Innovative Reversible
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast|January - February 2018

Massey Ferguson’s first hydraulically-turned reversible .plough is a fascinating implement – because of the way it looks and the way it operates. Scott Lambert takes a look at the 797 in a bid to discover why agricultural machinery enthusiasts, and not only fans of MF, find the model so intriguing

Innovative Reversible

The fascination that my brother and I share for the Massey Ferguson 797 two-furrow reversible plough began when I was in my early 20s. A friend of ours bought one and used it to great effect with his Massey Ferguson 35X – resulting in, I must confess, jealousy on our part!

At that time the Lambert ‘fleet’ comprised two Ferguson TE-D 20s – one of which was a ‘keeper’ in the shape of our grandfather’s 1951 model and, if my memory serves me correctly, a 1952 example that was bought on a whim as a money-making exercise. Neither of these tractors was really up to the job of operating a two-furrow reversible .plough and so we vowed to buy our own 797 when we had a suitable tractor for it.

As the years went on, our collection grew steadily and we reached the point where we had two tractors that were ideally matched to an MF 797. Although not matching in terms of brand, the Internationals in our throng were perfectly suited to the two-furrow reversible – but luck wasn’t on our side and, try as we might, we searched for a nice example to no avail.

The Massey Ferguson 797 did, and still does, crop up from time to time, but the ploughs we found were never quite what we were looking for – which is not surprising given that we had set our sets rather high after seeing Richard Sherratt’s superb example (pictured here). It’s fair to say that although the 797 is not what you might term ‘rare’, it’s not in abundance either.

Eventually, just as we were getting over the revelation that the friend that had started our fascination with the 797 – despite professing that he would never part with it – had moved his on some years before, our luck changed when I spotted an advert on the Internet at the end of December 2015.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January - February 2018 من Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January - February 2018 من Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من CLASSIC MASSEY & FERGUSON ENTHUSIAST مشاهدة الكل
The (Dodgy) Italian Job
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

The (Dodgy) Italian Job

Dan Harris guides us through buying a tractor which is rare enough to turn heads but shares something unwanted with an 1980s Alfa Romeo 

time-read
7 mins  |
September - October 2017
Straight To The Point
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

Straight To The Point

With hard ground and difficulty in getting his plough to penetrate, Andrew Hall sets about fitting some new points

time-read
3 mins  |
September - October 2017
MF Ploughman Comes Out On Top
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

MF Ploughman Comes Out On Top

The 2017 British National Ploughing Championships returned to a previous site as good weather, good ploughing and a good crowd were enjoyed.

time-read
2 mins  |
January - February 2018
Diamonds Are For Ever?
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

Diamonds Are For Ever?

Here’s some good news from the editor for those wanting to give their restorations that special final touch

time-read
3 mins  |
January - February 2018
Original Is Best!
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

Original Is Best!

Peter Love travelled to Shropshire to take in a very original Massey Ferguson 65 Mk2 that its owner purchased some 15 years ago. Yet it is only now that he has got it out of the shed and taken it to a couple of events. At Tractor World Autumn at Newbury Showground in October, it took 'Best Exhibit in Show' and quite rightly so, writes Peter. We find out the best way to clean up a tractor like this and get the best out of it, at the same time keeping the original look

time-read
8 mins  |
January - February 2018
Back to Life After 30 Years
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

Back to Life After 30 Years

It is thought the MF 35 was used as a shunter in Belfast International Airport.Chris McCullough finds an industrial tractor that once towed aircraft round an international airport and then ended up in a shed

time-read
2 mins  |
March - April 2017
Putting Right Neglect
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

Putting Right Neglect

The tractor as Russell bought it, with industrial tyres.Russell McNab reports on how he restored an MF 135 and kept his wife happy in the process – until she discovered his other plan

time-read
3 mins  |
March - April 2017
French Classics Are Continental
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

French Classics Are Continental

Mention Massey Ferguson to enthusiast Tom French and a smile immediately lights up his face. Bob Weir went to Cumnock in East Ayrshire, to see the recent additions to his superb collection

time-read
6 mins  |
March - April 2017
Excellence In Power And Performance
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

Excellence In Power And Performance

A classic view of a farm at work prompted Alan Barnes to look into the story of the MF 65

time-read
5 mins  |
September - October 2017
George Likes His Chips
Classic Massey & Ferguson Enthusiast

George Likes His Chips

Massey Ferguson’s 3000 Series is an array of cult classic models and one of the first ranges to use microchip technology. George Cook from Kelso owns a superb example of a 3070 – Bob Weir went along to take a look.

time-read
5 mins  |
September - October 2017