Nuffield 3/45 Restoration

It has been far too long since I updated my blog. So here with a selection of photos taken from March 2013 on wards of the restoration of my Nuffield 3/45 tractor.

With the help of Matthew Bisp we have been slowly piecing the tractor back into a restored condition.

The tractor is on a small holding just south of Redditch in Worcestershire and was striped down some seven years ago.

So lets hope that 2014 sees the return of this tractor to full working condition.

The front wheels are now in place and the radiator assembly is about to take shape.

The radiator frame and fan now installed.

The battery box and exhaust manifold are in place.

Radiator, fuel tank and alternator now fully refitted.

Alleys Collection

Alleys Heavy Haulage and General Haulage of Studley, Warwickshire, was started some 50 years or more ago by the founder and owner Maurice Alley.

Fortunately, the Allely family retained ownership of some of the early vehicles used those days. Five of those vehicles have now been fully restored and are road legal once again.

The latest addition to the vintage collection is the Atkinson Borderer powered by a Cummins 220 unit. This tractor unit had been in the shed at the family's farm for some 18 years. It is a worthy partner to the rest of the vintage collection, very well restored.

Here you see the entire vintage collection at a recent event at the family farm in Studley. The event was for the family and friends and members of the North Worcestershire Vintage Tractor and Engine Club.

The Atkinson in front and behind from left to right is the Austin K2 Dropside; Thorneycroft Sturdy; Seddon MK5 and a Bedford Livestock unit.

The Thornycroft Sturdy leaving a Classic and Vintage Commercial show, Malvern, Worcestershire.

Nuffield Tractors (part 6)

The continuation of the restoration and rebuild of my Nuffield 3/45 progresses very well.Sometimes you may think that we have not done much, but it is down to detail stuff right now.

Yet another look at the rear, this time a genuine PTO shaft cover is now purchased and fitted. The original was missing.

This is a view of the front and right hand side

Another view from the side showing the air cleaner and fuel return lines in place.

The PTO lever assembly now in place.

Nuffield Tractors (part 5)

The Nuffield is making progress, albeit a little slow. Simply because I am unable to fulfill all the relevant tasks, so we have to rely on others involved in order to restore it to its original factory condition.

When a restoration project commences, there are a multitude of issues that have to be addressed. When a vehicle or tractor is purchased, ideally it helps if you can obtain one that is more or less 'all there'. We understand deterioration and decay together  parts or components missing. With tractors for example, they tended to be 'bastardised' by previous owners, pricipally to reduced the repair costs and keep them going. Tractor tin work can be well damaged either by misuse or rust.

In this business, there are of course a vast number of suppliers of replica items. Avoid these like the plague if possibly. Study the tractor and manufacturer and establish the principle of common components used by other manufacturers or models. So when you go looking for items at a tractor breakers, you need to have sufficient knowledge of where else that part may just be lurking. In the case of the 3/45 model I own, certain components were used on the Nuffield 4/65, Leyland 344 and early JCB's.

So armed with this knowledge, suitable tooling and permission from the breakers yard owners, you can now locate the precise item, assess its condition, remove, pay up and eventually reuse.

 Now here we have the author studying the parts manual for this tractor. This photo was not taken at home.

The best way to clean out a wire gauze air filter is set fire to it.

The PTO cover is an example of a component from another tractor. Courtesy of Ron Greet Tractors of Devon, this came off a Leyland 344.

The newly painted dash panel is offered up.

Foot rests also now going back on.

Another photo showing the dash and just behind it is part of the air cleaner system.

Nuffield Tractors (part 4)

Whilst Matthew is dealing with the starter motor, I had just refitted the black battery box.

The radiator is now firmly back in place

Note the attention to detail, brass nuts for the manifold. Most fixings are replaced as neccessary and are obtained by Spa Fasteners, Leamington Spa.

Yes you might be thinking that I am sitting on the job. I had just spent several minutes under the back axle clearing paint from threaded fixing apertures.

The newly painted fuel tank is now in place. Somewhat dented, but some are there for a reason, headlamp recesses. You may be thinking, why is the fuel tank before the radiator. This was a typical British design, and yes they did tend to over heat.

This tractor was factory fitted with a dynamo, but the previous owner installed a alternator, so a brand new alternator has been refitted.

Me refitting the radiator frame to tank support bracket.

Now this was a complete bastard to refit. The rear draw bar assembly. It was a two man job, but now successfully in place.

Nuffield Tractors (part 3)

On Saturday 23rd March, Matthew Bisp arranged for us to start work re-assembling the Nuffield 3/45. It was the coldest March in many years and the unheated workshop was not very inviting. In fact the next two weeks were cold, but then we has a slow but gradual improvement in the weather.

It was indeed a bleak winters day at Ham Green.

Matthew Bisp (19) working on the front of the engine, assembling the fan etc. Notice the tractor is now on its two front wheels after 7 long years on axle stands.

 

The fan now in place, also the radiator frame, drag link from the steering box, plus the repaired manifold.

Nuffield Tractors (part 2)

The Nuffield 3/45 was completely stripped, cleaned down, engine removed for cleaning purposes prior to a coat of red oxide primer was applied.

Then the tractor project died and remained dormant for 6 years or more! There were many reasons for this, plus the cost and loss of interest.

However, it was decided to re-clean the tractor before a grey undercoat primer was applied then the final application of Nuffield 'Poppy Orange'.

The project went quiet again for some time before Matthew Bisp presented me with the enthusiasm to re start the reassembly.

The tractor is currently at a small holding at Ham Green, near Redditch and will remain there until she can be moved on all four tyres and under her own power.

Here you see her in her newly painted top coat.

Nuffield Tractors (part 1)

It is time to open up the blog again and bring everybody up to date with the 'going's on' of the blog's author.

Several year ago, I purchased my second tractor, a Nuffield 3/45. I wanted the challenge and opportunity to restore a Nuffield product and like many people, it it good to find something perhaps a little on the rare side.

The example published with this blog is not my tractor, but a fine example of what it will look like when the project is complete.

I was offered a Nuffield 3/45 and when I established that production volumes were low, there was a possibility that there may not be too many remaining

These Nuffield tractors were designed and manufactured at BMC's Bathgate factory in Scotland between 1967 and 1969 then British Leyland discontinued the Popy Orange tractors for the new Leyland models.

The 3/45 model was not at all popuilar with the farming community for a number of reasons, so a larger 4/65 was introduced. 

The specification of the Nuffield 3/45:

2.8 litre BMC 3 Cylinder Diesel Engine

45 hp

10 speed gearbox

The 'skid units' of these tractors were also used by JCB for some smaller diggers etc.

My tractor was purchased some 7 or 8 years ago, striped down and left. 

The story continues...................

50 Years from 'The Beeching Report'

So its has been 50 years since Dr Richard Beeching presented his report to the Harold Macmillan Conservative government on the future of Britain's railway network.

Now I have to say that at first, he was considered the villain of the piece, and perhaps people believe that is still so.

Not the case. Britain's rail network was out dated, over manned and completely shot after the 2nd World War days. Steam was still the principle motive power, although the British Railways Board were introducing some form of modernization and diesel and electric motive power.

What you do have to remember is that cuts to the rail network were happening before this report, but not to the same volume.

Now anybody employed to report on a state owned institution, apart from receiving a nice salary, has the simple but sole ability to present the full facts and findings to the elected government of the day. It is then up to that body of people to act or part act on that report, or perhaps not at all.

Now in that government was a Transport Minister by the name of Ernest Marple, a despised little man with low intelligence. He was a road building man, and that was the start of Britain's major road building programme with the age of the Motorway a prime example. Now let me just say that we needed roads as well, but not at the expense of the railways. The cuts ran deep and were still being sanctioned by the obnoxious Harold Wilson's Labour Government.

However, we cannot turn back the clock entirely. Some selected lines are being reopened as the volume of traffic and numbers of passengers is at an all time record. Before we even think about HS2, Network Rail has a vast programme of investments due to be implemented over the next three or four years.

I do believe however that the biggest crime committed was allowing redundant track beds to be built on.

The government should have accepted that closures were going to to be sanctioned, however there should have been some form of legal notice that any purchsse of previously owned railway land must be protected and a prevention of building order established.

You also have to ask yourself the following question. With today's technology, one person train operators, modern signaling and present day ticketing arrangement's would some of those line closed now be profitable. The old Somerset and Dorset line running from Bath Green Park to Bournemouth, via the Mendips, although a tortuous route, perhaps might now be profitable  with the advert of new stock and technology.

Hey Ho, its happened now, so lets look forward to the future and HS2!

 

HS2 part 2

Despite the lack of funds, we must remember that in order to build a railway, it requires An Act of Parliament. 

Looking at this sensibly, even if a bill is presented in this year's Queen's Speech, I strongly suspect that the London to Birmingham section will eventually receive the Royal Assent, but only after many long debates, and it may even run into the next parliament after the general election. 

By this time, money will be found to fund the construction of the London Euston to Birmingham Curzon Street.

Here I have a selection of early working photographs of Curzon Street station as it was.

The site currently is a public car park and is waiting redevelopment.