Ransomes MG6 Digger Dozer

[expeatfarmer]

That looks a useful machine Chris what era is that from are they German?
Crank has taught me a lesson, I checked it for play when I had the barrel off and decide to leave well alone and not disturb the journal. Next time it will be strip and check regardless. Concerned that the crank may be too far gone for a grind but the amazing Neil Jarrett has found some -60 shells in Malta of all places so waiting for them to arrive. I am also looking for a replacement crank in case.

[crawler]

Yes Schmiedag are German, one of the brochures I have dates from 1964. I saw one at the Great Dorset Steam Fair in 2004 digging a trench, see photo.
That’s good about the shells, hopefully you will be able to save your existing crank.

Rob

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[expeatfarmer]

Some photos of the starter set up and battery fitting. Also new decals for the Ramdozer copied from an old leaflet. I have now set up a hydraulic lift which makes working on these machines a lot kinder on my back.

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[expeatfarmer]

missed a photo

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[crawler]

That hydraulic lift looks like a very handy gadget. You have done a remarkable job on the MG6.
Any updates on the engine rebuild?

Rob

[expeatfarmer]

From what I understand they were made initially to fit the Ransomes machines and have since been adapted to fit a range of machines including their own hydraulic tracked platform.
I attach some photos showing the extent of welding repair to the crankcase where it has obviously gone bang in the past.Amazing that someone should go to such trouble. The crank has been built up with stellite weld which during the regrind started to delaminate from the original, fortunately I now have another crank which has been ground to minus 30 and is ready to fit.

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[will-haggle]

Hi Expeatfarmer I’ve copied you words for the cultivator, could you please send me the pictures?
To cultivator-editor@outlook.com

Thanks a lot,
Alan….

[expeatfarmer]

Hi Alan I will send you the photos.
I have now completed the engine rebuild with a new crank which was ground to suit some -30 thou shells I bought from Neil. engine now has 40psi oil pressure at tick over hot.
I took the digger out for its first run today along the road delivering Christmas cards to the neighbours! Back to the garden for a test dig, I am amazed it is very powerful and operates just like my Volvo mini digger in that I can crowd and lift at the same time ,which I was not expecting. I dug a hole about 4ft deep into heavy cumbrian clay with big stones and it coped admirably, on one big stone it pulled the digger forward despite the dozer blade anchor and the handbrakes on. The dozer works well, I have yet to test it in angle doze mode but it is the same as the standard Ramdozer so it should be ok.My next job is to make some oak or elm 12″ swamp pads for it.

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[crawler]

Wow, that looks good. Glad you managed to get the engine sorted. If that was me I would get a bit carried away with it and something resembling the Grand Canyon would be in my garden. Hope you get a video of it in action sometime.
Rob

[expeatfarmer]

Video sounds like a plan not sure how to do it though, can I just upload one or do I have to use u tube?

Garden has only just recovered from being turned into the Somme last year with dumper and dozer toys!

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[franktonpaget]

I attach a scan from the Sales Literature for the Whitlock WR4 Dumper and WR8 Shovel as mention is made earlier of these ransomes skid produced machines

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[franktonpaget]

Another Loader for the MG 40 was the WGM Demon Loader which had Muck fork,Bulldozer Blade ,Bucket,Root crop Bucket,Fork lift,Working Platform ,lifting jib,snow plough,and buckrake attachments

Developed by a Shropshire Poultry Farmer for work in confined spaces it was also available for Unihorse,Bolens,Trusty Steed,Wheelhorse,Club Cadet,Trojan,Markham Colt,and Holder A12
Attached are a couple of illustrations

regards Joe Paget

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[charlie]

Yet more gems from the literature archives, just goes to show what club members have in their collections.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Im sure this is a Demon loader, I always though it was a homemade arrangement.

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[franktonpaget]

From the illustrations I have compared to your photograph it looks like a Demon.

A report from the Farmers Weekly describes that a Dowty hydraulic pump is driven by V belts from the pto with a 2.5 gallon hydraulic oil tank, cost for the MG was £69
All sorts of extra buckets/fittings were available plus two way rams etc
The Dandy scoop was also available for those that did not require lifting height
With all that weight up front the WGM transport box would have been handy with removable tailboard but also could be used as counterweight in conjunction with Demon loader
Mr W G Minshall a poultry farmer who developed the loader etc seemed to operate also as Manufacturer :- W.G.Minshall, Engineers, Greenway, Chester Road, Hinstock, Nr Market Drayton, Shropshire
Perhaps one day the Ransomes MG members within the VHGMC will get together and organise a get together at one of the VHGMC working days and bring along the range of MG crawlers that were produced, MG2,5,6 and 40 together with variants such as the, Industrials, Whitlock, Water Board Specials and the French cousins and not forgetting the range of Ransomes implements but also “approved” attachments such as Howard & Mansley rotary cultivators, Sprayers etc
Ransomes items always seem to generate a lot of interest on the Forum.

regards Joe Paget

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