Tractor heritage, news and features

It's arrived!

Brothers Oliver and Austin West used Wilfred Mole’s Hart-Parr 18-36 to take part in the 2002 Guinness Book of Records attempt for the most tractors working in one field at Sandstone Estates, Eastern Free State, South Africa. Following this they knew they just had to have one in the collection.

Later some Hart-Parr’s were offered at an auction in Arizona, USA and it was arranged for someone to bid on their behalf. However, tragedy struck just days before the sale and bidding for the tractor for various reasons was totally off.

In 2008 they were able to test drive Dave Preuhs’ 1918 Hart-Parr 30 light grey example in Minnesota and the interest in acquiring one was rekindled. In particular an early example and not the more popular 18-36, of which there are plenty around. After visiting the Gary Phillips collection in Indiana a number of Hart-Parrs were to be offered, and their interest was reawakened.

Unfortunately having had a bad experience of repatriating a tractor the previous year the Wests were put off bidding for the Hart-Parrs online when the sale came up on 23-24 October 2009.

As we all know a number of the Hart-Parrs from this sale did end up coming to Europe, including a red Canadian Special 1918 12-24 8601 that Jörg Muller from Germany purchased for £21,312, along with another example. At the sale a green Hart-Parr 1919 15-30 was purchased by US Tractors, William Engelmann and Corin Harris who bring in a number of tractors for various clients and also to sell here in Europe.

Having been to Saffron Walden to see the tractor and test drive it before Christmas the West family decided it had to come south. With the deal done and a parts book included by William Englemann, Austin West loaded the 1919 15-30 in the curtainsider. It headed over the Queen Elizabeth II Dartford crossing to its new home, on 23 January.

It was shown to us the following day when it was started up in the late afternoon, the first time it had run in its new location. The two-cylinder started very well and carries the early features, including the built-up radiator, cast engine frame, flat steering wheel, and open governors. The water cylinder head lubrication tank needs to be created, although the bracket is in place and the air cleaner pipe and the connection to the excellent carburettor will finish the job off, with a few other little items along the way. Lyle Spitznogle from Wapello carried out an excellent restoration and it possibly attended only one event before it came into Gary Phillips' ownership, having originally been found in a North Dakota sale.

These new ‘lightweight’ tractors were initially designed by Charles A Hart who was forced to leave the company by the bankers in 1917. He went on to make money in the oil industry even though he did dabble in his own design of tractor, but that didn’t impress. Charles Hart passed away in 1937 and Parr in 1941, but their legacy still lives on today in this the oldest known Hart-Parr in the UK and Republic of Ireland.