By KATRINA BRANDON

 

LETTING go of his prized possession, retired Thorpdale farmer Bill Robinson is selling 18 historical tractors.

“My father started the collection years ago,” Mr Robinson told the Express.

“His first tractor was a Bulldog. I think he said they had to sell about three teams of horses, and that got a deposit for the new tractor. And so that’s where the love of the Bulldogs came from.

“When I retired from farming, I started restoring and collecting a few more, but mainly just restoring what I had.”

Getting hands-on restoring the tractors, Mr Robinson said he had no prior experience restoring tractors or a background in mechanics.

Mr Robinson learned all his mechanical restoration skills off YouTube, aiming to get each tractor up to scratch and looking its best. Down to every last detail, Mr Robinson did each piece himself, whether it was touching up scratches or fixing parts for each machine.

The collection of Bulldog tractors ranges from pre-war to post-war models, including some rare ones with a rotating chain instead of wheels, designed for tough terrain. Models include Bulldog, Chamberlain, Ferguson and Massey Harris tractors, the oldest model dating to the mid-1930s.

The Lanz Bulldog is a famous German tractor series produced by Heinrich Lanz AG from 1921 to 1960. Known for its simple, rugged hot-bulb engine that could run on almost any liquid fuel, the engine was produced in over 220,000 units. They are iconic for their slow-revving, single-cylinder sound, hand-crank starting, and significant role in German agriculture, often serving as a synonym for tractors.

Picking up some of the collection from his father, Mr Robinson took over four tractors and continued to collect and restore more.

Aiming to downsize, Mr Robinson realised that he wouldn’t be able to keep the tractors at his new home.

As the story goes in Thorpdale, Mr Robinson was originally a potato grower who then moved onto sheep and a few cattle. A few years ago, he said it was time to retire, only to find his way into tractor restoration.

Selling off his collection, Mr Robinson is holding an online auction through ME Auctions on June 14.