Quest launched to find oldest tractor still at work on farm

The owner of the oldest model will win £1,000 in a competition being run via lammaXchange.com.

According to the company's James Rickard, entries for the competition include an Allis Chalmers, two Fordson Standards and a number of "old grey Massey Fergusons many of which are still going strong on Britain's farms."

One post-war grey Massey Ferguson tells a lovely story. It was owned, from new, by Jonty Stalker, a Cumbrian farmer who used it to feed his livestock until two weeks before he died at the age of 99. The tractor was left to his nephew who still uses it to sow turnips to fatten his lambs.

Lindsay Haddon of Massey Ferguson said: "We are delighted to be a part of LammaXchange's quest for Britain's oldest working tractor.

"Both Massey Harris and Massey Ferguson were built with the ethos of straightforward, dependable and hardworking capability. These iconic workhorses of the farming world stood the test of time thanks to thoughtful design. To this day many of our oldest machines are still working the land using some of the same ground-breaking features that we still see on our machinery today.

"It is with great delight that we still see many Massey Ferguson tractors working on farms up and down the country."

The competition is still open for entries and because it has sparked so much interest, LammaXchange plans to offer the five oldest tractor owners a chance to exhibit their tractors at the 2016 LAMMA event.

"The number of old tractors that are still out there earning their keep is testament to the manufacturers, as well as the can-do philosophy of British farmers to keep these lovely old machines going," adds Rickard.

If you think you have the winning old tractor on your farm, or know someone who does, LammaXchange wants to hear from you. And why not drop a line too to us at the Shropshire Star to let us know if you have what you think is Shropshire's oldest working tractor.

Anyone looking to enter can go to www.lammaxchange.com/content/tractor-competition.php to upload a photograph of their tractor, the date of manufacture of the tractor and their contact details.

LammaXchange specialises in the sale of used farm machinery, including vintage tractors. The website features a wide range of new and used agricultural products, from tractors to combines, sold by both private and trade customers.