Four generations of Redcastle farm family celebrate a remarkable tractor

Four generations of a Redcastle farming family and their first ever tractor – a 1963 Massey 35X – were among several hundred people to attend the Inishowen Vintage Show in Moville at the weekend.

Retired farmer Heaslett Allison arrived in style at the annual event in his classic red tractor, which still holds pride of place at his dairy farm in Tullynavin, Redcastle, now operated by son Daryl and grandson Nathan.

Young Cory Allison made up the fourth generation of the local tractor enthusiasts for the Vintage Show at Moville’s Carrick Field on Sunday afternoon.

The original Massey is more than sixty years old and remarkably is still in everyday use, sowing fertiliser on cow paddocks in summer and scraping out cattle houses during winter.

Heaslett had farmed with his parents Gretta and John and his brother Elvet and their very first tractor – the Massey 35X – arrived onto their farm way back in January 1964.

It was the end of an era and the beginning of a new one, as the tractor was taking over from the horses that had previously worked their land for generations. It was a costly investment for the Allisons, and the machinery to go with the tractor added to the cost.

However, Heaslett had a good work ethic and youth on his side at the time, and he took on work on the other neighbouring farms, as well as doing his own farm work.

There were many long days spent on the tractor seat working late into the night. This work generated additional cash to fund the purchase of more machinery.

The work carried out included ploughing and making ground ready for planting potatoes, sowing corn and barley, mowing hay with a finger bar mower, turning and raking the hay and binding corn during the harvest.

The trusty tractor had a big advantage over the horses when drawing home the turf as well, as it carried three or four times the load at a much faster pace.

Moving onto the early seventies and the advent of silage-making on the farm. A Massey Ferguson 65 MK2 was bought to drive the forage harvester. A Massey Ferguson combine harvester was also invested in, and contract work with the combine and silage-making was carried out.

The MP 35 did a lot of heavy work during this time, drawing and buck-raking silage, as well as drawing four to five tonne loads of grain to the mill. Baling straw after the combine was another chore for the tractor.

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Over the 60-plus years of its life, the Massey has given great and reliable service. It has clocked thousands of hours of work over the decades. It has undergone three engine rebuilds and numerous sets of tyre changes, in addition to some new tin-work in more recent times.

Three modern Massey Ferguson four-wheel drive tractors do the work now, but the original wee 35 that Heaslett started out with at the turn of the year in 1964 still retains a special place on the farm.