Farming Monthly National September 2016 | Page 47

| Machinery One hundred years of John Deere tractors One hundred years of John Deere tractors will be on show at the John Deere 50 Celebration & Heritage Event at Langar near Nottingham on September 24 and 25, 2016, when John Deere Limited publicly celebrates its 50th anniversary in the UK and Ireland. ohn Deere customers and fans are invited to join the anniversary celebrations by registering their attendance on the John Deere website at www.JohnDeere.co.uk/50years, with a chance to win special 50th anniversary merchandise in a prize draw. As well as trade stands, static machinery exhibits and working demonstrations of tractors and implements, this special free outdoor event will feature activities and entertainment for all the family. These will include archery, laser clay shooting, falconry and skydiving displays, synchronised kite flying and live music. There will also be a range of local food and produce as well as a licensed bar. A parade of 50 vintage, classic and modern John Deere tractors and machinery will start with a 1916 Overtime Model R tractor, belonging to Lincolnshire farm manager Malcolm Robinson. This will also include the iconic 4020 tractor, marking the beginnings of John Deere Limited at Langar in 1966, and represent every decade up to the present day, finishing J www.farmingmonthly.co.uk with John Deere’s new flagship 620hp four-track 9620RX. The Overtime tractor was given credit for helping the World War I effort by putting in many hours of overtime producing food for the war zone and the home front. John Deere’s first step into tractor production worldwide came in 1918 when the US company bought the Overtime’s manufacturer, the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company in Iowa, who also made the Waterloo Boy. This machine’s simple two-cylinder design became a feature of John Deere tractors for another four decades. Later in the 20th century, John Deere three wheel, high clearance tractors came into East Anglia from America at the end of the Second World War under the Lend-Lease deal. For a short time in the early 1960s, a few dealers sold large John Deere tractors such as the 4010 – the UK’s first 100hp tractor – and 5010. These were imported from the USA by Lundell (Great Britain) Ltd of Edenbridge in Kent, who initially pioneered the use of large horsepower tractors in the UK, and who were bought by John Deere in 1962. Contact your local dealer AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY Ripon Farm Services (Keighley) West Yorkshire Telephone 01535 632661, Visit www.riponfarmservices.com Ripon Farm Services (Ripon) North Yorkshire Telephone 01765 692255, Visit www.riponfarmservices.com Ripon Farm Services (Stockton) County Durham Telephone 01740 630254, Visit www.riponfarmservices.com Ripon Farm Services (Tadcaster) North Yorkshire Telephone 01937 835454, Visit www.riponfarmservices.com Ripon Farm Services (Darrington) Pontefract Telephone 01977 795241, Visit www.riponfarmservices.com Ripon Farm Services (Ottringham) Hull Telephone 01964 622351, Visit www.riponfarmservices.com September 2016 | Farming Monthly | 47