Ransomes ploughs suitable for a Major

[AdrianNPMajor]

Does anyone know of a website that offers information on the various Ransomes ploughs that are suitable for use with a Major? I'm particularly interested in the ts102 (think that is the correct model number).

Thanks in advance.

Best

Adrian

[henk]

Adrian,

Take a look overhere.
http://www.westlakeploughparts.co.uk/10 ... lough.html

[Brian]

The TS102 would be the perfect plough for your Super, Adrian. If you wanted to be historically correct then a TS82 would be the one as the 102 did not come out until after Super production had finished. The 102 is also lighter than the 82.

The bodies to look for on either are the UCN ones, these are semi digger, high speed and were continued on to the Dowdeswell so there are plenty of spares out there. Another good body is the SCN which is a digger body and works down to about 10". SN skimmer bodies work well with both.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Many thanks Henk and Brian. I have what I believe is a ts102, but I know very little about it - and ploughing really. If I am going to get the best out of the tractor/plough combination, it dawned on me that I ought to do some homework.

Would it be appropriate to post a photo of it here, given that this a Major forum? I'm not entirely sure what the various parts are called, so perhaps members could run through what's what if they would be kind enough. I'd also appreciate tips on how to get the best out of the tractor/plough combination.

Best

Adrian

[Bensdexta]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX04t2BE6eE
http://issuu.com/amberlady/docs/good_ploughing_hi-q
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290839424436? ... 1436.l2649
http://stokesoftongnorton.weebly.com/pl ... tings.html

Typical plough for major is TS59 three furrow - not reversable, plenty about.

[Brian]

Not in this area Ben, we got out of conventional ploughs in the early 1960's and it was all TS82 and TS83 and a lot of Bonnels and Lemkins behind Supers. The conventional TS 59 et.al went to that big scrap yard behind the shed and were being sold for peanuts.

I got my single furrow for £10.00 and my first TS82 for the same. I now have a TS82 with EPIC bodies and am putting together as I collect the bits, a 3 furrow TS59 with DM bodies for Henrietta.

[Bensdexta]

Not in this area Ben, we got out of conventional ploughs in the early 1960's and it was all TS82 and TS83 and a lot of Bonnels and Lemkins behind Supers. The conventional TS 59 et.al went to that big scrap yard behind the shed and were being sold for peanuts.

I got my single furrow for £10.00 and my first TS82 for the same. I now have a TS82 with EPIC bodies and am putting together as I collect the bits, a 3 furrow TS59 with DM bodies for Henrietta.

Thanks for the info.

I guess a Super Major is allowed in 'vintage' classes as I'm pretty sure a Super dexta is, tractors have to be 'in manufacture' before 1959 (http://www.npa.ie/ploughing-competition-rules/). But don't think SCN/UCN bodies are allowed for 'vintage' classes, 'classic' may be? Not important if you don't want to compete, but these things do affect prices.

Ref the EPIC bodies (what I've got on my Robin), they seem to be rather unloved.

Match ploughmen invariably have YL's on their Robins, yet on 2nd hand Robins for sale, EPICs are far more common.

Why did Ransomes sell so many EPICs, if they are so horrible?

http://farmingforum.co.uk/forums/showth ... tch-plough

[AdrianNPMajor]

Very interesting info, Brian and Ben. Many thanks. This is the plough I bought. Which bodies does it have? Any other tips and comments?

Best

Adrian

ps Think I'm doing something wrong when uploading images. The right-hand side of the image seems to be missing.


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[Bensdexta]

Perhaps UCN but with bar points?

http://www.westlakeploughparts.co.uk/16 ... parts.html

Looks a tidy plough.

May I ask how much??

[AdrianNPMajor]

Hi Ben

UCN is the type Brian recommends so that's good news then. What about the bar points? Any pros and cons? I have done three outings with the plough and it worked well, though these were my three attempts ever, so the tractor didn't exactly have someone who knew what he was doing sitting in the seat , though I did have the help of a good friend who has a number of years of farming under his belt and on whose lovely farm I am lucky enough to keep my tractor. The cutter wheels (sure that's not the right term!) were rusted on the shank so they didn't swivel and the gap between them and the skimmers got clogged with straw, meaning the expert ploughman had to keep getting off and clearing the build-up.

I didn't have front weights at first but on the last try they were in place and it went a lot more smoothly.

As for price, rearrange the following numbers into the right order if you can! 9, 3, 5.

Best

Adrian

[Bensdexta]

Might be SCN, still good though. The cutter wheel is a coulter disc.

Don't think there's anything wrong with a bar point. Brian will tell us I'm sure.

Does the turn over manual mechanism work OK?

[Brian]

I think the reason nobody (apart from me) loves EPICs is because they leave a slightly broken furrow and a high ridge. If you do not have the skimmers set just right you get re-growth down the joins, the problem I was asking about on the JD plough. The YL really "slares" it over. If you look carefully at an EPIC turned slice it is perfectly square in shape. I have a couple of YLs I was looking to put on my Robin but I think I will stick with the EPICs that are on it.

On our land it is best to plough fairly deep, 8" is about the minimum. I had SCNs on the last TS82 I had but will be replacing that with the TS59 and DM bodies.

That looks a great plough Adrian, I am a bit jealous. The cutting wheels are called disc coulters, discs or skeeths depending on which part of East Anglia you are in. Yes it looks like you have UCN bodies, you can check because it will be marked on the back. Bar points are fine, we had a three furrow Sellar plough for many years and never wore the point out after many years of working in our very abrasive soil. They were manily used in Scotland or places where there were a lot of rocks.

[Bensdexta]

So EPICs need scimmers to bury the trash along the ridges?
Told that UNC bodies will bolt to Robin legs, as an general purpose plough.

On closer look I think Adrian may have SCNs which can have a bar point - not sure UCN can.
http://www.westlakeploughparts.co.uk/16 ... parts.html

I read that SCN is a deeper version of UCN, some parts are interchangeable.

Nice plough and good price, if my guess is correct!

[AdrianNPMajor]

Thanks again, Brian and Ben. The exchanges between you are throwing up some most useful info. Would love to stand on the side of a field and watch and learn to see in real life what you are describing. In the heavy land here the plough seems to work very well. Frank, my farmer friend has a ts 102 and a ts 103 which he uses with a Case 4WD (did somebody say the word Case?! ). He says that the bar points do a good job and, as you say Brian, he also said they have plenty of wear in them - he showed me how to loosen the locking bolt and tap them through to get the right amount of projection. We also managed to free off the various moving parts that had become rusted together.

Ben, I bought the plough from a local dealer who had family connections in a far flung place called, now what was it again ..... oh yes, Wales! So the plough comes from your neck of the woods. It's got a sticker on it saying JG Plant Bridgend. Brian, would that explain the bar points, Wales being a similar terrain to Scotland - I'm sure I've just offended at least one nation there!

Best

Adrian

[AdrianNPMajor]

Thanks again, Brian and Ben. The exchanges between you are throwing up some most useful info. Would love to stand on the side of a field and watch and learn to see in real life what you are describing. In the heavy land here the plough seems to work very well. Frank, my farmer friend has a ts 102 and a ts 103 which he uses with a Case 4WD (did somebody say the word Case?! ). He says that the bar points do a good job and, as you say Brian, he also said they have plenty of wear in them - he showed me how to loosen the locking bolt and tap them through to get the right amount of projection. We also managed to free off the various moving parts that had become rusted together.

Ben, I bought the plough from a local dealer who had family connections in a far flung place called, now what was it again ..... oh yes, Wales! So the plough comes from your neck of the woods. It's got a sticker on it saying JG Plant Bridgend. Brian, would that explain the bar points, Wales being a similar terrain to Scotland - I'm sure I've just offended at least one nation there!

Best

Adrian

[AdrianNPMajor]

Oops! Seem to have repeated myself there!

[Nick]

Hi guys, I recently bought a TS63E which is a 3 furrow conventional with a depth wheel. It says on the plaque where the model number is stamped ' This plough is suitable for use with fordson major tractors' so I knew mine should pull it, i have yet to take it out as im in the process of restoring it and getting everything moving again as it had been sat for the best part of 20 years outside!

It has very long and thin bodies, I believe they are YL bodies? I will post a picture of it behind my major later on in its current state.

[AdrianNPMajor]

Ben, you asked if the trip mechanism works ok. The answer is yes, except for the fact that there's a small spring missing on what I think is the locking mechanism. Any idea where I could get a replacement spring?

By the way, I was told that £953 wasn't that cheap!

Best

Adrian

[Bensdexta]

Ben, you asked if the trip mechanism works ok. The answer is yes, except for the fact that there's a small spring missing on what I think is the locking mechanism. Any idea where I could get a replacement spring?

Lucky the trip works OK, a lot don't! What does the spring look/feel like?

There is a place called Lee Springs in Berks that have many thousands of different springs. A couple of times, I've taken my old rusty spring along to them and they have matched it up to a shiney new one. Maybe there's such a Co. nr you?

Did you find out what bodies you've got? You got a good plough, I'm envious of your bar points!