A 40-Year Massey Ferguson Legacy of Reliability at Padgetts Farm
A Cambridgeshire farmer who relies on a fleet of Massey Ferguson (MF) tractors supplied by Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd (TNS), says the tractors satisfy his requirements for lightweight, adequate power, excellent reliability and back-up from a superb dealer team.
Padgetts Farm, near Christchurch in the Cambridgeshire fens is owned by the Scott family. Trading as J A Scott & Partners, the multi-generational farming business is now run by Daniel Scott. He and his son, Fred do almost all the tractor driving and other field work between them while Daniel’s father, John who is 87 still helps on the farm.
Diverse cropping
The land is spread across several sites within a few miles of the base. Fenland silt soils allow a crop rotation including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, potatoes and onions. Potatoes are grown for chipping and are regarded as the farm’s speciality. “We don’t employ additional labour or use contractors – preferring to do as much ourselves as possible, and taking pride in everything we do,” explained Daniel. “It’s not a large farm but the diverse cropping keeps us busy. Achieving best possible results is important to us, and we enjoy it.”
Dealer back-up
The family has relied on MF tractors supplied by TNS for more than 40 years. “The sales, stores and workshop team members are all friendly and good at what they do, and for us that’s very important,” stressed Daniel. “Obviously, over the 40 years quite a few people who we came to rely on have retired, but the dealer has always been good at recruiting talented, personable staff to replace them, and the strong relationship continues.”
The latest addition to the five-tractor MF fleet is a 7S.180 Dyna-6, purchased last November, which replaced a 7618 which had worked 5,000 hours. There are also two MF 6465 tractors, a 7718S and an elderly 3075 which has recorded 16,000 hours since it arrived new on the farm in 1993. The farm’s combine is also Massey Ferguson – an Activa bought new five years ago through TNS Area Sales Manager, Tony Meads soon after he started looking after the Scott’s account.
Versatile tractor
The new MF 7S.180, with up to 210hp, was bought to work alongside the farm’s other main tractor; a 7718S, carrying out a range of field work including ploughing and preparing land for planting potatoes and onions. Both tractors will pull trailers during harvest when the 50kph transmissions will save time and maximise fuel efficiency.
“We need two straightforward, lightweight tractors with power and traction for our heavier field work,” continued Daniel. “The new 7S.180 features upgrades over the previous model including the 50kph transmission and air brakes, and although our current trailers don’t have pneumatic braking systems, any we buy in future will, so we need tractors that will be compatible. Also, when the time comes to trade these tractors in, then the 50kph transmission and air brakes are sure to be popular, ensuring higher residual values.”
No reason to change brands
When updating tractors, Daniel always considers several alternative brands. “I would be disappointed if I felt I had to move away from MF or TNS even though other dealers in this area also have good reputations,” he stressed.
“We checked prices this time but didn’t request demonstrations of other makes. All the local dealers know of our loyalty to MF but are keen to provide quotes for the tractors they can offer. We try not to waste their time, especially when there is no reason to change, but would look harder at alternatives if anything wasn’t right.”
Straightforward specification
All the farm’s tractors apart from the older 3075 have Dyna-6 transmission, and the new 7S.180 has the latest Dyna-6 Eco version. “Dyna-6 suits our needs with both fully automatic and manual operating modes,” said Daniel. “Fred and I both like the ability to choose, and we usually select manual for field work which gives us full control and allows us to feel more involved with the operation and helps us achieve the very best results with these tractors.”
The new 7S.180 has the Efficient equipment specification which includes mechanical hydraulic controls. The tractor is on standard 580/70R38 rear, and 480/70R28 front tyres. “We usually opt for tyres recommended by Massey Ferguson, as they tend to be right for the size of tractor carrying out a wide range of tasks,” Daniel explained. “We upgraded the hydraulic pump from the standard 150 litres/min to 190 litres/min. The standard system would have provided plenty of capacity for what we do currently, but the tractor will remain on our farm for at least the next five years, and if we invest in a larger potato harvester then the additional capacity might prove essential.”
Compared to the 7618 it replaced, Daniel said that the 7S.180 cab is quieter, and the ride quality is superior, partly due to the standard mechanical active cab suspension and air suspended seat. “It’s a better working environment, similar to our 7718S,” he said. “The floor is completely flat which is an important comfort factor when we are working long days, but also because we both have dogs which enjoy spending time with us while we work. In-cab storage is adequate, but more would always be useful.”
Low cost of ownership
Regarding costs of ownership, Daniel said that all his previous Massey Ferguson tractors have held their values well, including the 7618 that was traded in for the new 7S.180. He describes maintenance costs as negligible as oil and filter changes are needed only every 600 hours on the latest models. Fuel consumption and AdBlue use is reasonable. The tractor was purchased with an extended service package and warranty, although Daniel feels that this should be supplied as standard.
Tony said that Massey Ferguson tractors are the ideal choice for farmers in his trading area. “Latest models feature upgrades in terms of operator comfort and general specification and although the revised styling is quite striking, when the operator gets into the cab there is a consistent family feel and common control layout across the whole line-up, from the smaller 5S-series to the latest flagship 9S models. They all offer excellent performance and reliability for a reasonable cost, and the back-up we offer is second to none.”
Daniel and Fred also work occasionally with other local farmers, which includes driving their competitor-brand tractors.
“We haven’t found anything yet that we feel is as good as Massey Ferguson, so I can’t see why everyone isn’t using ‘red ones’, like us,” Daniel concluded.
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