Older but no wiser

[New Puritan]

Some people on here may recall I started this thread about a Nicholson steerage hoe I'd bought earlier this year: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/nicholson-steerage-hoe.211816/

Having more or less given up on it as it is too badly seized up and has lots more bits mising than I first realised; I bought this one for £40 from a lovely old couple in Norfolk:

It seems fairly solid, it's not set up for the size of rows I need it for, but it should come apart and be adjustable fairly easily I think. Two questions though - does anyone recognise what make it is, so that I can look for spares? And also, the steering looks non-original, but what does the steering arm connect to? It's got a fairly long arm. I can take more photos if it helps.

Thanks in advance, as ever.

 

[timff]

It looks very like a Ransomes tool bar we had as a cultivator which was made in 1955 ish as it was for Dad's first 'new' Major. What does anyone else reckon?

 

[Exfarmer]

I think it is a fergie , it probably is a botch of several different makes, getting parts may be interesting!

 

[timff]

Looking at it on a big screen as opposed to phone I can see a red tinge so yes...Fergie might be right?

 

[New Puritan]

Thanks both - I'd guess from the colours it's a mishmash of Fergie & Ransomes, plus some old car for the steering wheel and box. Any ideas what the steering is meant to connect to?

 

[timff]

The only thought I have is it connected to the drop arm from the tractor steering box with the kink to go over the rear axle. Crazy?!

 

[Exfarmer]

The steering arm is attached to a fixed point on the tractor, so it can pull and push the hoe across.

 

[timff]

That makes more sense to act like a steerage hoe. Can’t think of the fixed stub point though. Land Rover series 1 wheel I reckon

 

[Mursal]

And fell for the classic "lovely old couple" routine ..............

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

Hmmm looks familiar....

This is ours dragged out the hedge a couple of months ago....

The arm goes to a bracket under the rear axle, between the wheel and mudguard. It's a fixed point so the hoe can steer "against " it with lower link arms loose on their check chains to allow plenty of sideways movement.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

The "kink" is so the arm goes through between the drop link and lower link arm. Means the steering arm doesn't foul on it.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

And yes a right miss mash of bits. Pretty sure our steering box out of an old car. On about it's third steering wheel. If it fits.....it'll do!

 

[New Puritan]

And fell for the classic "lovely old couple" routine ..............

Of course! I promise, you would of done too. They invited me and my girlfriend in for lunch, and tried to give us a chicken too.

 

[New Puritan]

Love it! The one I bought was from a bit past Thetford, so not a million miles away. The cushion survived the hedge well, or is that a new fixture / did it get dry cleaned?

 

[New Puritan]

@timff - I think you're right about the Landrover wheel. Who says you can't buy British anymore, with this mishmash of Landrover / Ferguson / Ransomes And all for forty quid.

And thanks @Exfarmer and @carbonfibre farmer - this forum really is useful to a new starter such as me, now I know what to search for getting bits for it, and how to connect it to the tractor. Hurrah.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

Love it! The one I bought was from a bit past Thetford, so not a million miles away. The cushion survived the hedge well, or is that a new fixture / did it get dry cleaned?

A bit past thetford would be how I would describe us here

The cushion is on rotation around a few of our tractors as a seat. The seat on the hoe disintegrated so a cushion was essential for "comfort"!!

We normally use a front mounted hoe but the tractor it goes on was in the middle of having a clutch replaced. So time was getting on,the beet were growing and father was itching to drag it out the hedge.
Unfortunately we had a friend down videoingso it's recorded for posterity.....

@New Puritan if you need picture of mounting bracket etc I can get one this evening?

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

Close up of the steering arm with the kink in it..

 

[Exfarmer]

Love it! The one I bought was from a bit past Thetford, so not a million miles away. The cushion survived the hedge well, or is that a new fixture / did it get dry cleaned?

They weren’t up at Wreatham were they, if so I know who they are, could sell snow to eskimo’s

 

[milkloss]

Of course! I promise, you would of done too. They invited me and my girlfriend in for lunch, and tried to give us a chicken too.

Forty quid AND a chicken?? #winning!

 

[Mursal]

Was the chicken dead or alive, not that it matters, I'm sure they were lovely people