supposed tractors / traction engines - many are being changed back to original form to be historically correct. I see no reason why the DVLA should not operate the same policy regarding on vehicles claiming the 'Historic' licence exemption when they are anything but, nothing new, look how they reacted to the early Doe DDD's! The problem is the cracks that an otherwise genuine resto falls into if it has to be fitted with a replacement block.

I'm a little surprised the use of red diesel doesn't appear to be more stringently enforced than compared with commercial vehicles (think MOT unit dipping tanks at the gates of rally fields )

Thanks for keeping us updated, I clearly got my Major (original engine) & S1 Landy (replacement engine of original type) through just in time.

[Brian]

The problem I see Ben is that very little records are kept when the engine is changed. If you fitted an engine of similar year/type and kept a record of what you had done then a lot of the problems would be reduced. If you ground off and re-stamped the original number and again kept a record I see no problem. If you bought a short engine and fitted, it would not have a number so you would have to transfer your original one. This would be acceptable. It is what Ford and British Leyland did when they rebuilt engines for service and what we in the dealership did when we fitted a new block or engine.

If however you fit a Cargo or 6 cylinder engine then you are changing the tractor build and it no longer is a Historic Vehicle because there was never a 6 cylinder Major designed by Ford sold back in the day. It is something you have made yourself and would possibly be inspected for road worthiness/type if you try and claim Historic Vehicle classification. I do not know.

Tractors like the Doe, County, Roadless, Thomas et.al were all sold as modifications when new and registered as such so there would be no problems there.

I would suspect a Dexta is less of a problem because the Serial Number is not the engine number unlike the Major.

The diesel checking does go on, Rick, it happens at ploughing/working days, County Shows and vintage shows. Dealers and Young Farmers have fallen foul of it and so have contractors cutting verges. People who keep their own horses and use an old tractor to top the fields should also be using white diesel. The reason it is not strongly enforced is the lack of testers but one could be unlucky one day.

Do not get started on the safety cab or frame laws in the Health and Safety at Work Act as applied to our tractors, otherwise we will be here for months if not years.

[oehrick]

ROPS - yes what a can of worms since it came in.

Our old girl does not have one which is why I shared ownership with dad, a tradition now continued with my son and co-owner Ben.............

Are you heading for the Rackham sale Brian ? I thought the attendance charge (oops catalogue price) was a bit steep - from the gays* in the comic** it looks like a hell of a collection.

Rick

* local dialect for pictures
** " " " Tractor & Machinery Mag

[Brian]

er- Rick, the owner driver/ROPs situation changed in the early 2000 s. Now if you are an owner and have an accident you are doubly responsible, The Law says that in a employer/employee situation both can be fined for breaches of the regs. In an owner driver situation the owner gets fined as an employer AND as an employee, so you would be fined double. Do not forget that as an owner, you are responsible even if you are out of the country.

This applies only if you are using your tractor to farm or are carrying out a farming activity and not if it is purely for pleasure. There was a thought at one time that if you were at a ploughing match with a Model "N" it should be equipped with ROP or a "Q" cab if it was used to pull a plough! Advice was given to the HSE staff who tried that one but the interpretation is still there if you use your old tractor to work in agriculture.

My late brother-in-law was involved in the drafting of the regulations but he was a sensible man and applied them as they were meant to be used. Problem is today that the HSE staff has never worked in the industries covered and go by the book.

I will be in Holland not at the sale, could not afford anything anyway.

[oehrick]

Thanks for the heads up on that Brian, yes I has missed it - not that anything we do could be considered as for hire or reward.

Saw you were going to Meddo (?) but not certain of the date - it has the looks of being a top drawer sort of sale, although with no VAT or buyers premium might be competitive compared with some of the regular collectives.

Safe travels both, especially that wet bit, (regardless of if you go over or under it ) and watch out if Calais way, if they dip yer tank and find the wrong sort of immigrants..............

[Brian]

It is the Harwich-Hook route so it may be a bit rough tonight! I usually take a whole load of sunshine to Meddo. Looking forward to meeting Emiel and Hanneke's new daughter and seeing our "adopted son" Pascal again.

Still got to load up, seems to be too much to do these days and I am getting slower.

Don't spend too much if you go to the Rackham sale. Looks like he is also selling the Hundy Collection later in the year which is such a pity to break up after all these years.( Even if it is all Ferguson). At least the Moffat family kept the Ivel.