The "Fortuna" ractor

[franktonpaget]

I have just acquired a Farm Implement Buyers Guide for 1950/1951,a very interesting read with 240 pages of information on tractors and implements available with period advertisements

One entry is for the Fortuna tractor with makers given as A.P. & E Singer Ltd, Park Mansions Arcade,Knightsbridge, London SW1.
Engine stated to be Ford 10hp with three speeds from 1 to 12 mph, 84″ long,42″ wide, weight 13cwt.
Three speed pto, tyres 6.00 x 22 rears, 4.00 x 15 front.capable of one to two furrow plough depending on soil type.
Unfortunately no photograph but I have never come across this tractor before anybody know anything about it ?
Not to be confused with Singer Monarch similar specification but did not arrive to 1953 and was developed from OTA which is listed elsewhere in guide

[alan]

I’ve never heard of the Fortuna tractor or come across anything when sorting the photos.

As you’ll know OTA tractors were exported to Australia and possibly elsewhere. I wonder if the ‘Fortuna’ name may have been for export purposes?

1952 Australian advert attached.

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[trusty220]

It may be the case that Singer were developing a tractor of their own which was dropped when they bought the rights to manufacture the OTA as the Singer Monarch.

I have no evidence to back this up, it is only a suggestion! Can anyone throw any more light on this?

[franktonpaget]

The OTA tractor is listed separately in the Farm Implements guide so is not the Fortuna tractor.
The OTA tractor was exported to Australia as the OTA tractor and the main importer was the Dickson Primer Co

I am the registrar for OTA and Singer Tractors in the Singer Owners Club although mainly cars Singer did produce in early days cycles and motor cycles but also small commercials ,speed boats, small rollers under the Motor Units division and the Monarch tractor from the manufacturing rights purchased from OTA .The Singer 100 year Celebration rally at Stoneleigh Abbey a few years back had examples of all the products they produced and was some event.
From company history Singer did not research tractors and the A.P & E Singer name is not the Singer Motor Company just a coincidence . From evidence the Singer Motor company got involved in the Monarch as a means of financing development of replacements for its aging sport car range influenced by the Fergusons being produced by the neighbouring Standard Car company in Coventry, as the Singer chairman in his annual report stated “we see the Monarch tractor producing valuable income to the Company”
Quite a few light tractors used the Ford 10hp engine ,a cheap slogging engine with spares /service readily available from Ford agents. OTA, Kent Pony and Byron are just a few light tractors that used the same engine but have significant specification differences from the Fortuna tractor.
Perhaps the Fortuna is just another of those light tractors that sprang up in the post WW2 period, announced but withered away before proper production due to finance, material shortages etc,some appear not to have got into double figure production.
Anyway keep your eyes and ears open, it never ceases to amaze me what is still lurking in the back of sheds out there. The other day came across a Kendall in amazing original condition with spares from another “scrapped” in the back of a storage unit tucked away behind other tractors out of sight and not for sale.

[Author]

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