Great pics of the 12-20 at work.

I am pleased John Bush is enjoying photographs from our family album,

Here are some taken in the summer of 1981 when I had bought my first  Massey Harris 12-20 for my collection, it came from Bedale in North Yorkshire.
 As you see my dad was re living his youth and memories of the three 12-20's they had at Salmonby House Farm.

We sure had more sunshine those summers than we did this last year John, I needed those dark glasses to keep the sun from my eyes.

Malcolm.

I am still amazed how few views this Massey Harris 12-20 thread has received on here, I wonder is it because the 12-20 was a very small tractor for the vast acreage of North America? where the larger 20-30 seems to be more common in preservation today and must of been sold in much higher numbers and a very significent tractor of it's time.

Here in UK it was the opposite, the smaller farms and field size meant the 12-20 was a very versatile tractor for all farm duties and sold in quite large numbers in certain areas where a well established dealer operated.. 20-30's a much different story here and most seen in collections today are recent imports.

Another observation I have,  there seems to be far more Wallis 12-20's preserved in North America than M-H 12-20's, again here it is the opposite and again wonder why??

I look forward to your thoughts.

Malcolm.

There seems to be very few M-H 12-20s here in Western Canada, yet there are lots of Pacemakers both red and green probably more than 25s. There is also very few M-H 20-30s yet there are lots of Wallis 20 30s mostly earlir ones with Pickering governors. I had to drive a long way to get a M-H 20-30 and our 12-20 the only one know of in Manitoba.

Very Interesting Graham, hope someone can explain why there are very few M-H 12-20's in Western Canada, have you found any Wallis 12-20's? it sounds like the larger 20-30 Wallis was the one most farmers bought.

For today's contribution to the M-H 12-20 thread here is a picture of the front cover of a hard back 80+ page book written in 1941 by H J Hine and published by Farmer and Stockbreeder (famous for their farming magazine) here in Great Britain, the book covers all aspects of the farm tractor of the period, including mechanical principles, operating and servicing procedures and trdae advertisements.
It is a lovely rear view photograph of a 12-20 ploughing with a three furrow M-H plough in typical ridge and furrow style.


Malcolm.

I have not seen any Wallis 12-20s in Canada but I have heard of them. I think the Wallis 20-30s with the pickering governor were made before the 12-20 came out and I think by the time the 12-20 was available Sales must have been dropping that is maybe why there is not that many Massey Harris 20-30s arround either. Another one I have seen very few of is the Massey Harris 203, I have seen a lot more 201s.

Thanks Graham I suppose times were getting very tough for many farmers by 1929, difficult for us to understand these days, although I did enjoy and learn a lot from the recent tv documentary about "The Dust Bowl" there was some very good scenes of old tractors working in that period.

For today here are two photographs of another M-H 12-20 which was restored in the 1970's by Pioneer Tractor Collector Frank Smith of Boston Lincolnshire and shown at Carrington Rally in my early years of showing there.

It is serial number 105800 and now forms part of The Science Museum of London's collection, of which Frank Smith sold a large number of early tractors to them in the 1980's approx, unfortunately they are in storage on an old airbase and rarely seen by the public and some examples were sold  off in the last two years at public auction.
The 12-20 is still there hiding away with the Cub Junior and many other interesting early tractors including The Science Museum's Ivel.

Another tractor with PTO unit which could use one of Ervin's new gaurds, but doubt they will ever do anything with them, such a shame as they would be far better taken care of in private ownership and get seen out at working events and shows.


Malcolm.

Hi Graham and Malcolm, thanks for the pictures of the massey 12-20's. the 12-20 was not a really common tractor compared with the 20-30. They made about 7000 12-20 and close to 19,000 20-30.  I think one of the main reasons the Massey Harris #12 and #20 are hard to find is because the parts list claims that the MH tractor was made for export. Now we know there were 12-20 Massey Harris sold in the US so I guess it wasn't a rule according to the parts list.  

I just got a massey brochure in the mail yesterday. It must be around 1934-1935 as it lists just the massey model 12, 25 and GP. So here is a picture of the #12 ad. The most important line is at the bottom of the page.

Tom,

I have the same brochure and a few others also refering to the "12" tractor and as you say 7000 produced in seven years is not high volume.

Here is a photograph of a M-H 12-20 on British cast wheels with rubber tyres which was part of the late Ian Robertson's collection in Scotland and sold in his sale December 2011,
I first saw this tractor with my dad at the Weeting Rally in Suffolk in the late 1970's, it was then painted light blue and eventually bought by a dealer who sold it North of the border to Ian and I understand it went south again at his auction.

Malcolm.

Tom,

As I have noted before on this site my Grandfather used to test equipment for M-H because the farm was almost next door to the factory.

He had the first 12-20 in the UK to be issued on rubber wheels and I remember it well working in my youth - in fact I drove it a little when it waspulling a trailer picking up sheaves.  Just the job for a young lad as there was no need for long legs to reach a foot clutch and it only had to be on tickover to inch forward to successive stooks of sheaves.  I think I am also right in recalling that I may have used it for pulling the potato spinner which again was easy for a lad as the tractor followed the potato drill.  I can't however recall who were the makers of the cast wheel centres fitted both front and rear.

This tractor did an enormous amount of work on the farms through the seasons and was partnered by at least two green Challengers and a green 25, and also apparently for a short time by a green Pacemaker tho' I don't recollect that one.  There was also a Wallis 20-30 which apparently was sold before I was born.  All the tractors went to the scrap man as times moved on for them to be replaced by Fergusons and Fordsons, then MFs and David Browns

How I curse scrap men!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  At least Joe has a preservation mind!!!

John