What’s Up Down Under at the Vintage Harvest Festival

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The display included two Lanz Bulldogs of German heritage: big single-cylinder, broad-acre tractors from the early 1950s.
The display included two Lanz Bulldogs of German heritage: big single-cylinder, broad-acre tractors from the early 1950s.
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Teams of Clydesdales attracted many admirers, and not just for their ploughing skills.
Teams of Clydesdales attracted many admirers, and not just for their ploughing skills.
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A huge Farmall 3388 dwarfed its tiny vintage cousin, a 1953 Farmall Cub. Other Farmall tractors on display at the Glenbrook show included Farmall Cubs and Model A’s, B’s, FC’s and M’s (both petrol and diesel), accompanied by a few English- and European-built International Harvester tractors.
A huge Farmall 3388 dwarfed its tiny vintage cousin, a 1953 Farmall Cub. Other Farmall tractors on display at the Glenbrook show included Farmall Cubs and Model A’s, B’s, FC’s and M’s (both petrol and diesel), accompanied by a few English- and European-built International Harvester tractors.
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A steam traction engine was in constant demand, towing a trailer loaded with children around the venue.
A steam traction engine was in constant demand, towing a trailer loaded with children around the venue.
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One of the highlights of the show was a rare Foden steam wagon. The Foden was trucked from Christchurch, and shipped across Cook Strait (the sea between the two main islands of New Zealand), for a total of 16 road hours each way.
One of the highlights of the show was a rare Foden steam wagon. The Foden was trucked from Christchurch, and shipped across Cook Strait (the sea between the two main islands of New Zealand), for a total of 16 road hours each way.
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Enthusiasts were thrilled by the oldest tractor on display, a 1919 Emerson-Brantingham Model AA 12-20, the pride of the Franklin Vintage Machinery Club.
Enthusiasts were thrilled by the oldest tractor on display, a 1919 Emerson-Brantingham Model AA 12-20, the pride of the Franklin Vintage Machinery Club.
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The smallest wheeled tractor on display – an Ecomony Standard garden tractor built by Engineering Products Co., Waukesha, Wisconsin – attracted equal attention.
The smallest wheeled tractor on display – an Ecomony Standard garden tractor built by Engineering Products Co., Waukesha, Wisconsin – attracted equal attention.
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The festival’s final highlight was an aerial display by two World War I-vintage Tiger Moth biplanes. The aircraft first made a low sweep, and then performed aerobatics before making a final pass and roaring back to their base.
The festival’s final highlight was an aerial display by two World War I-vintage Tiger Moth biplanes. The aircraft first made a low sweep, and then performed aerobatics before making a final pass and roaring back to their base.
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A Case Model CC joins the display at Glenbrook.
A Case Model CC joins the display at Glenbrook.
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Massey-Ferguson featured well with TEA’s and TEF 20’s from the 1950s. A rare TE20 P3 fitted with a 3-cylinder Perkins engine, instead of the usual 4-cylinder standard diesel motor, was on display. Also within the Massey Ferguson area were MF 35’s, 135’s and MF 65’s, up to MF 185 and 188 models.
Massey-Ferguson featured well with TEA’s and TEF 20’s from the 1950s. A rare TE20 P3 fitted with a 3-cylinder Perkins engine, instead of the usual 4-cylinder standard diesel motor, was on display. Also within the Massey Ferguson area were MF 35’s, 135’s and MF 65’s, up to MF 185 and 188 models.
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The crawler tractor fraternity was represented by an impressive range of Caterpillar D-2’s and D-4’s, a D-6 overdozer of the 1950s, along with Oliver OC-3’s, Internationals and the biggest of all the machines, an International TD-18A.
The crawler tractor fraternity was represented by an impressive range of Caterpillar D-2’s and D-4’s, a D-6 overdozer of the 1950s, along with Oliver OC-3’s, Internationals and the biggest of all the machines, an International TD-18A.

Attracting restored vintage tractors and farm machinery from the surrounding area, the Vintage Harvest Festival was held early this year in Glenbrook, 60 miles south of Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Planning had been underway for some time, with old models given the final polish, and the band and food were organized in readiness for the biennial event.

Held March 21-22, 2015, the festival is sponsored by the Franklin Vintage Machinery Club. A 15-year tradition, the show is a place where “city meets country,” with many city visitors attending the two-day event.

As always, there was a range of Fordsons on display. The smallest was a Ford Ferguson of the 1930s; the largest was a 4-wheel drive Ford 5000. Within the Ford range, there were 1950s Fordson Majors (both petrol and diesels) and diesel Dextas along with one or two later model 1000 series Fords.

David Browns from the English stables were well represented, including David Brown Cropmasters from the late 1940s to the David Browns of the 1960s (model 850’s and 990’s), as well as Nuffields (also English) with models ranging from the early PM’s, 3/42’s and 10/60’s to the later 3/45’s and the 4/65’s. 

Two or three stationary engine clubs exhibited about 100 vintage stationary engines, each popping away as it powered a pump or generator demonstrating the technology of yesteryear.

The tractor pull competition, always a spectator drawing card, was hotly contested with tractors of all shapes and sizes vying for honors. Throughout both days, an aerial viewing of the show could be made in a Vietnam-vintage “MASH” 1965 Bell 47 helicopter.

The festival included several working displays. A paddock of barley was harvested and threshed in a threshing mill powered by a Farmall MD. Tractor and bulldozer ploughing and discing were displayed, and an old rope (steel cable) Ruston-Bucyrus excavator was put through its paces. The RB 22 is one of a very few remaining in the world in working condition.

The crowd was well catered to with hot dog stalls, coffee vendors, ice cream and all other culinary attractions one would find at such a show, while the jazz and country-and-western music delivered by an 18-piece big band set the mood. With wall-to-wall sunshine, a memorable weekend was had by all. FC


Don Mackereth has worked as an instructor in heavy automotive engineering at Manukau Institute of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand, for the past 25 years. He is also an experienced tractor mechanic, working mainly on Massey Ferguson tractors and implements. In recent years, he has restored a Farmall Cub and is now working on a petrol Fordson Dexta. Contact him via email.

  • Published on Sep 9, 2015
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