Social distancing

[mudsticks]

Yes I have fond memories of an old Zetor yard scraper at a dairy farm I used to work on.

Not least the way the old Debun farmer used to pronounce it.

One of my main criteria with choice of make is easy fixability, and parts availabilty.

I have a brilliant guy just down the road, well past retirement age who sorts me out if I can't fix it myself.

One time he fashioned a new internal hydraulic part, out of an old haybob tine...

Skills like that are in very short supply nowadays..
I keep trying to encourage a youngster to apprentice themselves to him.

Being able to fix stuff, on the fly, without computer diagnostics is a dying art., Which shouldn't be lost..

Sadly a lot of the kind of era I'm looking at, is being exported abroad now.

The big guys just don't want it...

The smaller to medium scale farmers are a dying breed.

But you'll know all too well, the fuel tanks those monster tractors have.

One of them can burn in a week, my entire diesel consumption for a whole year.. That just can't go on..

 

[tyred]

Zetor Crystals (or Polish made Ursus equivalent - they differ only in detail) were great machines and pretty much bombproof with a gearbox which was probably the best of it's era in terms of gear ratio choice.

I haven't paid any heed to prices of older tractors in a while but there were certain bigger machines such as the MF 595, International 955/956 or Leyland 2100/4100 which always were under-priced compared to smaller models in the range. Might be worth a look.

Fiat 780 was a great tractor mechanically with horrendous rust issues - if you don't mind a tatty cab you might get one going cheap somewhere, same for the Lamborghini 854 and MF 600 range.

 

[mudsticks]

Zetor Crystals (or Polish made Ursus equivalent - they differ only in detail) were great machines and pretty much bombproof with a gearbox which was probably the best of it's era in terms of gear ratio choice.

I haven't paid any heed to prices of older tractors in a while but there were certain bigger machines such as the MF 595, International 955/956 or Leyland 2100/4100 which always were under-priced compared to smaller models in the range. Might be worth a look.

Fiat 780 was a great tractor mechanically with horrendous rust issues - if you don't mind a tatty cab you might get one going cheap somewhere, same for the Lamborghini 854 and MF 600 range.

Thank you for the tips.. Very useful food for thought.

I'd rather buy local from someone of known reputation, who would feel bad about selling me a dog.

I can kick tyres with the best of them, but..

And, dealers can be tricksie, sadly.

I shall keep looking but I don't want to go too far afield.

Even before all this travel restriction, I was never keen driving loads of miles for a speculative viewing..

You really need to use an old machine and get it heated up, to discover its true quirks, and foibles.

Anyhoo, we'd better stop with the tractor chat before we get modded.

Although the rules might have changed now..

... So long as they're blethering on CC they're less likely to be mixing in the real world, so it's all allowed

 

[All uphill]

All this talk of crowded public places.

Here's a few pics from my solitary time today.

Not a tractor in sight!

 

[tyred]

On today's social distancing meander I wandered lonely as a cloud and spied some daffodils.

 

[hoopdriver]

Social distancing - on the beach at Hastings

 

[anothersam]

Nice thread you’ve got going here. Fantastic shot of the beach in your OP (and @hoopdriver's above).

Here’s my driveway,

also a bridleway. That field to the right is currently filled with newborn lambs.

They are of course intensely social creatures, not at all keen for separation from the flock.

Though some do, from time to time, go their own way.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

A good climb and last one off the hill. Social distancing in spades; on skiis actually! View attachment 509699
View attachment 509699
A good climb, and last off the hill. Social distancing in spades; on skiis actually!

Where's that? I'm a complete sucker for Alps of any kind, and those look a bit Alpine. I miss the French Alps!

 

[Jody]

Usual local bridleways for me which keeps me out the way of most people. Decided to take a ride into Sheffield last night which seemed like being in the set of 28 days later. Very strange

 

[slow scot]

Where's that? I'm a complete sucker for Alps of any kind, and those look a bit Alpine. I miss the French Alps!

It's on the Austrian/Swiss border In the Silvretta Alps. The main peak, the one on the left, is Piz Buin, of sun cream fame! It's a well known ski tour/climb.

 

[PeteXXX]

Socially distanced from everyone on The Washlands, Hamtun.
Just me and my Fuel EX9

 

[PeteXXX]

My bike socially distanced and covid compliant at my blood donoring session today.

 

[Ripple]

That distance should be just enough.

 

[PeteXXX]

I'm not sure whether to post this Tesco sign here, or Strange Signs..

I might do both 👍🏼

 

[biggs682]

I social distanced this morning