RUNNING THE ROADS FOR A GOOD CAUSE by Helen Mayne

The Traction Engine Club of Ulster embarked on planning their inaugural road run during the winter months and on Saturday 7th June the organisers were rewarded with a superb road run. Tractors travelled from far and wide to attend and a great display of a wide range of machines was in evidence. Club member Rory Woolf again provided the facilities for the meeting point and a neighbouring farmer kindly let the club have use of his recently cut silage field for vehicle and trailer parking. With the tractors parked around the perimeter of this field participants had ample opportunity to inspect one anothers machines and discuss restoration projects before the off. By the time that it was 11am, 127 tractors were gathered in the field. Almost like a scene from a school playground they were asked to get neatly into line, ready for take off. A special place at the head of the line was reserved for three 'new boys' to the collection of Jim White, TECU club chairman. Jim, from Antrim, had recently taken delivery of three magnificent Massey Ferguson tractors - a model 95, 97 and 98. Massey Ferguson had a good range of small and mid-range tractors but had nothing at the bigger end of the scale. They decided that they needed to address this problem and the short term solution was to buy a tractor from someone else and put a MF badge on it. The Minneapolis Moline Gvi was deemed to be suitable, repainted in MF colours it became the Massey Ferguson 95 Super - an ideal machine for the American wheatlands. This seemed to work as MF based their 97 model on the Minneapolis Moline 100hp G705 of 1963 and then purchased 500 Model 990 tractors from Oliver to create the Massey Ferguson 98. Based centrally in Northern Ireland the route took in some magnificent scenery - all seen in its best as a result of the beautiful weather. With Slemish mountain, where St Partick is said to have herded pigs many years ago, in the background, the line of tractors winding their way along the route was a magnificent scene. The mid way point was reached at Newferry - right on the banks of the River Bann. The jetskiers and waterskiers certainly did not seem to be accustomed to their new neighbours in the car park as the tractors started to pull in! After a welcome refreshment break the entourage headed off again with a significant part of the second leg comprising of off road sections - using farm lanes and tracks. This was a welcome break from the main roads which seemed to be filled with a lot more modern machinery in the form of silage harvesters, tractors and trailers. The contractors looked on in amazement as they met the ancient ancestors of their machines crawling along the roads in comparison to their high speeds. The oldest tractor taking part in the run was a 1936 Fordsom model N, owned by Harold Patterson, Ballymena - looking the part and running like a dream. A wide variety of Fordsons were on display - Major, E27N, Dexta and coming up to date with the more modern 1966 Ford 3000 and 1972 Ford 4000. As to be expected at any event in NI there were a large number of Fergusons gathered - 35, 35X, TED, T20, 188, P3 and 135. A couple of County tractors made an appearance - a Super 6 and a Super Major. The mighty Minneapolis Moline G1000 of Alan Beggs, Larne certainly made quite an impression by its sheer size. Another unusual tractor was the Cockshutt Detroit Diesel of Sammy Millar, Broughshane. This brand of tractors was established in Canada in 1877, selling Hart Parr tractors from the early 1920's to 1945. The Cockshutt machines were manufactured from 1945 - 1962 when the White Motor Company bought Cockshutt. On completion of the road run there had only been two break downs - a tribute to the engineering prowess of the owners of these grand old machines. This was an excellent result as many of these machines would not have much more regular action than some light activity around a rally field. Brass memento plaques bearing a Fordson tractor were presented to all participants at the conclusion of the run. Exhibitors all went away very happy - asking the question of when would the run be held in 2004! Tribute must be paid to the organisers of the event for its smooth running. All details had been carefully planned by Rodney Getty and Lawrence Woolf - the TECU members who hatched the initial idea of a road run. Collections on the day were being donated to the stroke unit of the Braid Valley Hospital in Ballymena and a sum of £1000 will be forwarded to them as a result. After such a successful event there is only one problem facing the organisers - how do you improve for next year? Many of the machines from the road run will be making their way to the Ballymena Showgrounds on the 18th and 19th July for the Traction Engine Club of Ulster annual vintage rally. This event showcases all that is best in vintage restoration from steam engines to tractors, stationary engines and commercials. A great day out for all the family the rally runs each day from 11am - 6pm.