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Why did I do this? by John Selley H


ave you ever done something and afterwards wondered why? I will share with you my


latest ‘I wonder why’ moment.


I was trawling through E-Bay and happened to come across an advert for two VERY rusty lumps of Ferguson TEF20 tractor.


I looked at them and wondered why anybody would even bother to advertise them, let alone buy them but I had not reckoned on my right-hand wayward index finger! Almost instantly there was a message congratulating me on my winning bid followed by another from the vendor thanking me for my very prompt payment! To add insult to injury the price was £5 more than advertised!


At this point I felt I should read the full description. It started by saying that ‘everything was very well seized and has either been stored at the bottom of a lake or the ocean, you to decide’! As all my tractors are named this one is Neptune! It went on to say that loading would be no problem as he had an engine crane.


I took a look at the map and it was 90 miles away. On the Saturday we had agreed for collection I set out at 6am so that I could be back for lunch and not be too out of favour. I was there for 9am to face the first hurdle which was to push the trailer 50 metres as it was far too narrow to reverse it and the car, well it was for me! The two lumps sat there on the cobbles, one lump was the engine and front axle the other a back axle and gearbox.


So the loading exercise began. Dear reader, if this fellow had paid a fiver for his engine hoist he had been robbed! All wheels were either seized or didn’t caster and don’t forget the cobbles! He assured me it would take 15 minutes; in fact it took 1.5 hours. Also thrown in for good measure were two fergie front wheels and 2 centres out of a tractor very much bigger than a fergie.


I was back on the road at 11.30. I soon joined the A14 but then road signs said that ALL traffic travelling East had to exit at that point and we were taken around Papworth which took for ever. Being of a certain age, the tank was now full to overflowing and desperate action was required, so a U turn was made to exit the queue I was in, and relief found very shortly after, on a magnificent concrete pad with plenty of modesty cover!


I arrived home well late, certainly I had missed lunch and the good books! At my workshop I left it and the trailer outside in the hope that somebody would like to take it for scrap!


The front end as advertised


8 MAY/JUNE 2020


So, what had I actually got? The identity plate shows TEF 508630, which indicates it was made during August 1956. I got the front axle off the engine and dismantled that insomuch as I removed the two radius arms. I was very impressed with my Lidl purchase of a pneumatic impact hammer which undid the long bolts which pass through the radius arm and through the axle. I didn’t for


call 01295 404099 to advertise or email advertising@vintagecene.co.uk


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