FIVE hundred lots are going under the hammer today during the first vintage tractor and farm equipment sale at the J36 Rural Auction Centre, Crooklands.

NWA auctioneer Bill Nelson said he was delighted with the response after he'd urged farmers to check out their barns and outbuildings to find suitable items for the sale.

Mr Nelson said: “We know from our regular on farm and auction mart machinery sales that there’s a market for vintage tractors and spare parts, and interest in projects for restoration is growing. For those with unused or unwanted machinery and equipment this is a good opportunity to find a buyer.

“As you’d expect, the best known names reach the highest prices. Recent examples nationally include a John Deere Model H row crop 2 cylinder tractor selling for a couple of thousand and a Cockshutt 30 tractor coming very close, while accessories like Massey Ferguson two-furrow ploughs and Perkins gearboxes are into the hundreds. 

“Even the smallest part could be worth selling; we recently sold a box of old tractor lights for ten times the estimate as a dealer spotted a particular lens required by one of their clients. 

“This will be the first sale of its kind at the mart and we’re looking forward to attracting the wider market through phone and ringside bidding.”