
Simon Cox
Vintage tractors
On the 11th June 2011 we attended the Shakey Super Pull run by the Midlands Tractor Pulling Club at the Shakespeare Country Raceway.
At the Shakey Super Pull
We had a great day, between rain showers, watching the very loud, very fast, very powerful and very smokey tractors competing in the BTPA points event — recommended fun day out for next year. During one of the breaks, I found a line of vintage tractors on display to the side of the beer tent and luckily had my wide angle lens handy for some close-up shots.
In the line were several Fordson’s, the ubiquitous and classic small tractor of my childhood but a Blue Fordson stood out amongst them as it had a bright red grill on the front. I was able to get a shot just after it had rained with the dark ominous clouds in the background which gives the Fordson tractor a gritty industrial backdrop. Next to that was a beautiful dark red late 1940’s, Field Marshall. Again quite a small tractor but this looked more powerful than the Fordson but it had not been restored to showroom condition and though clean was showing signs of wear and tear — which I prefer in a hard-working machine anyway. The last image is of a canary yellow Caterpillar tractor showing signs of rusty distress through its faded paintwork. These vintage tractors looked far removed from the monsters that were racing only a few yards away but they share a common ancestry so it was good to see them at the show.
Vintage tractors gallery