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Sunday, 14 September 2025

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50 Years with a Yellow Tractor

The Massey-Ferguson 203 and 205 industrial tractors were first released in 1961. The 203 had a manual 6-speed gearbox and the 205 was equipped with a 4-speed and instant reverse torque converter transmission. Both models shared the Perkins A-3- 152...

By The TOMM Team

The Old Machinery Magazine

The Standard Cream Separator Engine

The Old Machinery Magazine

I think it would be fair to say that with the vast majority of stationary engines that we see in preservation were intended to be used as a multipurpose prime-mover capable of performing a wide array of duties. However, there were a small number of...

By The TOMM Team

The Re-Restoration of a 1925 John Deere “Spoker” D

You first heard from me several years ago when I wrote about an R Model John Deere that I had restored for a family from North Star, NSW, while I was living at Goondiwindi, QLD. Following on from this restoration, I first heard the name Peter Sands...

By The TOMM Team

Barford & Perkins Motor Roller

Unlike years ago, when the Kent rally summer season sported at least six big steam shows across the county, today only one survives. The Weald of Kent Steam Rally was held over two days this year on 3rd and 4th August in the centre of the ‘Garden...

By The TOMM Team

Lives Of The Engineers: Goldsmith & Renshaw

This article covers two lesser-known Melbourne engineers who operated both in partnership and separately, one of whom would go on to make minor inroads into the locally-built portable engine market. John Charles Renshaw was born in June 1849 in...

By The TOMM Team

Our Little HG42 Cletrac Oliver Crawler

Dale and Karen purchase their HG42 Cletrac crawler Dale fell in love with this little crawler as soon as he saw it at the Toowoomba Swapmeet but, sadly, it already had a ‘SOLD’ note on it. He’d made the decision to drive up on the Friday...

By The TOMM Team

1920 Model T Ford Truck fitted with Fordson tractor conversion

This story is of an exhibit displayed at the National Rally in Naracoorte, SA, in 2005. It was kindly loaned for the rally by my niece. A few years passed, then , in 2008 we accepted an offer to purchase the machine, as it had been in the family for...

By The TOMM Team

The Rackham Oil Engine

I was searching for one photo in particular of the many engine photographs taken on my first visit to Australia. Having found it, I continued looking through the photos as one does, reminiscing over the engines seen, the places visited and, more...

By The TOMM Team

The ‘Humble’ Auto-Bike

In 1984, I completed the restoration of an Auto-Byke and, like all good restorers should, set to with research into its provenance. I wrote a letter to Bruce Small & Co., who were the makers of Malvern Star bicycles and, of course, their...

By The TOMM Team

Norman Engine

I read with interest, Mr J. Carman’s request for information in the ‘Help Column’ of the April/May issue (#190) relating to, what he believes to be, a British-built Norman diesel engine. Whilst carrying out research, many years ago now, for...

By The TOMM Team

7HP Blackstone Spirit Engine

My acquaintance with this Blackstone Spirit engine actually began several years ago. I had heard about this engine being for sale from a few different sources but, at that time, there was no point in travelling to see it as it was out of my price...

By The TOMM Team

Rider-Ericsson Hot Air Engine Kit Build Part 3

Step 1 - I figured now was a good time to clean the rusty parts to get some resemblence to an engine. So with the help of my ‘BBQ’ (a 44 gallon drum cut in half) as my blasting stand, and my small handheld sandblasting gun, I had the parts...

By The TOMM Team

The Ferguson Story - Part 3: Harry Ferguson Inventor. Ferguson System & Tractors

From 1939, and through the War years, Henry Ford had been building tractors for Harry Ferguson under the much talked about ‘handshake agreement’. The tractor was the Ford/Ferguson (Ford 9N), significantly carrying two badges on the bonnet, being...

By The TOMM Team

The Ferguson Story - Part 2: Harry Ferguson Inventor. Ferguson System & Tractors

The joint venture company, Ferguson–Sherman Incorporated, was set up in December, 1925, and Ferguson and his family, and Williams, remained in the USA for about twelve months, until the venture was fully operational. From 1923, Ferguson, with the...

By The TOMM Team

The Ferguson Story - Part 1: Harry Ferguson, The Inventor and His Early Years

In June, 2016, the ‘Little Grey Fergie, which has become an Australian icon, and the first tractor in the world to be honoured with a monument, celebrated its 70th anniversary. This little tractor evolved from a brilliant concept, the Ferguson...

By The TOMM Team

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