One hundred years of John Deere tractors will be on show at the John Deere 50 Celebration & Heritage Event during September 2016. Source: AFDJ eNews
John Deere Limited will also publicly celebrate its 50th anniversary in the UK and Ireland.
John Deere customers and fans are invited to join the anniversary celebrations by registering their attendance on the John Deere website at www.JohnDeere.co.uk/50years, with a chance to win special 50th anniversary merchandise in a prize draw.
As well as trade stands, static machinery exhibits and working demonstrations of tractors and implements, this special free outdoor event will feature activities and entertainment for all the family.
These will include archery, laser clay shooting, falconry and skydiving displays, synchronised kite flying and live music.
There will also be a range of local food and produce as well as a licensed bar. A parade of 50 vintage, classic and modern John Deere tractors and machinery will start with a 1916 Overtime Model R tractor, belonging to Lincolnshire farm manager Malcolm Robinson.
This will also include the iconic 4020 tractor, marking the beginnings of John Deere Limited at Langar in 1966, and represent every decade up to the present day, finishing with John Deere’s new flagship 620hp four-track 9620RX.
The Overtime tractor was given credit for helping the World War I effort by putting in many hours of overtime producing food for the war zone and the home front.
John Deere’s first step into tractor production worldwide came in 1918 when the US company bought the Overtime’s manufacturer, the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company in Iowa, who also made the Waterloo Boy.
This machine’s simple two-cylinder design became a feature of John Deere tractors for another four decades.
John Deere Limited started trading from Langar in January 1966, and the original premises are still in use today as the company’s visitor centre and national parts distribution centre.
Of the original dealers who continued with the new company from that date, two are still John Deere dealers today and are owned by the same families – Ben Burgess in Norfolk and L E Tuckwell in Suffolk.
“Aside from the historic two-cylinder John Deere tractors on display, the main focus of the event is to gather together examples of John Deere tractors and machinery sold through John Deere’s UK and Irish dealers from 1966 to 2016,” says heritage event organiser Peter Leech.
“At the moment we have registered tractors for every decade from the 1940s, but we would still love to hear from anyone with more recent machines, especially classic models from the 1980s and 1990s – even up to the modern 30 Series tractors. It’s an event for everyone, so tractors of all ages are welcome.”
