A 1966-built Massey Ferguson 135 with just 969 hours on the clock and in wonderful original condition made the top price at the recent Cheffins vintage machinery auction in Harrogate, England. There was wild speculation on the viewing day as to how much this Banner Lane-made tractor would make.

With a big crowd assembled around the tractor and the telephone bidders primed, £10,000 was the opening bid. It quickly rattled along to mid-teens and with some spirited telephone bidding and a weighty commission bid, the auctioneer's hammer dropped finally on £19,000.

The Massey Ferguson 135 was first launched at the 1964 Royal Smithfield Show. The tractor is powered by a Perkins three-cylinder 2.37-litre AD3.152 diesel engine producing a useful 45.5hp.

The auctioned tractor was fitted with Multi-Power, a novel system that allowed the number of ratios to be doubled. The system used hydraulic clutch engagement of an extra set of constant mesh gears to give effectively 12 forward and four reverse gears, giving 30% faster speeds in each gear up to 21.7mph. The new purchase price of the tractor back in 1966 was reported to have been £885.

The tractor is fitted with a Duncan Supercab, Multi-Power, rear linkage, PUH and shod with 12.4/11-28 rear and 6.00x16 Goodyear wheels and tyres. It was offered for sale with the original green card logbook, V5C, original auction catalogue and auction advert. The price was high but not quite a record price for such a tractor as Cheffins had sold a 135 with five hours on the clock for £34,000 in 2014.

All told there were 92 tractors in the auction, and almost 36% of them were withdrawn as they failed to reach the reserve prices.

Other highlights included a pair of 1969 David Brown 780s with consecutive registration numbers which sold after the auction for £10,500. The trio of original Roadless Ploughmasters tractors saw some enthusiasm with a 90 making £9,200, a 95 hit £11,000 and a 65 made £8,200.

A well-restored Fordson E27N P6 realised £11,000, and a well-presented Roadless 780 sold after the sale for £19,000.

A stablemate a Roadless Ploughmaster 75 in equally good condition made a price of £9,000.

An unusual Nuffield 465 with a Marshall 804 4WD front axle and in a well-restored condition achieved a price of £9,500. A big Ford TW-35 in ex-farm condition sold for £7,500 and a County Super 6 was knocked down at £8,800.

Among the more interesting classic tractors was an unusual Leyland 384 with a V8 engine conversion which made £5,200.

A very original David Brown 885 achieved a price of £5,500 while an older restored Massey Ferguson 135 sold for £4,900.

Donegal Ferguson world record telephone correction

In last week's issue we gave you the incorrect telephone number for Derek Long, the chair of Whitecross Vintage Association from the Finn Valley in Co Donegal. Derek (087-680 1588) and his committee are preparing to set a new world record for the most Massey Ferguson tractors working in one field on Saturday and Sunday, 17 and 18 September at Carrigens, near Raphoe, Co Donegal, to celebrate 90 years since the Ferguson hydraulic system was first introduced.

Fingal celebrates four decades of grain harvesting

The Fingal Vintage Society is celebrating four decades of grain harvesting from the 1940s to the 1980s during the Fingal Vintage Harvest Festival at Skerries Mills in Skerries town, north county Dublin on this Sunday 4 September. Charles Hutcheson (087-879 0611), secretary of the society told the Irish Farmers Journal that this year they will have harvest scenes starting from the 1940s with a man and scythe working in a crop of oats.

We have a harvest scene from the 1950s with a working reaper binder and steam engine driving a threshing mill. The third decade from the 1960s will include a working trailed combine harvester and finally a 1970s scene with a number vintage combines working," added Charles.

The event, which starts at 12 noon, will include craft stalls and plenty for kids. At the end of the day they will plough and then assemble a 20ft-tall Wicker Bug and set fire to it as show closes at 6pm.

Knockbridge Vintage Day

Knockbridge Vintage Club will host its annual vintage day outside Dundalk, Co Louth on Sunday 11 September to raise money for local charities. To date, the club has donated over €130,000 to local worthy charities which was way beyond their expectations when the club was formed.

Grainne McGeeney (085-156 9147), PRO of the Knockbridge Vintage Club told us that the line-up of attractions for this year?s event includes entertainment by Declan Nerney, as well as extensive displays of vintage tractors, cars and bicycles along with vintage threshing and a working area.

Irish Farmers Journal Vintage Diary

Contact

3 September Ulster Scots Vintage Gathering, Ballycarry, Antrim 0044-7706747916

3 September Seaforde Vintage Annual Rally, Down 0044-7540539420

3 September Derryhennett Vintage Road Run, Keady, Armagh 0044-7860384544

3 September Mid-Ulster Vintage Ploughing Match, Tyrone 0044-7541325188

3 September Garvagh Vintage Club?s Annual Rally, Derry 0044-7791086221

4 September Rainbow Tractor Club Ladies Run, Virginia, Cavan 086 875 9606

4 September Ballymachugh Tractor Run, Finea, Cavan 086 167 9970

4 September Autumn Harvest Event, The Farm, Granagh, Cork 086-218 0969

4 September Lough Rynn Vintage, Lough Rynn Castle, Mohill, Leitrim 086-340 7643

4 September Carrickmacross Vintage Field Day, Monaghan 087-237 1221

4 September West Limerick Vintage Vintage, Askeaton, Limerick 087-699 5904

10 September Braid Valley Vintage Tractor Road Run, Tyrone 0044-7802537124

10 September Dungiven Parish Church Vintage Rally, Derry 0044-7775632570

10 September Killelagh & St John?s Vintage Day, Swatragh, Derry 0044-7759425131

10 September Rathfriland Vintage Rally, Antrim 0044-7879417079

10 September Clough Vintage, Alex Douglas Run, Down 0044-7926970643

10 September Tullylagan Vintage Tractor Road Run, Dungannon 0044-7832336014

10 September Peninsula Vintage Rally, Ballyhalbert, Down 0044-7789448668

11 September Caim Vintage Threshing and Run, Wexford 087-917 2654

11 September Slievenamon Vintage Tractor Run, Tipperary 086-085 4381

11 September Suncroft Vintage Harvest Rally, Kildare 087-251 1665

11 September Tullogher/Rosbercon Vintage Road Run, Kilkenny 086-106 0689

11 September South Kerry Ploughing & Harvest, Kenmare, Kerry 087-338 1842

11 September Carnew Heritage Vintage working day, Wexford 087-643 6482

11 September Knockbridge Vintage Club show, Louth 087-976 3355

17/18 September Whitecross Vintage Ferguson record, Carrigans, Donegal 087-680 1588

17/18 September Glengariff Run by Ballincollig Vintage Club, Cork 087-909 6616

17 September Ballygowan Vintage Annual Rally, Down 0044-7496028519

17 September Country Comes to Town Vintage event, Portadown 0044-7733417540

17 September Corbet Tractor Run, Castlewellan Road, Banbridge 0044-7849662758

17 September Lisnagaver Hall Vintage Rally, Rasharkin, Antrim 0044-7922246089

17 September St John?s Parish Vintage Rally, Ballinderry, Tyrone 0044-7512374811

18 September Curraghmore Vintage field day, Waterford 087-123 8070

18 September Rosdillig Vintage Rally, Cork 087-775 1895

18 September Camp Static Show, Kerry 087-958 8631

*Dates are subject to change. The Irish Farmers Journal does not take responsibility for date or venue changes. Please contact each event before you travel.