A huge array of machinery – mostly very modern – went under the hammer in England yesterday (Tuesday, June 5).
The auction was held on behalf of Leslie Brown Contracting at Westholme Farm, Winston, Darlington, Co. Durham.
Look out for accompanying AgriLand reports from this sale – with lot-by-lot pictures, specifications and prices.
In this article, we’ve opted to focus on one of the most noteworthy items – a ‘classic’ New Holland 1905 self-propelled forage harvester (see main/featured picture).
This 1994 (2WD) machine was not the only forager up for grabs; it was flanked (at the auction) by a much newer Claas Jaguar 850. Also present were no less than 18 tractors, four combine harvesters and all manner of machinery and implements.
The other 1905 was reportedly replaced by an FX series forager four years later. This 1905, by contrast, remained in the fleet up until yesterday – mainly as a back-up to newer (Claas) machines.
At the auction, it was showing just 2,172 hours. It sold; the hammer fell at £16,200 (plus VAT and 2% buyer’s commission).
‘Foraging’ through history
Interestingly, New Holland built a self-propelled forager as far back as 1961 – in the shape of the SP818.
In that case, New Holland essentially converted an existing trailed (pull-type) forager into a self-propelled contraption.
The SP818 was the machine – for New Holland at least – that kick-started a half-century of product development, culminating in today’s FR line-up. It was designed and built in New Holland, Pennsylvania (US).
The bigger 1880 (pictured below) came on the scene in 1968. It brought about an increase in throughput – and muscle. Cabbed versions also started to appear.
It was followed by the (200hp) 1890 in 1975. The 1895 (pictured below) – the first forager to be offered with a ‘built-in’ metal detector – arrived in 1977.
A whole new generation of machines arrived in 1979. That line-up, for example, included the 2100 with its 300hp or so (courtesy of an inline, rather than a transverse-mounted, engine).
These new machines were considerably bigger and more modern than previous offerings. Pictured below (in the foreground) is a nostalgic pairing of such beasts; leading the way is an S 2200.
These harvesters really established New Holland as a force to be reckoned with in many silage-harvesting circles. Indeed, pictures such as these might well evoke nostalgic memories for some Irish readers.
These contraptions underwent a package of updates during the 1980s; the 1900, for example, eventually morphed into the 1905 (the subject of this article). The 2405 became the new flagship of New Holland’s line-up.
1995 saw the arrival of the FX series. These models looked radically different to what had gone before, thanks to a deep, wrap-around front windscreen and a radially-mounted blower (accelerator). Alas, here in Ireland, they arguably arrived too late.
The first FR9000 Series foragers arrived in 2007 – just over a decade ago. These were (and still are) physically big machines.
Revamped FR models first appeared in 2012 – bringing with them a plethora of updates.
Most recently, New Holland has just unveiled its most powerful forager yet – the new FR920. It has 911hp on tap – courtesy of a 20L FPT engine.