[nb-NO]Object number[nb-NO]
80/68
[nb-NO]Creator[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Description[nb-NO]
This is a Ferguson TE20 Continental tractor. It was found in a wrecked condition on an Aylesbury scrapheap by Mr Arthur Williams, a former member of staff at Rycotewood College who retired in 1979. Mr Williams, together with his students at Rycotewood College, restored the tractor to working condition. It was probably manufactured in 1948 and is one of the early Ferguson tractors built by the Standard Motor Company at their Banner Lane, Coventry, plant. The engine (no. Z120) was built by Continental Motors of Detroit, America. The Standard Motor Company imported engines from America because the plant was not equipped to build engines at that time. MERL purchased the tractor from Rycotewood College for £250, with a 50% grant aid from the Science Museum.
[nb-NO]Physical description[nb-NO]
1 tractor: good condition- restored to working order
<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>9. <B>Ferguson TE20 Tractor, 1948</B><P> Harry Ferguson, an inventor and engineer from Northern Ireland, devised a revolutionary new system for hydraulically attaching implements to the back of a tractor. In this way, the depth of working could be controlled automatically, the forces were distributed more evenly through the vehicle, and the tractor was transformed from a mere mechanical horse into an effective field machine. Ferguson had his tractor made first by David Brown in 1936, and by Ford in America from 1939 to 1946, before production was switched to England in 1946, under the Ferguson name. The result was the classic 'grey Fergie', the TE20, a highly popular tractor both in Britain and abroad in the post-War years. The hydraulic three point linkage for attaching implements remains the basis of modern tractor design.<P> 80/68</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV><DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>5. <B>Ferguson TE20 Tractor, 1948.</B><P> Harry Ferguson, an inventor and engineer from Northern Ireland, devised a revolutionary new system for hydraulically attaching implements to the back of a tractor. In this way, the depth of working could be controlled automatically, the forces were distributed more evenly through the vehicle, and the tractor was transformed from a mere mechanical horse into an effective field machine. Ferguson had his tractor made first by David Brown in 1936, and by Ford in America from 1939 to 1946, before production was switched to England in 1946, under the Ferguson name. The result was the classic 'grey Fergie', the TE20, a highly popular tractor both in Britain and abroad in the post-War years. The hydraulic three point linkage for attaching implements remains the basis of modern tractor design.<P> 80/68</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV><DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>FERGUSON TRACTOR // DETAILS // Categories Collecting Rural England // Theme(s) Farming and agriculture // Collection Farm Machinery // Date 1948 // Object number 80/68 // DESCRIPTION // This Ferguson Tractor was found a mess on a scrapheap by a retired teacher at RycoteWood College. He enlisted the help of students at the college to lovingly repair and restore the tractor to working condition and was afterwards bought by the Museum with the help of the Science Museum. // The tractor was probably manufactured in 1948 and is one of the earliest types built by the Standard Motor Company at their Banner Lane plant in Coventry.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
[nb-NO]Archival history[nb-NO]
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: Tractor // Accession number: 80/68 // Classification: Motive power: Ice// Negative number: 60/14021 // Acquisition method: Purchased for £250 (50% grant aided by Science Museum) // Acquired from, date: Rycotewood College of Ag. Engineering, Thame, Oxon (Through Mr Stephenson, Lecturer) Dec. 1980 // Store: Exhibition // Condition: Restored to working order // Recorder, date: RB. 9/12/80// Description: Ferguson TE20 Continental tractor // Probable date of manufacture - 1948 // Repainted Ferguson grey during restoration // Engine (no. Z120) built by Continental Motors of Detroit. // Dimensions: // Associated information: Found in wrecked condition on an Aylesbury scrapheap by Arthur Williams, former member of staff at Rycotewood College (retired 1979). Restored at Rycotewood by Mr Williams and students. // One of the early Ferguson tractors built by Standard Motor Company at their Banner Lane, Coventry, plant from last weeks of 1946. With engines imported from America because at that time, the plant was not equipped to build engines. // References: See manuals in Trade Record Collection. // 'Harry Ferguson' by Colin Fraser (John Murray 1972).', Letter, Science Museum to MERL, 12 November 1980 – 'Dear Mr Brigden, // FERGUSON TE20 CONTINENTAL TRACTOR // We can offer 50% grant aid towards the purchase of the fully-restored Ferguson tractor which you propose to purchase from Rycotewood College. I note that the price has been agreed at £250. // A Declaration Form is enclosed, for use when claiming our grant. // Yours sincerely // J C Robinson // Assistant Keeper // Fund for the Preservation of Technological and Scientific Material'
[nb-NO]Production place[nb-NO]
Coventry, Detroit
[nb-NO]Date[nb-NO]
1948-01-01
[nb-NO]Object name[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Material[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Technique[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Dimensions[nb-NO]
- Length 2820 mm
- Width 1500 mm
- Height 1320 mm
[nb-NO]External document[nb-NO]
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\80_68_doc_01.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\80_68_doc_02.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\80_68_doc_03.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\80_68_doc_04.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_14021.tif - High resolution image
