Tuesday 15 June 2021

Out with the old, in with the new


Look at this lovely and lovingly restored old tractor in the beautiful old barn they have given me to work in at the beautiful old house in Wiltshire where I am to spend the next couple of weeks. From the colour, I am guessing it's an old Fergie. Rachel will know.


Now look at the newly designed box of Persil washing powder I bought the other day. Use Less or Useless?  'Incredible Clean'? I am (probably wrongly) guessing that whoever did the graphics was a Chinaman. I mean a man from the land of Alpha. I'm sounding like the late, great Prince Phillip now.

35 comments:

  1. Reminds me of The Repair Shop on BBC1 tonight

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  2. Just dragging myself away from Munich at half time to say yes, it's a little grey Fergie. It looks very neat and tidy, ours was still used for certain tasks and was muddy and a bit rusty.

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    1. It's the only tractor I have ever driven. In Scotland. The clutch is almost unnecessary.

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  3. That's definitely a Ferguson but that washing powder box looks vintage too.

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    1. The mentality of the advertising is vintage, that's for sure.

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  4. Yes, I recognise the Fergie - my dear farmer had two when he died - he just couldn't bear to part with them and was always tinkeringg with them in spite of having an almost new one.

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    1. Yes, I can imagine how people can become so attached to them. They are beautiful and simple machines. Everywhere you look there is an easily accessible grease-nipple. All the steering joints, everywhere. I would have one myself if I had the acres.

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  5. That barn floor looks spotless!

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    1. It has been used as a garage since about 1930.

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  6. I cannot believe that copy got past any proofer who spoke and read The Queen's English.
    Actually, I first wrote The King's English, but changed it in homage to Her Majesty, though "The King's English" has been in use far longer than her historic rein.

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  7. I would love to have a tractor like that. It looks like a very reliable work horse. I like my John Deere and it continues to be reliable but look at the huge back tires on the Fergie. The traction must be terrific.

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    1. Unstoppable I think, but bad driven sideways on slopes. Many people have been crushed to death when they topple over. H.I.'s brother in law was one.

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  8. Good to hear you will work in such an interesting place the next weeks! It looks as spotless as the tractor.
    Haha - the phony interest in being eco friendly is showing up in the language.
    I think the design is made especially FOR China - as those ugly new designs for garish luxury cars, which are not aiming at the European market.
    The great late Prince Philip might have commented on that attempt with his witty acerbic humour.

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  9. Lovely to see a Fergus in good condition....and with a bit of earth on the tyres!
    Looking forward to seeing your work there

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    1. The tyres are so new that they still have the little rubber hairs on them - no mud at all.

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  10. Damn autocorrect..Fergie!!

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  11. One of my "winning the lottery" dreams is to have a collection of old tractors.

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    1. My winning the lottery dream is to survive another year or two.

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  12. Staying B&B at a farm in Cornwall (probably in the 60s), our host was showing off his Ferguson Stereo System bought because his Fergie was so reliable.

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  13. Harry Ferguson said he had designed a tractor that would be able to drive into a dining room! It was so clean and neat compared to the Fordsons of the late 1940s.

    those rear tyres definitely look oversize.

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    1. Those tyres are marked at 28 hubs. They look standard to me.

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  14. Ferguson tractors are so great - the farmer here still uses his every day which is nice to see rather than just on a tractor rally.

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    1. This estate also has a big modern one used by the real workers, but the owner loves the Fergie.

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  15. The larger modern tractors are death to soil life, the little Fergies are cute of course. There is an upset about a farm in 'countryfile' in which a farmer keeps all of his 200 cows in the sheds all the year round, just cutting new grass every day for the poor beasts.

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  16. I am saving reading all your posts until the weekend. I leave home early and get home late right now, but I will read them all.

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  17. Are your Fergusons related to our Massey Fergusons? It seems like they would be. After a wander off to the Wizard of Google, I see that they are. We have two old tractors. They are not pretty, like the one you posted, but they are reliable sturdy workhorses.

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  18. I know nothing about tractors but I can see it has been restored beautifully …… have you planted night scented stock this year ?
    …… somehow, you make ‘ easy accessible grease-nipple ‘ sound extra filthy 🤣🤣🤣 XXXX

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    1. Yes. It's about 2 inches high now. I think the filth is in your mind Jack@.

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