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| Lot number | 49 |
|---|---|
| Hammer value | N/S (est. £2,000 - £3,000) |
| Description | Ferguson TEA20 |
| Year | c.1956 |
| Colour | Grey |
| Engine size | 2,088 cc |
| Documents | None |
Possibly the best-known and best-loved tractor of all time, the Ferguson TE20 was launched in 1946 and was the culmination of 30 years’ work by its inventor, Harry Ferguson, to integrate the tractor and its plough into an engineering whole.
At the heart of ‘The Ferguson System’ lay an ingenious three-point linkage which transferred the ‘pull’ of the plough into ‘downforce’ using hydraulic controls to vary the depth of ploughing. This allowed ‘the little grey Fergie’ to do the job of machines weighing five times as much and proved such a worldwide success that it literally revolutionised farming – as well as making Harry a multi-millionaire.
Produced under licence at the vast Standard Motor Company ‘shadow factory’ in Coventry (used to make aero engines in the war years), the TE20 employed Standard’s new 1,850cc wet-liner four-cylinder engine, a version of which would later be used in Standard’s road cars, such as the Vanguard. The first tractors ran on petrol but from 1949 the TED20 version could also run on TVO (tractor vapourising oil – paraffin, more or less) and over half-a-million were sold before production finally came to an end in 1956.
This nicely restored example was acquired by the vendor from a gentleman in Scotland who had restored it, reputedly rebuilding the engine and fitting numerous new parts including foot rests, a ploughing lamp, tool box and a new exhaust. The vendor soon discovered the common problem of oil on the rear brake shoes and has fitted new rear axle oil seals and new linings which have restored the brakes to their usual efficiency.
Sadly the Serial number on the machine is no longer visible, so we cannot date it exactly, although all its prospective purchaser really needs to know is that this well presented tractor is ready for work and will no doubt continue to give many years of useful service.
How many tractor manufacturers today expect their latest machines to be in regular use in the year 2086? The answer is none of course, proving what a piece of genius the TE20's design was all those years ago and what a legacy the world has been given by Harry Ferguson, its inspirational designer.
