The tread pattern on tractor tyres, where I come from were known as lugs, fitted with lugs pointing forward were to a degree self cleaning on softish ground when a bit of spin may occur and fill the tread, the wrong way round and they became slicks, Buzzer is right with regard to the muck spreader treads being the other way, this gives a better grip for driving the spinner and do not fill up as they are not self propelled, so no spin, always moving on.
Without doubt one of the hardest jobs in my youth was loading muck from the midden with a graip, sorry fork, carting it out and dropping small piles on the field, dragged off the back with a hook fork, pacing* the exact distance before the next pile and in a straight line, the piles at a later date being spread with a fork.
*Pace measuring (strides) was used a lot on farms then, before ploughing a field, fencing etc, moon, stars and daylight skies were yesterdays satnavs and “read” to a fair degree of accuracy.
Oily
I like Saviem’s interpretation of the tyre tread fitting, that would bring a smile of recognition to the face of Angus, owner of the collection.
BMB and Anzani side by side here youtube.com/watch?v=V_cwD-QOLb4
The starting handle would I guess fit into the flywheel as suggested by windrush.
Oily
[zb]
anorak:
Regarding Maris Piper spuds, I recently met a bloke who knew something about food production, who told me that the strain was developed in a place called Maris, which gave the spud its name. Of far more interest to me, that place was also responsible for Maris Otter, the strain of barley most commonly considered best by brewers. Apparently, it was Government funded but, since the grants have been stopped, Maris is no more. Can anyone expand upon this?
Hi anorak, answer here allaboutbeer.com/maris-otter-50th-anniversary/
Oily
Just found a picture of an old muck spreader which shows the back to front tyre’s, iv’e loaded a few tons of muck in one of those with a dung prong and some times if the shed was deep it took two chucks to the spreader, Buzzer
oiltreader:
I like Saviem’s interpretation of the tyre tread fitting, that would bring a smile of recognition to the face of Angus, owner of the collection.
BMB and Anzani side by side here youtube.com/watch?v=V_cwD-QOLb4
The starting handle would I guess fit into the flywheel as suggested by windrush.
Oily
The starting handle was very short, which made it easier to keep engaged until the motor fired. Just loved the videos- took me back to my childhood, following the BMB up and down the field and looking forward to the harrowing operation when I would perch precariously on the toolbox. Thank you for posting.
I don’t wish to appear thick but!!! Not being a " son of the soil" what sort of fuel is TVO?
More.to the point!!! have I missed out on the experience of " sniffing it" !!! 
Regards Kev
kevmac47:
I don’t wish to appear thick but!!! Not being a " son of the soil" what sort of fuel is TVO?
More.to the point!!! have I missed out on the experience of " sniffing it" !!!
Kev my good friend TVO Is tractor vapour oil, In other words paraffin, Regards Larry.
Hi Kev,
Tractor vaporising oil (or TVO) is a fuel for Petrol-paraffin engines. In the United Kingdom and Australia, after the Second World War, it was commonly used for tractors until diesel engines became commonplace.
Cheers Dave.
Dave the Renegade:
Hi Kev,
Tractor vaporising oil (or TVO) is a fuel for Petrol-paraffin engines. In the United Kingdom and Australia, after the Second World War, it was commonly used for tractors until diesel engines became commonplace.
Cheers Dave.
That’s correct Dave, When I was a boy I used to help out on a pig farm, They used to start up on Petrol then switch over to TVO, But one had to remember to turn the Petrol tap off otherwise it used it all up, Happy days long gone by, Regards Larry.
Dave the Renegade:
Hi Kev,
Tractor vaporising oil (or TVO) is a fuel for Petrol-paraffin engines. In the United Kingdom and Australia, after the Second World War, it was commonly used for tractors until diesel engines became commonplace.
Cheers Dave.
It must have been cheap back in the day as I remember the chap who did hedge cutting for my dad used it to get the fire going to burn the trimmings on our farm, Buzzer.
Buzzer:
Dave the Renegade:
Hi Kev,
Tractor vaporising oil (or TVO) is a fuel for Petrol-paraffin engines. In the United Kingdom and Australia, after the Second World War, it was commonly used for tractors until diesel engines became commonplace.
Cheers Dave.It must have been cheap back in the day as I remember the chap who did hedge cutting for my dad used it to get the fire going to burn the trimmings on our farm, Buzzer.
It was Kerosene which is now used as heating oil. A lot of the farmers this way had old tractors running on TVO when I was a kid in the 1950’s.
Cheers Dave.
Evening all,
Yes Kev, if you have not had a sniff of TVO, then sadly you have missed one of lifes aromatic pleasures!Next time you are at a show, have a look, (and sniff), at some of the Petrol/Paraffin, (TVO), tractors. Areal delight to drive, and sit behind…sniffing!!!
Anorak, interesting question, and Oily has gone a long way to answering it for you. But the real origin of Maris Piper, the Spud, lies with a most remarkable Ulsterman by the name of John Clarke. A Spud afficianado par excellence…His first variety was the Ulster Monarch of 1933, then followed around 30 varieties with the prefix of Ulster.He farmed Innisfree Farm, just above Ballycastle on the North Antrim coast, (where my friend Connail Mc Ginn, (RIP) ran Mc Ginn Heavy Haulage, and the luxurious Marine Hotel, overlooking the sea out to Rathlin Island. …And as a separate post I ought to tell you all the story of Connail buying a Kenworth T600 from me as a flagship for his fleet)…but back to spuds…
John Clark began to work with the British Plant Breeding Association, of Cambridge, and its Principal, Dr R obert Salmon, the result was todays Maris Piper spud…
Why Maris Piper?..well the Plant Breeding Institute was situated in Maris Lane…and P equals potato…so Piper was created as a “substantial quality” name, and then attached to the title name…and a blooming good spud variety it is…both for grower in terms of yield, and price/cost of growth, and to our dear lady the British Housewife!
Now onto Malt, again the same origin, but back in the 80s with the Brewing amalgamations, and the low yield, (but excellent quality ), given by Maris Otter, “quality” Brewers expressed concern that the variety would become almost extinct. Maris Otter had again come from Maris Lane, back in the mid 60s, but by the `90s there was almost panic in the Brewing Industry concerning its future.
The success of the future for Maris Otter as a brewing Barley, really rests with the company H Banham, and Robin Appel, who almost by himself kept the variety viable
Most Brewers simply would not pay a reasonable return to the grower for a low yield, but high quality crop. In my own case, I found that our local Brewer, Wolverhampton and Dudley, (Banks`s, and of course today their “new” brand title Marstons), to be one of the few to pay the correct rate for a low yield high quality crop!
But really the continuation of the excellent Beers produced from Maris Otter, is really down to our former, (dour), Chancellor, Gordon Brown, whose 2002 Taxation incentives led to the formation of many small Brewers, and it is these excellent Brewers that have created the demand for this, (in the growing), most demanding crop!
Gentlemen, there is a lot more to the food and drink that we consume, than you would at first think!!!
So I shall enjoy my “medicinal” Bollinger, and recall those waving acres of Maris Otter, and the invigorating taste of sweet Maris Piper!!!
Cheerio for now.
Thanks all, I know I could have “googled” the question, but it’s much more interesting getting the answers on here. Regards Kev.
Thanks for a considered answer. What about the Maris Lane establishment? Is it no more, as I was led to believe by my acquaintance? If so, what future is there for food, without a central, shared, R&D specialist? The microbrewers’ demands will not be met by historic strains forever. Our scientists are perpetually keen to work, and we must pay them. Things must improve!
kevmac47:
I don’t wish to appear thick but!!! Not being a " son of the soil" what sort of fuel is TVO?
More.to the point!!! have I missed out on the experience of " sniffing it" !!!
Kev…Have to mix our own TVO today, normal amounts, give or take, are 4 gallons of heating oil, 1 gallon of petrol, a spoonful of either 2 stroke oil or diesel, this is for " lubrication"… There is a 3 litre petrol tank of to start up, in my case by starting handle as the starter gave up a while back, once she reaches running temperature switch over to TVO… To run on the mix, the Standard Vanguard engine was de- tuned, lower compression, by inserting a plate between the block and the cylinder head, so you have the , block, head gasket, plate, head gasket, cylinder head…she’ll run all day long without having to switch off, and use very little fuel…oh, and that smell, up there along side Castrol R .
We still use the stuff in stationary engines at shows, or 28 second heating oil, though I don’t bother as it is too much hassle and I can’t stand the stink of TVO!
Pete.
I always thought that TVO stood for tractor vaporising oil this was 50+ years ago when I was driving a Fordson Standard probably an old farmers tale lol . cheers dennis
dieseldennis2:
I always thought that TVO stood for tractor vaporising oil this was 50+ years ago when I was driving a Fordson Standard probably an old farmers tale lol . cheers dennis
It does!
Pete.
Thanks Pete I haven’t lost it after all . Dennis
There’s nothing to compare with Saviem’s thread when you need the inside info! Especially since his enfoeced semi0retirement means that he is able to spend more time putting us thickos right. It’s an ill wind… 
