Vintage rally appeal goes out for Massey 35s

An appeal has gone out to Orkney owners of an iconic tractor model to join in a display to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its launch in the UK.

The red-and-grey Massey Fergusson 35 was once a common sight in farmyards and fields with a few still in active service today.

If you have one, regardless of its condition, Orkney Vintage Club would love to see it joining the line-up at its annual show on August 1-2.

The club is again going to showcase the makes and models of all cars, commercials, motor-bikes, tractors, stationary engines from yesteryear but is also making a special push to mark the MF35’s platinum anniversary.

The model, the successor to the 30, the Little Grey Fergie, had its UK launch in October 1956 and the company went on to make more than 380,000 before they went out of production in 1964.

Club member Steven Metcalf said: “We are looking for anyone who has a 35 to bring it along. Its condition doesn’t matter.

“Our show is not about who has the shiniest vintage tractor or car or bike or whatever,” he said.

“We encourage anybody to come along, regardless of the condition of their entry.”

Mr Metcalf said the club has done a bit of digging and found that the one-time Kirkwall business of John Scarth was the sales and service distributor for Massey Ferguson throughout the production run of the 35.

“We have access to their sales records and I think they sold something like 490 of them over that period,” said Mr Metcalf.

“Our ambition is to get at least 70 of them in our display — one for each year since they were produced though hopefully we can attract more.”

Mr Metcalf recalls having three 35s on his former family farm at St Ola but all were sold. Now, he has several old Fords and Fordsons.

The show, which includes an indoor display of old artefacts, and a car boot sale on the Sunday, takes place at the Orkney Auction Mart site at Hatston.