The garden tractors in this video span from a mid-1930s Gravely Model L and Swiss-built Simar Rototiller to machines from the mid-60s such as Crawley, Winget, Ransomes MG 40 and David Brown 2D. Among old favourites there is a range of Trusty tractors, as well as examples of British Anzani, BMB, Rowtrac and Howard Rotavator. More unusual machines include the Wrigley Motor-hoe (with its engine inside the wheel), Auto Culto Midget and Newman WD2.
Together, the fifty models are a representative sample of the varied and interesting pedestrian-controlled and ride-on garden tractors that took market gardening out of the era of the spade and horse. The video was recorded at Vintage Horticultural and Garden Machinery Club working days with all the machines in action ploughing, cultivating or preparing a seedbed.
The video is fully scripted by Brian Bell, author of the standard reference book, Fifty Years of Garden Machinery, also published by Old Pond.