The meeting of the Ferguson TE20 tractor - affectionately known as the "little grey Fergie" - and Massey Ferguson's current flagship MF 8480 tractor, took place outside London's Claridge's hotel following the re-creation of the famous staircase descent made within Claridge's some 60 years ago by inventor and engineer, Harry Ferguson, during an event staged to launch the TE20 tractor onto world markets.
Today, the man in the driving seat of the Ferguson TE20 tractor as it descended Claridge's stairs was Ferguson tractor enthusiast, Tim Joiner, who is also the Lord Mayor of Westminster.
It was Tim Joiner who gained Claridge's approval for a re-run of the event on behalf of Ferguson tractor enthusiasts' association, Friends of Ferguson Heritage.
"As 2006 marks the 60th anniversary of the production of the first Ferguson TE20 tractor in the United Kingdom, it seemed appropriate to celebrate the event by re-creating Harry Ferguson's famous staircase descent," explained Councillor Joiner.
The key to the global success of the Ferguson TE20 tractor was its unique implement attachment system which effectively turned the tractor and implement into a single working unit, replacing the previous cumbersome trailed method of implement operation.
Acclaimed as one of the most important engineering developments of the 20th century, the Ferguson System, as it was known, revolutionised agriculture, producing major advances in the efficiency of global food production. In doing so, it achieved Harry Ferguson's lifelong ambition of helping farmers affordably mechanise all aspects of crop production to better and more economically feed the world.
Although the last Ferguson TE20 tractor was produced in 1956, Harry Ferguson's spirit of innovation and engineering excellence lives on all modern tractors, including Massey Ferguson's current range of tractors and harvest machinery, proudly maintaining a 60-year pedigree.
That is why the giant MF 8480 was on the pavement outside Claridge's to acknowledge the importance of its pioneering ancestor.
Standing side by side, there appears to be a world of difference between the two tractors. Although Harry Ferguson would have recognised the three-point implement connection system used on the MF 8480, he would have been amazed at the MF 8480's maximum power output of 315hp - around 290 more horsepower than his TE20.
As a technological pioneer, Harry Ferguson would have been intrigued also by the MF 4840's electronic control, monitoring and recording systems that allow data from the tractor to be transferred to the office computer.
Speaking on behalf of Massey Ferguson at the Claridge's event, Jeremy Burgess commented that Harry Ferguson would have been proud that the spirit and principles for which he stood 60 years ago were still very much alive within Massey Ferguson today, continuing his vision of helping farmers the world over work more precisely, effectively and efficiently to produce food of the highest possible quality at the lowest possible price.
(Source: ccnmatthews.com)
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