Vintage Fordsons become apt winners on weekend of remembrance

Vintage Fordsons become apt winners on weekend of remembrance

On a weekend where those who lost their lives in conflict were remembered, there was appropriate recognition for two Fordson exhibitors whose tractors date back to wartime Britain.

John Redfern, from Claypole in Lincolnshire, won first prize for the best unrestored tractor at the show with his 1940s Fordson N, while a 1918-built Fordson F from Dan Bartle from Retford took the runner up spot in the best tractor from pre-1930.

Their two entries were front and centre of the Ford and Fordson Association stand, which was visited by a huge Newark Showground crowd over the two days.

Unrestored but running

Fordsons are in the blood for John, who owns eight in total, ranging from the first Irish-built N of 1929, to a 1945 model, and including one that’s been in his family since 1938. “My dad and grandad both worked with them,” he said.

A regular exhibitor at the show, the Fordson N was the first to claim a winning rosette.

Supplied new in March 1941 by a Yeovil-based dealer, the tractor was originally fitted with steel wheels due to a wartime-shortage of rubber.

When new, the machine would have cost the original purchaser just £155.  

John purchased it five years ago and, despite its age, has had very little to do to keep it running. Minor changes such as swapping out the tyres for some older rubber more befitting of the tractor’s age is all he has had to do.

“It is as it was,” he said, “a bit of oil, a few seals, and it runs perfectly. I still take it out to do some light chain harrowing and rolling work.”

Pandemics and submarines

Dan’s 1918 Fordson F was a genuine import from America and has had a huge amount of luck to still be in one piece.

“It came across the boat, missed all the World War One submarine attacks, and landed fine,” he said. “It worked on a farm until the 1960s and was then sent to a scrapyard in its final days.”

But the tractor was rescued by a museum and shown throughout the 1960s and 70s as part of a steam rally.

When the museum closed down and the tractor went missing in Norfolk but turned up in Derbyshire. It first came to Dan’s attention during covid.

“In 2020, during lockdown, I went out with my mask on and managed to buy it,” he said. “It was destined to be broken for spares and no more. I brought it back home, got it running, and that’s how you see it today.

“The tractor has survived two world wars, COVID, and the scrapyard.”

Dan spends his days working on modern machinery as a field technician for Ripon Farm Services at Retford, near where he lives.

He keeps a collection of tractors built from 1918 to the 1960s. Most start and run on petrol and TVO.

“That’s the sort of tractor I like,” he said. “I like the raw feel of it – they’re living things. You just look after them, keep the fluids right, and take your time, and they’ll keep working for you.

Belying its 107 years of age, the Fordson F is still worked at ploughing matches and heritage celebration days.