…and yes Paul, we spotted the Champaigne bottle on the first photo.  Well, why not.  Betsie Jane looks superb, and we can all imagine the purring of the twin Standard 23C engines as she cruises along.

During world war II the boat made two crossings in the Dunkirk evacuations, and the information on the National Ships Register says that Betsie Jane was able to tow two other boats because of her powerful engines.  However, the 23C engines were installed in 1952, so I wander what engines she had before that?

Congratulations Paul on a fine restoration and thanks for sending in the photos.  Not the usual thing for a tractor restoration website, but very interesting all the same.

Thanks, and we hope the engines give many more years of service.

Vintage Tractor Engineer.

Vintage Tractor Engineer has decided to take a minute to put some of these resources on this page for quick and easy navigation (not just to help you the visitor, but also so Vintage Tractor Engineer can find these sites quickly and easily).  One site, however, is a little favourite of Vintage Tractor Engineer – and that’s Tim Ray’s ploughmyfield site.  What we like about Tim’s site is that it’s regularly updated, things are researched in detail and really well inllustrated with photos and videos – just like this post on a 4WD TEA 20.

So here are some links to TE20 resources.  There are dozens and dozens on the web, so this is just a selection.  If you know of any more that are of interest then please leave the link in the comments.  Thanks.

Blogs and personal Ferguson sites…

Ferguson TEF20

GreyFergie

Ploughmyfield

Larger clubs and organisations…

Ferguson Enthusiasts of North America

Ferguson Family Museum

Friends of Ferguson Heritage

Harry Ferguson Tractor Club of Australia

Old Ferguson Tractors

The Ferguson Club

Parts, suppliers and restorers…

Agriline Products

Fergiland

Maine Surface Finnishing

Silver Fox Tractor Spares

Slinden Services (block repairs)

Smallholder Services

Southern Counties Tractor Spares

Details are:
———————————————————————-
Massey Ferguson FE35 s/n 74232
Engine No 302299-11
Gearbox No 182 840 M1
Axle No 183-253-M3
Registration number UXW 879
Date 1957
———————————————————————-
Please contact Hertfordshire Police station on 0845_3300_222
Crime number A5-10-190

Any help would be appreciated.

Kind wishes
Paul Grace

Vintage Tractor Engineer really connected with this photo and thought ‘Spring is here, let me out of this barn!’ 

Thanks Dave, it is a great photo and probably portrays how all us northern hemisphere tractor enthusiasts feel as Spring arrives – we just can’t wait to get out in the fields. 

We recently went out to the Burnby Vintage Tractor Working Day and everyone enjoyed the beautiful spring day.  We thought that Dave’s photo really summed up the atmosphere at Burnby.

P.S. Have you spotted the original Ferguson badge (as opposed to the MF triple triangle) on the front?

There isn’t any tractor maintenance/repair information here to learn, but it was just a really good day.  Lots of locals meeting up, enjoying a day out on their tractor and discussing the merits of the different machines.  Here’s a short video of the day…