Today started with a mission. On an earlier post Gimmer brought to my attention a relic tractor situated at the entrance to Castle Head Field Centre at Lindale, so along with Pete we went to investigate. I don't think the model is a rarity so not of much interest, I guess, to Alan R my tractor enthusing friend. But, the state of disintegration it had now arrived at had a special attraction for me, and it was certainly worth the visit before we drove to the Derby Arms at Witherslack to start our walk.
The Derby Arms serves reliable and acceptable food in a rustic atmosphere and it was only a week ago I was there again on a family gathering.
Today we parked there to give us access to the A 590 underpass leading to the quiet road south over Meathop Moss. We were almost completing the circle from our recent visit to this area accessed a kilometre further south east from the Lindale/Grange road, and the two routes enclosing Meathop Moss Nature Reserve where an Osprey has nested and reared young for the last few years. Despite a couple of visits I have not had a sighting - we are hoping it will return again shortly.
The fields were flooded and the drainage dikes full. We encountered a few family cyclists, it being half term for many local schools.
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| Gimmer's tractor, and below. There must be a story to tell? |
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Pete's knowledge of plants is profound - "Vinca" he said.
I tried with unpublishable results to macro photograph the flowers
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| A590 underpass |
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| Flooded Meathop Moss - the Osprey nests in a lone tree, high up, away over there to the right. There is a n RSPB viewing point accessed from the A590, but the nest is perhaps quarter of s mile away and only to be favourably seen with a bird watcher's telescope or high magnification binoculars. |
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| Zoom shot to a more unusual tractor type vehicle - comment please Alan R. |
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| This looked more dramatic than the photo as it towered over the road |
I look forward to the photoshop painting - hang it next to the landrover !
ReplyDeletegimmer - the thought of painting it did cross my mind - it would be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteHi Conrad. Gimmers tractor is one you see quite a lot of usually covered in grass but sometimes they are seen at tractor shows as many were built. It’s a Fordson model N. They were built in Cork, before moving to Dagenham to cut costs. They are a nice machine and it’s a pity that I can’t see what the transmission pulley was powering.
ReplyDeleteYour yellow tractor is quite pixelated when I enlarge it but I guess it’s an MF 35. If it is then it’s yellow because it was purchased originally as a heavy duty industrial machine rather than a lighter weight agricultural machine. If you could nip back and do a bit of trespassing to get some close up shots then I might be able to tell you better. (Just kidding). Thanks to you both.
Alan R - Well done - you're even recognising them from blurry photos combined with this one being in disguise. We will keep looking.
ReplyDeleteI was about to point out that the photo was incomplete but I see AlanR is ahead of me. As it stands the tractor is not in "tractoring" mode but stationary, providing power for some other activity. The belt is remarkably taut, given the rusted state of the power source, suggesting that this other activity may well have been quite recent.
ReplyDeleteAt this time of year it is (or was, before it expired) probably driving a mangle wurzel cutter or mangler - hideous devices, good at devouring farm boys arms as soon as look at them . . . or a circular saw for the necessary instant surgery after such an event , perhaps :
ReplyDeletei will report next time i pass
RR and gimmer - I will investigate next time i'm passing unless Gimmer beats me to it.
ReplyDelete