Nash Roller Tractor – 1950 report and adverts
November 29, 2016 in Articles
Nash Roller Tractor
We have probably all done some research online or through archives looking for information about our respective machines and it’s usually easy to find at least an advert or a brochure image about the items that we collect. Admittedly some machines and manufacturers may have out-foxed us, perhaps the machine is one of those rebadged affairs or produced in small quantities as a trial run, or even an established company invented a new brand name, stuck it on a few machines then gave it up as a bad job and went back to the drawing board leaving the name to dissolve into history.
However, sometimes a small amount of research can surprisingly bring up a wealth of information with ease and one such machine is the Nash Roller Tractor.
Research and general prodding about of the newspapers brought up not only an advert with a price but also another detailing the tractors vast ability. Also an advert for the display of the Nash Tractor at the Dairy Show in Olympia in 1950 and more interestingly (and very rare) a contemporary newspaper report about the tractor and how it functions.
Although we are aware that some of these advertorials (advert + editorial) for any machine can be a tad on the biased side at times as they may well have been paid to have been written or printed they still make for fascinating reading.
Approx.1952 (we think) petrol Nash machine
Nash are mentioned in some detail in the book ‘70 Years of Garden Machinery‘ (if you haven’t read this worthwhile encyclopaedic book detailing garden machinery then it’s here on Amazon
Click on any of the adverts for larger, easier to read images.
The above advert advises that regarding the 1950 launched tractor “The Nash is a general purpose small 3 wheeled tractor, at reasonable cost, designed to cover all types of businesses and to cover all heavy manual work; it’s range is unlimited”. This is echoed by the 1950 editorial (below right) that “this little machine is designed for use by poultry, dairy and fruit farmers, nurserymen, surveyors and builders and bids fair to lighten the work of many in this category“.
The editorial is titled “Not Just A Toy, Mr H R Nash’s Roller Tractor is a Useful Vehicle“ continues: “ Powered by a 3 1/2 hp Coventry-Victor engine, this remarkable little vehicle has a speed varying from 3 to 25mph and is capable of carrying a considerable weight. With an overall width of only three feet, it is capable of manoeuvring along garden paths and around corners at the most incredible angles. It’s turning circle, 6′ 6″ and only 6″ more than it’s overall length renders it capable of carrying it’s load with driver where otherwise there would be no option but to carry the load by hand“
“The roller is brought into operation simply by removing the rear wheels which can be done by one man without the aid of a jack or anything more than a wheel brace. Our representative who was present at a demonstration and had the opportunity of driving it, was greatly impressed by it’s performance over rough land and by it’s disinclination to tip. Despite this, should the roller-tractor ever get stuck in mud it is sufficiently light for the driver himself to pull it out without summoning aid“
“The simplicity of the controls and of the mechanism generally is another point in it’s favour. Complicated and expensive machines requiring the attention of a skilled engineer when servicing is out of vogue. Efficiency with low running costs and easily obtainable, inexpensive parts, are the points that everyone watches these days“.
Having adverts and glowing reports is all very well but actually having a machine on display at an event is an even better way to catch the attention of the public and hopefully take a deposit and fill the order books. The Nash Roller Tractor was on display at the Dairy Show, Olympia on the 24th to the 27th October 1950.
As with many machines there would have been distributors dotted around the country. The following advert is for Thomas Sinclair, Reston, Berwickshire in 1951.
As well as Nash, as far as we can tell, Thomas Sinclair also sold Cletrac, Avery, David Brown and Oliver Tractors too.
Finally from the VHGMC archives an advert for a diesel Nash. The Nash Roller Tractor developed through the years and in 1953 the four-wheel Roller Tractor Dumper was introduced. The Nash 12 shown below, had a 12 cu ft tipper, a choice of diesel engines, and a demonstration on site.
We have had a look online but cannot find many Nash Roller Tractors, whatever happened to them all? 
To set the scene and waken some memories 1964 was a notable year as it was when BBC2 started broadcasting, Daihatsu began importing cars into the UK (the first Japanese manufacturer to do so), Donald Campbell was setting world speed records in Australia and the Mini Moke a fun vehicle for the era and built by BMC in Longbridge hit UK roads. 
