[alan]

One machine I would like to find, but probably never will, is one of the first Bolens brought to the UK in the 1920’s.

I used to teach garden history amongst other horticultural stuff so hence the machinery research and articles.

[alan]

Ian

Have a good time at the show. Are you just visiting or exhibiting?

Alan

[alan]

That’ll be a Tecumseh or Aspera engine then?

[alan]

John

There’s some info on the old forum archive which may be of help:

https://www.tractorbox.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=757

Also found this reference from the early 1970’s. “an M1 Super at around £116 with a 3 h.p. engine, there are the Estate at £130, fitted with a 4h.p. engine, and the Monarch at £140.50, fitted with a 5 h.p. engine”.

Mountfield is now owned by another company so information or archives may no longer be available or may be lost.

Alan

[alan]

The only image I can find in my archives for a Little Giant chainsaw is an advert from 1963 with the Little Giant being mentioned as ‘Specially designed for one-handed use. Ideal for lopping and pruning. 5″ cut. price £28.0.0’.

[alan]

Hi Stew

The best bits of some of the machinery is the fact that there’s hand-held equipment that goes with them.

There’s some info which may be of interesst on the forum archive:

https://www.tractorbox.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7049

Alan

[alan]

Thank you for the chart, it’s helpful to see that.

[alan]

Thanks for the info, Geoff. I’ll look into it and report back.

Mountfield brought a low number of Elec-traks into the country along with a few other oddities whilst importing wheelhorse stuff, quite interesting really what can be found in the UK when I started looking. I spoke to someone today who has now told me where there are some archive details regarding the electric tractors brought in by Mountfield which is interesting.

You never know I might have just cornered the market in rare electric tractors!

[alan]

I think the noise is also partly due to the gearbox being bolted to what is essentially a big metal box of a chassis and it acts as a loud speaker.

Wristpin, thanks for the info about the grease, I will check on the lubrication aspect, it’s always good to have others input on these things.

The gearbox tag says it is a Peerless 1216 of the old type. The instructions from 1973 say it apparently requires 2 pints of SAE EP90. I will have changed it at some point during it’s overhaul but it’s that long ago that I cannot remember! I will check.

Gearbox looks like this:

[alan]

It’s a peerless gearbox as far as I recall, the aluminium tag is still attached to the gearbox.

I’ll certainly have a look at the lubricant in the gearbox, won’t go amiss to check it, can’t remember what grade it is, I have all the instructions so will look it up.

The mechanics are not noisy it’s just that the turning of the components can be heard – the other tractors on Youtube sound exactly the same as mine so I don’t think there’s anything amiss. It’s also unusual to hear or see an electric tractor so the sounds become more noticeable if that makes sense?!!

[alan]

Thanks for posting your updates, nice to read what someone else is doing. It’d be good to see some photo’s when it’s all finished.

[alan]

From the photos the setup looks the same as on my Cub Cadet although that has a 10hp Kohler. My dynastart only has two terminals too, as far as I recall each has a single wire going to the regulator but one of them also has the live going to it from the ignition switch. So two terminals but three wires in total. From your photos it looks like the wires are connected including the live wire.

I’ve just had an issue with a tractor and it was the key switch that was no longer making a contact inside.

[alan]

I think quite a few people are staying at the Holiday Inn, means we can securely leave the vehicle on the showfield.

[alan]

Just taking Huffy Sheraton this year since other projects are not complete.

Huffy Sheraton – IMGHuffy003

[alan]

One of the things I have come across with research is that for some machines, even when produced in a reasonable quantity, very few examples have managed to survive into preservation. It looks like the Nu-trak tractor is one of those machines.

As you’ll already know there is actually very little information about the Nu-Trak. I did find some bits though such as in 1949 in ‘The Commercial Grower’ magazine: “Recently introduced machinery included the Nu-track tractor made by R. Bradford, London, and obtainable from Frank Bird (Engineers) Ltd., 26, Vachel Road, Reading. A small hand tractor, it is balanced on a single narrow caterpillar band placed centrally under the machine, which gives grip, and it is powered by a 880 c.c. engine. Price is £128.”

There is a Dutch magazine called ‘Landbouwdocumentatie’ and in 1949 ran a short description of the tractor so I wonder if any made their way to Holland?

[Author]

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