Did you work with Gordon Crowther or Roger Sinclair in that era?
Eastern Massey Dealers of the Past.
- Thread starter Massey_3115
- Start date
trebornella
Member
No, the names are not familar to me.
76masseyman
Member
- Location
- Lincolncestershire
Rogers Engineers anyone.
Exfarmer
Member
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds
Bought an 865 in about 1990, it was from Larkmans , second hand but only a couple of hundred hours on the clock. one of the very. Last built and sent to Europe.
sadly it gave us huge issues for the first couple of years with bearings knocking out ever few hours in the power flow header.
then one winters day a mechanic turned up to try and sought it , i knew him from a past life when he worked for Rogers at Sherington. He knew the issue and a couple of hours sorted the issue which was the belts were too tight. Unfortunately he returned to Buckinghamshire after a short time, but the combine worked for me for many years
sadly it gave us huge issues for the first couple of years with bearings knocking out ever few hours in the power flow header.
then one winters day a mechanic turned up to try and sought it , i knew him from a past life when he worked for Rogers at Sherington. He knew the issue and a couple of hours sorted the issue which was the belts were too tight. Unfortunately he returned to Buckinghamshire after a short time, but the combine worked for me for many years
trebornella
Member
When MF knew how to build combines to last. Photo must be from 1978 /79 as black tank covers fitted ( all those fasteners and pop rivets !!!! ) and all red cab. Bedford HA van would have been fairly new as well and mechanic with his cantilever toolbox, not many Snap on cabinets in those days. Shame I havent got any similar era photos from my time at Eastern Tractors.
- Location
- Moreton-in-Marsh, Glos
Larkmans of Attleborough were a good dealer.
I bought a MF30 4 metre G&F drill from them. At that time, our mainline tractors were IH.
Then a few years later I went to get some new discs for it from them and saw what I thought was a fantastic new tractor, being a 675. The one they had was a Multi-power version, but I wanted the 3 stick version. I was so impressed with what I saw, I ordered what I wanted on the spot while I was there.
Three years later I bought a 2 year old 690 from Cowies Eastern Tractors at Wrentham. We also had an MF 1250 to complete the fleet of our then mainline Masseys that we had bought privately.
But also had a 165 and 175 that originally came from Standen’s at Ely and a refurbished 135 I bought from Mitchum’s at Burwell, all of which we kept.
Perhaps didn’t ought to mention the Mk1 595 we had from Thurlow Nunn’s at Elmswell, which was so bad, that is what made us switch brand to the IH’s.
Temporarily, until I saw that 675 at Larkmans.
With Claas at Mann’s of Saxham and plenty of good New Holland dealer’s such as Bloomfields at Debenham, never had any MF Combines. But liked the look of the 30 series former Dronningborg Combines, until MF did their usual trick of trying to make them too cheaply.
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- Location
- Sorn Ayrshire
Mechanic friend now has a VW Transporter just on the maximum GVW used to be an Astra van was plenty big enough. That was when you could carry the tools to split a 165 in one hand.
trebornella
Member
You could soon pull a Massey apart. Just needed 7/16" to 3/4" AF spanners, pair of pliers, screwdriver and a hammer for good measure.
trebornella
Member
Bedford van shows on Gov.UK reg check. Registered April 1978, so a fairly late S reg. Last MOT in 1985, wonder if its still about.
That vehicle check is handy.
Interestingly a 1968 MF135 supplied by Graham Wooding, from Rogers Weedon; PNV156F, is still taxed.
Gramp traded it out in 1976 when I was 12, for a Ford 3600.
I learned to drive on that tractor, don't suppose anyone knows where it is?
Interestingly a 1968 MF135 supplied by Graham Wooding, from Rogers Weedon; PNV156F, is still taxed.
Gramp traded it out in 1976 when I was 12, for a Ford 3600.
I learned to drive on that tractor, don't suppose anyone knows where it is?
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Ah snap on, when I started aged 16 the place did trucks, cars, Massey Ag and industrial. Every week the snap on man in a van came round, fairly early in my career my mechanic teacher found me in there. My eyes were as big as a kid in a sweet shop, he took me by the scuff of the neck and pulled me out of there, and explained. 1.The boxes get bought by the car boys and they sit on the work bench and rarely move, ours are in and out of the van and when in the van get driven down farm tracks, your fancy box will shake itself to bits, better of with more tools in an old metal or even wooden box. 2. Tools you will lose more than you break and there's no warranty on them. 3. Priced up spanners 1" up to 1"1/4 average snap on price then was £25 each for the 5 on his advice bought for £25 a gedeora set from 3/8 upto 1"1/4 still have all the big ones, some of the smaller ones were lost, worn out and replaced.
Gt barfor
Yes quick split on a 100 series. Leave bonnet on, slacken bottom of windscreen. 2 steering box bolts out and 2 loosened, one fuel filter off. Split slightly, whilst lowering the backend, being careful not to trap m/p pipes.
trebornella
Member
Exactly my way of thinking as well, I always lost more tools than wearing them out, even found a spanner i'd lost on a combine job during harvest when I did the winter service 6 months later. The only things I ever bought from Snap on were specials, snap ring pliers, stud extractors etc. Many of my tools were modified for particular jobs, such as a cut down and shaped spanner for removing shaker shaft / grain pan bolts on 525 / 625 combines. If you've been in there you'll know what I mean. Its nice to have a collection of shiny tools but I managed for 30 odd years without.
Yes been there too. Who thought of that? Stepped bolts and sealed bearings where all other manufacturers just use rubber bushes.
I had 12 years at Thurlows Downham Market, Bill Nunn was in the directors chair, an excellent problem solving mechanic when he joined the family firm at Elmwell as a young man.
Fred Bumstead sales manager and a really nice fellow who sadly died in middle age, he also came up from Elmswell when the branch opened.
The quietly spoken Roy Collins, headed up the service side, another brilliant engineer with many talented mechanics in his workshop .
It was a very busy place employing lots of people and shifting a lot of MF product in its day.
Now only the old loading ramp remains as it’s rented to The Factory Shop and Sue Ryder nowadays, but I believe James Thurlow still owns the whole riverside site.
Fred Bumstead sales manager and a really nice fellow who sadly died in middle age, he also came up from Elmswell when the branch opened.
The quietly spoken Roy Collins, headed up the service side, another brilliant engineer with many talented mechanics in his workshop .
It was a very busy place employing lots of people and shifting a lot of MF product in its day.
Now only the old loading ramp remains as it’s rented to The Factory Shop and Sue Ryder nowadays, but I believe James Thurlow still owns the whole riverside site.
