Small but Mighty: The Ransomes M.G. Crawler

By Sam Moore
Published on December 6, 2016
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A Ransomes M.G.6 crawler tractor with hydraulic lift.
A Ransomes M.G.6 crawler tractor with hydraulic lift.
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A nice Ransomes M.G.5 at the Great Whelnetham Classic Tractor & Car Show in Suffolk, U.K. 
A nice Ransomes M.G.5 at the Great Whelnetham Classic Tractor & Car Show in Suffolk, U.K. 
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A Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies advertising poster dating to about 1875.
A Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies advertising poster dating to about 1875.
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This Ransomes M.G.2 crawler is one of those used by the Royal Air Force during World War II to tow planes and bomb carts at airports.
This Ransomes M.G.2 crawler is one of those used by the Royal Air Force during World War II to tow planes and bomb carts at airports.
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A Ransomes M.G.6 at work with a mounted 2-way plow.
A Ransomes M.G.6 at work with a mounted 2-way plow.
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A front-mounted blade turned the M.G.6 into a capable small bulldozer.
A front-mounted blade turned the M.G.6 into a capable small bulldozer.
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An M.G.6 equipped with the front toolbar and cultivator shovels at work doing close cultivation of young plants.
An M.G.6 equipped with the front toolbar and cultivator shovels at work doing close cultivation of young plants.

In 1789, a British brass and iron founder, Robert Ransome, began to cast iron plowshares in Ipswich. Cast iron shares wore quickly and required sharpening by heating and hammering the edge, a process that could be repeated only a few times.

An accidental spill of molten iron on a cold surface resulted in Ransome’s discovery of chilled iron, which made much tougher shares that retained their edge longer. Ransome parlayed this into the Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Co. By 1900, the company was making a variety of agricultural machinery, such as plows, harrows, hay tools, threshing machines and cultivators, as well as stationary, portable and traction steam engines. Other products included iron bridges and a range of railroad products.

In 1832, the firm began building lawn mowers under the 1830 Edwin Beard Budding patent and soon was making lawn mowers of every size, including horse-drawn models. During the late 1800s, a steam-powered lawn mower was developed and, in 1902, Ransomes produced the first commercially available gas-powered mower, and lawn and estate mowers became an important part of their business.

Smaller turns out to be better

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