The lightweight tractor that transformed the farming world, the Ferguson TE20 is celebrating its 70th birthday this month.
The first Ferguson TE20 rolled off the assembly line at its former Banner Lane manufacturing plant in Coventry in the UK on 6 July 1946.
The tractor was the brainchild of engineer and inventor, Harry Ferguson, one of the founders of the present-day Massey Ferguson.
Ferguson’s innovation revolutionised the agriculture industry and shaped modern farming systems.
Key to the global success of the tractor was its unique three-point linkage controlled by the tractor’s hydraulics.
Designated the Ferguson System, this effectively turned the tractor and implement into a single working unit, replacing previous cumbersome trailed methods of implement operation.
This pioneering control technology led the way forward for farmers and allowed a higher level of competency.
Acclaimed as one of the most important engineering developments of the 20th century, the Ferguson System produced major advances in the efficiency of food production.
In doing so, it achieved Harry Ferguson’s lifelong ambition of helping farmers affordably mechanise all aspects of crop production to better and more economically feed the world.
Rated at just 14.7 kilowatts (20 horsepower), the TE20 (Tractor England) was incredibly light and small, yet it easily outperformed much bigger units, and at much lower running costs.
It provided the breakthrough on which agricultural mechanisation techniques came to be based throughout the world.
Over half a million of the diminutive tractors were built at Banner Lane between 6 July 1946 and 13 July 1956.
A large number of them are still at work on farms and remain prized collectors’ items.
In Australia, the little grey Fergie use was widespread and is a significant part of our agricultural history.
Massey Ferguson director of marketing Fergal Meehan, said the company was “immensely proud of this legacy of pioneering farm machinery technology”.
“Massey Ferguson continues to develop Harry Ferguson’s vision today, by producing efficient agricultural equipment that farmers can rely on.”
