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Vintage Tractor event in Netherlands: From steam models to modern units

4th April 2023, 15:35 by Utkarsh Chaudhary

The parking was on a nearby field & many cars had to be towed out. I was glad I went in my Jeep Cherokee.

BHPian Jeroen recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Last weekend the Dutch Tractor Club de vetnippels (grease nipples) held its annual event.

It was only about an hour's drive from where we live, so I decided to have a look. On Saturday it had been raining very very hard and almost all day. This event is out on a field so it was extremely muddy, if not to say muddy. The parking for visitors is on a nearby field and many cars needed to be towed out by a tractor. Luckily I went in my Jeep Cherokee. With the 4-wheel drive engaged, it ploughed, axle deep, through all the mud and waterlogged fields!

This is a vintage tractor event, so you will see all sorts of tractors, from the very traditional steam tractor to many different more modern ones. A few other things were on display as well as you will see.

This was the first (steam) tractor I came across. Love these machines!

There were several caterpillar tractors as well as you will see.

Many of these tractors are owned and restored by farmers. Some of these families have several tractors. The other day I was talking to somebody in our village. She told me her son, who was 25 already has a collection of 25 vintage tractors.

This one is for sale (Te Koop). There is quite a second-hand trade market in vintage tractors, believe it or not. I know of at least four major auctions every year that will typically sell about 100-150 vintage tractors!

There were also several stationaire engines being displayed. And quite a few of them were running too.

In the vintage days, tractors were used to power lots of implements and machinery on farms. Here you see a tractor being used to power a huge band saw mill.

Even today modern tractors still power farm equipment. The most used one, apart from the obvious machinery for ploughing and so on, is pumps.

These tractors might look and are in fact vintage. But almost all of them are in running condition. I particularly liked this one.

Those of you who have been following some of my posts might remember I would really like a Unimog. Great little truck. However, Mrs D. has vetoed this idea.

A man can dream of course

These sorts of events are very much family affairs. Lots of women and kids about. The kids bring their own mini tractors and tear around the place!

It was muddy, very muddy!

Lots of these Lanz tractors about:

Some Hanomag’s in different shapes, colours and level of restoration

The nice dark blue Hanomag had this pneumatic horn installed. I don’t think it was original though.

Some very old tractors, all quite rusty, waiting to be restored at some point in time.

They were also running these demos on vintage rock crunchers. All powered by, what else, vintage tractors.

Nice little tractor, somebody must have added the little hydraulic crane to it.

There were several other market stalls about as well. Some interesting vintage wood- and metal working tools.

Another Lanz

Couple of Bulldogs

These days calling anything a lilliputer or midget is considered to be political incorrect. I don’t think the farming community is too worried about this sort of wokism.

Some folks demonstrating old crafts

A free merry-go-round for the kiddies!

Not sure what this thing is called in English. In Dutch we call it a “Kop van Jut”.

You swing a big hammer that catapults a small cart along the vertical rail towards the bell. If you manage to ring the bell, you have won!

Big party tent as well. You could get food and drinks, life music. BIG party tonight for all the participants!

I thought this was quite an unusual design for a tractor. They tend to have the engines quite open and visible. It reminded me of some of the old streamlined steam trains. I don’t think tractors require streamlining though!

Tractors are used not only by farmers, all kinds of heavy-duty work can and is often done with the help of tractors. Here is one with one of these massive levellers attached.