County, Doe, Chaseside, Muir-Hill, Matbro and Bray were all well-known British companies and leaders in their own fields of engineering design and innovation, each producing successful ranges of agricultural, earthmoving or construction machinery. Linked by their extensive use of the Ford tractor skid unit as a basis for their machines, these companies also pioneered the development of the four-wheel-drive agricultural tractor in Britain.
Stuart Gibbard gives details of all the main models and machines of these manufacturers. He also brings the firms alive by chronicling their fortunes over a number of years, tracing company histories from the turn of the century to the present day. He discusses many of the personalities involved as well.
He also mentions many of the lesser-known Ford tractor conversions and explains why the Ford tractor became so popular with the specialist equipment manufacturers. Other makes of tractor skid besides Ford are included where necessary to complete the story which deals not only with agricultural tractors but also with commercial vehicles, earthmoving and construction equipment, both vintage and modern.