27th January

As I was saying in previous newsletters, my auld Fergie’s engine has given up. After lots of thought on a replacement tractor, I decided to stick with the Fergie, and ordered a new engine, which arrived in a big box last week.

The Fergie is fifty-five years old and has done a power of work through the years.

I had started looking for a replacement tractor, but the beauty of the Fergie is that if it’s doing tunnel work, I jack it up, take the wheels off and turn them round, which gives it a width of 54 inches, I can do the same, for when it’s needed to work in the field. Jack it up and move the wheels out again, giving it a width of 72 inches for the beds in the field.

There is no other tractor as versatile as this, and to change the wheels it only takes half an hour.

Also the parts for the Fergie are easy to get and much cheaper than most compact tractors.

Before make a start of replacing the Fergie’s engine, I need to finish of the self-propelled bed weeder.

I am almost done, but working on the steering has been a wee bit tricky to say the least.

But I now have it figured out and one more morning should do.

The main problem has been, that I have had to, cut up metal, drill, bend and weld every part to make the steering work, so that’s taken a wee bit longer than I anticipated.

I also made a couple of errors on the way and had to cut of welded plates that I had put on and re place them in a different place.

I should have photos of it finished and working by next week.