Fordson

Henry Ford set up the company Ford and Son in 1917, it later became known as Fordson. He had previously tried to interest the directors of the Ford Motor Co. in producing agricultural machinery, but when this met with no success he set up the new company to market the tractor he had created.

• The Model F Fordson was supposedly the product of about fifty prototypes.

• The engine and gearbox were those used in the Ford Model B car and the tractor.

• Initially the Model F was produced on a limited scale, however in 1918 production increased substantially and in Britain the government placed an order for six thousand Model Fs.

• To produce such a quantity of machines the assembly line methods used in the production of the Model T car were employed. This meant that the production costs were low so that the tractor could be sold at a price that the average farmer could afford.

• The tractor was used widely in Britain and the United States and also in Russia.

• The Model F tractor was so successful in the United States that many competitors went out of business. The Model F was not without its disadvantages but it was reliable, cheap to buy and cheap to run.

• In 1928 production was moved to a new factory in Cork, Ireland and it was here that the Model F became the Model N.

• The Model N was more powerful, had stronger front wheels and an improved wheel-grip. It also featured a governor, a water pump and a high-tension magneto.

• The location of the factory meant that all raw materials had to be imported and this increased the production costs, therefore the Fordson factory relocated to Dagenham in England.

• The Model N was selling well in the United Kingdom but Fordson's tractor sales in the United States were not as good as competitors designed machines which could outdo the Model N.

• Fordson then created the All-Around which was a general purpose row-crop tractor.

• The Fordson Dagenham plant continued to produce the Model N and in 1945 produced an updated model called the E27N. This featured an updated Fordson engine with a three forward and one reverse gearbox, a conventional clutch and a rear axle drive. It was powered by an in-line, four-cylinder side-valve engine that produced 30 HP.

• In 1948 over fifty thousand E27Ns were produced with production ceasing with the arrival of the New Major in 1952.

• The New Major had six speed transmission and hydraulic three-point hitch and in 1958 the power was increased to 43 HP and power steering was an optional extra. It was introduced at the 1951 Smithfield Show.

• Following the New Major came the Super Major and New Performance Super Major. These both featured differential lock, disc brakes and draft control.

• The Dexta and Super Major tractors were the last models to manufactured under the Fordson name and in 1961 the United States and United Kingdom operations were combined.

Buses

• In 1911 the British plant for Ford was established in Trafford park, Manchester.
• Fords formed the majority of fleets, of the rural operators who ran after World War 1.
• The chassis were cheap, reliable, and widely available.
• Ford commercials were renamed Fordsons after 1933.
• Redbourn Group bought a number of bodies in 1935, they controlled operations in Thanet Kent.
• East Kent took over the company later in 1935 and disposed of Fords.
• Two survived after this for a further 20 years by other owners.
• 1963 Ford introduced a 36ft two-axle chassis called the Thames 36.
• 1965 Thames 36 was replaced by the R-series it had an increased power output.
• The National Bus Company was a big customer of the R-series.
• 1973 the A chassis was launched, it had a short bonnet and was designed for gross vehicle weights.
• 1974 Ford introduced a semi-automatic control for their six-speed synchromesh gearbox.
• 1977 the engine was modified, the engine was inclined 45 degrees this helped the noise of the vehicle to reduce.
• 1984 Devon General put a number of transits into operation in Exeter, the purpose, to replace the larger buses.
• Ford transits were used on nearly every public bus route.
• 1986 VE6 model was introduced.
• The Transit is still available today, has front suspension and many electronic engine controls.

Sources of Information

• From 1890 to the Present Day Farm Tractors by Michael Williams published in 2005 by Silverdale Books ISBN 978-1-84509-251-1
• The Complete Encylopedia of Tractors by Mirco de Cet published in 2006 by Rebo International ISBN 978-90-366-1893-9
• Ian Allan - British Buses Since 1900 - Aldridge and Morris