Gates of Baldock

[Magnum Man]

Anyone here used to deal with them back in the day? Were the Ford dealer for Hertfordshire and surrounding areas until 1987. These old pics were lent to me by an old employee.

 

[JP1]

Gates were big Ford dealers in Essex in my youth (cars and vans and trucks)

 

[Chickcatcher]

Martin and Alec in the stores, Chris the give it away salesman.

 

[timff]

Great shots. I guess the bottom one was 1970 as there are a few of the first safety cabbed Fords, but not many. Several Lambourne weather cabs, a County Forward contro land a 4004 next to the white Escort van? I remember going there with Dad en route to D & F Miller of Therfield to look at Masseys.....in about 1976. What joy for a tractor mad 12 year old!

 

[Magnum Man]

The building was still standing until just a few weeks ago - I went past there last night and it's been demolished and a number of new houses are now approaching completion on the site. I can remember going there quite a bit in the early-mid 1980s with my father and grandfather.

 

[7610 super q]

Thought this was going to be about the latest Hobbit film.......
Anyhow....thanks for posting pics. I guess there can't be many taken of tractor dealerships pre the mobile phone era.
The first pic must have been taken at the end of 1985, early 1986, with a mix of Gen 1 and 2 series tractors.

 

[grainboy]

Chris Rook if i am correct founded Lodgeway tractor Company with another. Now part of Chandlers.

 

[grainboy]

Alec is now storeman at A T Olivers Luton.

 

[Richard Devon]

I remember going there with Dad en route to D & F Miller of Therfield to look at Masseys.....in about 1976. What joy for a tractor mad 12 year old!

There's a blast from the past......they always had rakes of near new tractors advertised in FW.....if i recall correct also they customised a Scania 142 with red interior and put an aerodyne style roof on it....was featured in 1 of the truck mags back then

 

[cfr1964]

One for @7610 super q
Definitely no mobiles when this was taken

 

[Flat 10]

There was a lot about Gates of baldock in early Classic Tractor, one of the former salesmen wrote an interesting column for the first few years of the Mag. Forget his name....

 

[Magnum Man]

The very same chap that very kindly lent me these photos...!

 

[grainboy]

Would that be Melvyn ?

 

[REStracTORATION]

I was born 30 yrs to late

 

[Magnum Man]

Would that be Melvyn ?

That's the man - Mervyn rather than Melvyn, though

 

[Rusty_Relics]

I know this is an old topic, I found it while looking for information about Gates of Baldock. I have been reading a book called "Ford trcator conversions" by Stuart Gibbard.
I have a County crawler which has a been converted to a 6 cylinder using a Ford 590E engine.
In the book the is a single B&W picture of the 1st crawler turned out with a 6 cylinder fitted, and a small paragraph of information.
I was just wondering if anyone had any more information or pictures from back in the day.
Also I would like any pictures of any dealer tags/badges attached to tractors.
Thanks in advance,
Carl Hargreaves

 

[Rusty_Relics]

For those intrested ....
Thanks,
Carl Hargreaves

 

[Rusty_Relics]

I've just been looking on the internet and come across another picture for this topic.

found it here>>>> https://www.gates.co.uk/100-years-new/

P.s, I'm still looking for a picture of a Gates of Baldock Tractor dealer tag/plate.

Thanks,
Carl Hargreaves.

 

[tomlad]

Have u asked on friends of fordson tractor pages or what ever its called

 

[Rusty_Relics]

Good Thinking tomlad, I hadn't thought of that. ?