Ross and Peter Anderson’s mother, Jean, bought them a Field Marshall Series 2 for £35 following their father’s death. This would ultimately lead to the founding of the Field Marshall Club in 1988.
The Anderson’s lost their father, Fred, when Ross was 14 months old and Peter was two months off being born.
After Fred’s death, their uncle Ted Pullen, who lived next door, began to encourage their interest in tractors and steam engines.
When Ross was 9 and Peter was 8, Ted brought them to see a Field Marshall Series 2 that was up for sale.
The boys were ‘enraptured’ by the tractor, and their mother bought it for them on November 9, 1968.
“We got her delivered on the train and then drove her the rest of the way home, and then stored her on the farm next door,” Ross said.
“She was only 20 years old when we bought her, but we still rubbed her down all by hand with a wire brush, repaired a frayed decompression cable and a broken clutch cable.”
She was painted by my uncle Henry Pullen who was a coach painter.”
She’s still got that paint – you can’t even see the brush strokes.
“Mum encouraged us a lot, and we took the Field Marshall to rallies and shows all over the country. I was into it, but Peter became a real fountain of knowledge about it,” Ross commented.
The founding of the Field Marshall Club
Inspired by their Field Marshall, Peter and his friend Wally Hawkins went on to found the club in 1988.
“We thought it would just get 50 members, but it grew to over 500,” Ross said. “So the most important thing about our tractor is that it led to the foundation of the club.”
Peter went on to befriend Henry Marshall himself, and he later went on to become a ‘great supporter’ of the club.
Peter began writing a newsletter for the club, but he struggled with his writing and spelling so he began attending night school.
Ross said that attending the school helped Peter so much that it enabled him to go on to write two books about Field Marshalls.
The ‘life-changing’ tractor
“Peter was told he would never amount to anything, but this tractor changed everything,” Ross said.
“Without her we could have become football hooligans or something, but instead we spent our time repairing and recycling with her.”
“She’s a very special tractor and she means a lot to us. I’ve had people come round and try to buy her and one guy who even slammed down a blank cheque. I tore it up and said ‘you’ve not got enough money to buy this tractor’.”
Ross has named the tractor ‘Bub’ after his nickname for Peter, who passed away five years ago.
Ross hopes to bring ‘Bub’ to make an appearance at the Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show from November 5-6, 2022.
“It’s the 75 year anniversary of the Field Marshall Series II, so I’m planning to rub her down and take her out,” Ross said.
“It feels fitting that I’m there to represent Peter, too.”
75 years of Field Marshall Series II
Fans of the Field Marshall Series II can celebrate the tractor at the Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show from November 5-6, 2022. The event takes place at Newark Showground.
There will be celebrations to mark 70 years of the new Fordson Major E1A, 75 years of the David Brown Cropmaster and 50 years of the Massey Ferguson 1200.
Advance tickets are now available for a discounted saving to the show. Advance tickets close on Friday, October 28.
There is also the opportunity to book a weekend camping experience which includes three nights camping and two adult weekend tickets.
