A fully restored Massey Ferguson 135 tractor will be auctioned off later this month to raise funds for rural charity RSABI.
The auction, which takes place at the Royal Northern Spring Show on Wednesday, February 28, at the Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, has been organised by the Banff and Buchan Tractor and Engine Club and its 100 members.
Club chairman Bill Stewart said the organisation normally donated funds raiased from its usual activities, including ploughing matches and tractor road runs, to local charities.
However this year the decision was taken to make a more significant contribution through a special fundraising initiative and RSABI was chosen as the recipient charity.
“This last year we set about an ambitious project of finding a tractor, refurbishing it, then auctioning it, with all proceeds going to charity,” said Mr Stewart.
“Around the middle of last year, we approached a local collector, who has approximately 30 Massey Ferguson tractors, with a view to purchasing a suitable tractor. To our surprise and delight, he donated us a tractor of our choosing – a Massey Ferguson 135 of local Aberdeenshire origin with the registration number UAV 164H.”
The club has since set about refurbishing the tractor with the help of local companies including Gray and Adams Ltd, Brucklay Garage and A.M. Phillip.
“The tractor was officially donated to the club in the middle of September last year at a local event and the refurbishment began,” said Mr Stewart.
“About 12 members set to work and local firms were eager to support the project. It was completed by the end of 2017.”
The fully refurbished tractor is available to view at A.M. Phillip’s branch in Forfar and it will take pride of place on the company’s stand at the Spring Show later this month.
Mr Stewart said he was in discussions with Aberdeen and Northern Marts, which runs the Thainstone Centre, and it was hoped the tractor would be brought into the sale ring following the presentation of show prizes and then auctioned off to the highest bidder.
He said he was hopeful that the tractor would raise between £5,000 and £10,000 for RSABI.
The charity provides assistance to those who have relied on the land in Scotland.