machinery - Vintage Horticultural and Garden Machinery Club

Nobby Fletcher and Bolens

November 7, 2019December 12, 2017 by Alan

Nobby Fletcher is a fictitious character who appeared in a Bolens advert in 1970, reproduced below, promoting the assets of owning a Bolens garden tractor. Nobby Fletcher appears to be somewhat of a dogsbody working five and a half days… Continue Reading

Ginge mowers and tools

November 7, 2019November 13, 2017 by Alan

During the late 1960’s a hugely successful Danish manufacturer by the full name of Ginge-Raadvad was launching their range of lawn mowers and garden tools into the UK market. Marketed as Ginge (pronounced Ging-ha) nowadays it is a little known… Continue Reading

Secret life of secateurs

November 7, 2019October 19, 2017 by Alan

Forget about garden tractors, rotavators, mowers and more, for the humble secateurs have appeared in more intriguing articles and news reports than any other tool or machine. From being the source of a riot, to an item of numerous counts… Continue Reading

Sprayers, Misters & Dusters cough, splutter

November 7, 2019September 25, 2017 by Alan

I have been collecting some sprayer demonstration images for a few months now, and for a bit of light-hearted fun, these images show the marvelous ingenuity and brave stupidity of some of the sprayers and dusters that graced the mid-20th… Continue Reading

Ireland’s first golf course gang mower with Cletrac – 1922

November 7, 2019August 20, 2017 by Alan

Although this article is about trialing machinery on an Irish golf course, it is also a good example of engine powered machinery and mechanisation taking over from horses.In October 1922 A newspaper in Ireland printed the following image along with… Continue Reading

Mr Rollo and his Croftmaster Factory – 1955

November 7, 2019July 13, 2017 by Alan

We are sure that many members would be able to recognize a Rollo Croftmaster tractor? Although rare, I am hoping that there will be one or two at the Scottish Tractor World Show in Edinburgh in March 2018. According to… Continue Reading

1950s Chelsea Flower Show Exhibits

November 7, 2019June 5, 2017 by Alan

Showing new machinery and ideas to the public at shows has always been a great way to promote a company and the machinery too. Even back in the 1950’s the Chelsea Flower Show had many new machines on show, many… Continue Reading

UK’s Oldest Bolens Tractor (and Australia too)

November 7, 2019May 17, 2017 by Alan

This isn’t a trick question but does anyone want to guess when Bolens introduced their two-wheeled garden tractors to the UK? We are all used to seeing the Bolens four-wheeled garden tractors, as in the image on the right, with… Continue Reading

Machines and original engines

November 7, 2019May 7, 2017 by Alan

Occasionally we see posts on the VHGMC forum asking if a certain machine had a particular engine fitted from new or is it a replacement engine.A machine may get an engine transplant over it’s lifetime. Maybe the swap is because… Continue Reading

Homemade or Serious Idea?

November 7, 2019April 1, 2017 by Alan

Occasionally weird and wonderful machines turn up. But are they serious ideas, homemade affairs or ideas destined to be recycled for decades? Read on to find out about one.Whether they work or not one definitely homemade machine which everyone seems… Continue Reading