For the Celtic Festival, on Thursday, April 28, 10.30am to 2.30pm, the Land of the Beardies Museum grounds will be alive with the chutterings sound of century old tractors at our Vintage Machinery Open Day.
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A gold coin will transport you back to agriculture 100 years ago.
Our machinery coordinator, James Gresham will be firing up three of our ancient tractors.
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Usually sitting idle in the Harold Parsons machinery shed the Blackstone Crawler tractor, Rumely Oil Pull and McCormick Deering will be out giving working demonstrations of their prowess.
The 1919 Blackstone, imported by Noyes brothers of Sydney is thought to be the only one of that model still in working order in the world.
As late as 1926 it was used at 'Glencairn' by George Lowther Crofton. In a reversal of the usual practice, it is said that George replaced it with a 12-horse team!
'Glencairn' was part of the original Furracabad Station, and site of the original homestead.
In 1994 Greg Wass started the enormous task of getting the Blackstone Crawler working again. After two years of researching, fabricating, and modifying parts, his determination and great skill had it working in time for him to drive it in the Grand Parade at the 1996 show.
Greg at that time was part of a keen team of valuable machinery workers dubbed 'Dad's Army,' which included Clive Pevy, Malcolm Kitcher, Gordon Bouveret, Rick Brown, and Eb Reddan.
The Rumely Oil-Pull is a lightweight 15-25 horsepower tractor owned by Alfred Henry Risby at 'Victoria Farm,' Furracabad and is believed to have been the very first tractor used in the Glen Innes District. It is a World War I vintage of the 1909 model.
It runs on two cylinders, is oil cooled, has leather clutch plates and a petrol start with kerosene running.
Bought during the first world war it was used extensively by Alf for contract chaff cutting, threshing and corn shelling - Norm McLeod later put it to work log pulling.
Also, the McCormack Deering tractor, portable shearing plants, Ruston Hornby 5 1/2 horsepower engine used to drive shearing plants or circular saws, the machinery in the Bill Cameron shed and inside the museum.
James Gresham will talk about the vintage machinery collection at 11am. From 11.30 there will also be a barbecue (additional small cost).
