This is a Fordson Super Major tractor. Manufactured and first registered in 1963, we have very little history for this machine. It is believed that it worked for “Sinbad Plant” before being purchased by the late John Lucas and joining the fleet at the Cadeby Light Railway. Here, its work was (if nothing else) varied – from helping to harvest apples from the on-site apple tree to trips down to the woodyard.
After Cadeby closed, the tractor was stored off-site for a while before coming to Apedale. Since then, it’s front loader has been invaluable in shifting ballast and many other products. Recent years have seen a series of upgrades; in particular, the cab was removed and a modern roll-over bar fitted in its place.
Although some of the tractor’s systems can be a little temperamental, the actual engine is astoundingly reliable; as a piece of plant, it perhaps doesn’t get the focus a 60-year old should receive – and yet it always starts first time!
