On Sunday, 1 May 2016 00:27:09 UTC+1, wrote:
On Sat, 30 Apr 2016 21:10:21 +0100, bert wrote:


I can remember a small-hold neighbour, now long dead, who had a petrol
starting TVO tractor some 35 years ago. Even then it was a relic. But
he also used a Victorian looking hand pump to get water out of his well.

Any idea how much horse power that old TVO represented?
Which one? As far as I can tell the Fordson Major was about 40 whereas
the little grey Fergie was about 28.

Our 1941 built Fordson N type was 27 BHP, used until 1971,Dad replaced
it with a grey Fergie but that was a Diesel version.
Dad could not hand crank the Fordson due to a shoulder injury so I
started before setting off to school in the morning and it was then
left running all day,that was normal practise anyway as letting one
partially cool made it a (even More of) sod to start being too hot for
petrol and too cool for TVO.
As I was about to leave home the purchase of a tractor with an
electric start was required and with TVO supply about to cease it made
sense to go for a diesel even though TVO Fergies were being sold
cheap. You could/can still run TVO tractors but on one of the grades
of heating oil sometimes mixed with paraffin with various opinions on
what mix is best.

Imagine storing a shed full of them for half a lifetime. What an investment for your children.