The Peedie Grey Fergie
Posted: Tuesday, 10 June 2008 |
OOOh I am sooo excited .....
The other day Mr B received an offer that I just couldn't pass up.... the chance to own my very own tractor.
The said tractor had sat in a shed all alone and neglected for a few years and was so wanting someone to love and cherish it. In steps Mrs B with all the enthusiasm. I convinced meself that inspite of the fact that it hadn't been started for a while and we wern't sure if it went at all we would transport it from Mainland to Shapinsay.
Mr B armed with a straight towing bar and a friend hooked the tractor up and towed it to the Kirkwall ferry terminal to board the boat to Shapinsay. It arrived in Shapinsay at 12pm and trundled off the ferry to its new home at Barebraes.
Mr B got out his trusty spanner and can of WD40 and lo and behold the Peedie Fergie splutterred into life. After a bit more tinkering and adjusting the gears were freed off and the brakes adjusted. We took her for a spin up the brae and out onto the track. The sun was shinning and with Mr B standing on the back I drove her up and down.
The tractor was built in 1955 and we are trying to trace its history.
Our aim is to plough a part of the field and grow tatties next year , but I am sure that I will take her out for a spin or two just for the hell of it.
The other day Mr B received an offer that I just couldn't pass up.... the chance to own my very own tractor.
The said tractor had sat in a shed all alone and neglected for a few years and was so wanting someone to love and cherish it. In steps Mrs B with all the enthusiasm. I convinced meself that inspite of the fact that it hadn't been started for a while and we wern't sure if it went at all we would transport it from Mainland to Shapinsay.
Mr B armed with a straight towing bar and a friend hooked the tractor up and towed it to the Kirkwall ferry terminal to board the boat to Shapinsay. It arrived in Shapinsay at 12pm and trundled off the ferry to its new home at Barebraes.
Mr B got out his trusty spanner and can of WD40 and lo and behold the Peedie Fergie splutterred into life. After a bit more tinkering and adjusting the gears were freed off and the brakes adjusted. We took her for a spin up the brae and out onto the track. The sun was shinning and with Mr B standing on the back I drove her up and down.
The tractor was built in 1955 and we are trying to trace its history.
Our aim is to plough a part of the field and grow tatties next year , but I am sure that I will take her out for a spin or two just for the hell of it.
Comments
she looks great mrs b-give her lots of love and i'm sure she'll go on for a good few years! enjoy!
carol from at last its a sunny day!
Now you really are part of the landscape Mrs B. You do realise you'll have to join the Vintage Club...I imagine what they don't know about Grey Fergies isn't worth knowing!
Flying Cat from I ken a few vintage folk...
That looks like great fun, Mrs B! I'm sure once you get going you'll find all kinds of uses for your new friend. I was watching some guys standing (in Jeremy Clarkson fashion) around the power mowers in B&Q the other day, but this tractor puts all of those in the shade! Hope Hooch will get a wee ride!
Jill from EK
At least the Fergie's gone to a good home Mrs B. Enjoy!
Carol from IBHQ
Congratulations!! You made the right decision. A useful piece of antiquity. Farming in style. Mr. B. must have a magic spanner ... !! Ploughing the garden will be a breeze. Congrats. again Mr and Mrs. B.
mjc from NM,USA
i love it!!! it has so much character and it's not red, which is the only colour i thought they came in. I'm glad it has a good new home too, old tracters are the best!
tanith from lewis
wow - thats class. you'll spend hours and hours looking for spare parts, locating the parts, fetching the parts, taking tractor apart, attaching parts (which won't fit) and putting tractor together again .... did you know there is a web site for Fergie parts? and there are men who do little else other than talk about making or actually making parts....
scallowawife from been there ... done that ...
a good point is that you'll now gets lots of bribes to bring peoples peats in for them ... :-)
soaplady from tractor gridlock in breasclete ...
The Massey Ferguson factory was in Killie. I remember row upon row of red machines waiting to be delivered all over the world.Sadly ,no longer there.Just another wasteland.
Cathy from Kilmarnock
Hello Mrs B. My Dad may (perhaps) be able to help trace your tractor's history. He was a draughtsman for Massey-Harris from the mid-fifties (no red tractors then!) until the late 70s when the factory was based in Ayrshire - I'll send him the link to your blog, I'm sure he'd be interested even if he can't help. He's 85 now but his longterm memory is still pretty sharp!
scottie from happy ploughing!
I have only got back from South recently, in time for the Classic Car show, my peerie car made a showing, as did many other Grey Fergie's. I am very jealous, I do have one in Dursley, Gloucestershire, but the cylinder head is off and it is a bit rusty. I do have a copy of the manufacturer's maintenance handbook though. I did have the racing version, known as a Triumph TR2.
LT from Being very jealous
Why does that last bit of scallowawife's comment not surprise me...
Flying Cat from big boys and their toys
Thanks all for your comments especially scottie i hope if anything else it will give your Dad a nice treat to see a Fergie again. From the plate it was made in 1955 but thats about all we know. Scallow I have been on the web and there are a lot about Fergies so spares shouldnt be a problem. Im not sure if there is any peat here we certainly dont burn it like you do in Lewis .Its the weekend soon and I hope the weathers good for driving :)
Barebraes from Shapinsay
Hi Mrs B, Dad says that we had the Baler and Combine Harvester in Ayrshire, Coventry had the tractor so he can't help with history.
scottie from sorry can't help
Thanks anyway scottie it was very interesting to hear from you and hope that your Dad recalled a lot of memories
Barebraes from Shapinsay
Do I get to drive it when/if I visit?
mjc from NM,USA
Big engine up front, no roof, fat back tyres - that's the way it should be!! Way to go, Mr & Mrs B - fantastic piece of kit and the sort of machine it's easy to fall in love with. Enjoy!
chopper from up the tree
KI-GAS? Ki-Gas made primers, devices for putting neat fuel into petrol engines to aid starting. A bit like a choke but in addition to it. They were also used on aircraft engines. An essential pat of the starting routine would be a set number of strokes on the Ki-Gas pump before , "Switches on!"
Hyper-Borean from A repository of useless information
Yes Mjc you can surely take a ride on the old girl on your next visit. Chopper glad to hear you approve of the new wheels not quite as fast as your used to but when I have painted her pink with yellow daisy's and have wellies to match then she will be a sight for sore eyes ( hear the horror from all Fergie owners ) only joking !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What do u think about go faster stripes ?
Barebares from Shapinsay
No stripes - this is definitely a situation where less is more. Keep the colour scheme traditional. Maybe a cushion on the seat, but that's all she needs!
chopper from the tree
We moved here in September 05 and have met many good friends. What more could you want from life.
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