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Marshall tractor BBD 9111

Marshall tractor model 15/30 reg no. BBD 911

Field Marshall series 3

Immaculate Series 3 Field Marshall at Rushden Show 2008

Marshall threshing machine Hollcot

Marshall Threshing Machine at a demonstration at Hollcot steam fair 2008

Main article: Marshall, Sons & Co.

The firm of Marshall was formed when T.W. Ward of Sheffield took a major stake in the Old established firm of Marshall, Sons & Co. of Gainsborough, in the 19203 following the decline in agricultural machinery in the depression.

History[]

The Marshall Sons & Company Ltd, was from 1848 based in Gainsborough, England. They started out as Blacksmiths then progressed to building Steam traction engines, steam rollers and threshing machines. By the early 1900 sales of Steam engines had fallen significantly in the export markets like America, due to increased competition from early tractor manufactures. So they looked at building an internal combustion engined tractor to compete.

By 1910 they were building a range of 5 machines known as the colonials, from 16 h.p. to 32 h.p. (this bean equivalent to steam power ratings, not modern H.p. ratings). By 1914 over 300 had being built mostly for export.The First world war halted production, in favour of Threshing machines and steam traction engines.

By 1927 sales of steam had decreased rapidly and so the decision was taken to build a new tractor. They looked at what was available, and bought a Lanz to study. " prototypes were build in 1928/9 for testing but of a full diesel design not the lanz hot bulb design.

The first models was the type E or 15/30 and was publicly launched in 1930. In testing it was not as good as some of the comparative machines other than that as a full diesel it was a lot better on fuel consumption than competitors.[1]


Marshall, Sons & Co. Ltd. was merged with John Fowler & Co., (Leeds) Ltd in 1947 to form Marshall-Fowler Ltd. They later bought out the Leyland Tractors tractor operations (formerly Nuffield and BMC ) and and formed Marshall Tractors with a new Cream and Coffee colour scheme. Marshall going out of business in the 1980s recession. The company being Bought by a former Director and trading under the Track Marshall brand. The factory in Gainsborough was derelict in the 1970s. Following redevelopment there is now a supermarket standing on (part of) the former Britannia Iron Works site, but a small section of the offices have been retained, with plans to create a museum.

Other products[]

Marshall, Sons and Co. built the boiler for the Fairburn steam crane which stands on the dockside in Bristol. The maker's plate reads "Marshall Sons & Co. Ltd., Engineers, Gainsboro, England, No.92766"

Marshalls also built Tea processing machinery for export.


Models[]

Steam Machinery[]

Main article: Marshall, Sons & Co.

Tractors[]

Marshall MP6 (tractor pulling special)

Marshall MP6 (Modified with v8 for tractor pulling) at Newby Hall Show 2008

  • Marshall Colonial
  • Marshall 12/20 (approximately 190 built)
    • Marshall 12/20 Shunter
  • Marshall 15/30
  • Marshall 18/30
  • Marshall Model M (revised 12/20)-1939(ish)-June 1945 (sn 810 to 1690(ish))
  • Field Marshall series of tractors
    • Field Marshall - Mark I June 1945-47 (sn 2001 to ? )
    • Field Marshall - Mark I Series 2, July 1947-dec 1949 (sn 4025 to 11024
    • Field Marshall - Mark II Series 2 (Contractors version)
    • Field Marshall - Series 3 (Shared 60% of parts with the Fowler VF)
  • Marshall MP6 1954 with 6-cylinder Leyland AU350 engine. these were a distinctive Orange colour. Only 200 built of which 190 were exported. One was recently sold at Auction for a record price of £66,000 ( Cheffins, Sutton, 28-April-2008 ) it is believed to be the 3rd one built.[2]

Crawler Tractors[]

Fowler Crawler Tractor

A Fowler crawler tractor at Bromyard Show 2008

Track Marshall 55

A preserved Track Marshall 55 a Holcot Steam Rally 2008

They also built tracked versions under the Fowler brand having bought out Fowlers of Leeds after the first world war, these being the Fowler VF line.

Track Marshall (crawler tractor) - See separate article for full range & details.

Basic models

Marshall machinery[]

  • Tractor mounted winches
  • Marshall T20 stationary engine
  • Marshall RC20 Diesel Roller - 1936-45 various weights from 6-14 tons.
  • Marshall model A Dumper - 1938-43 based on 12/20 2½ cu yd (Do any exist today) ?

UK Preserved Machines[]

  • An MP6 prototype Sold for £66,500 + vat at a sale by Cheffins, in April 2006 (T&M) July 2008. Only 197 were built and just 10 remained in the UK.

See also[]

Reference[]

  1. *Three Decades of Marshall Tractors by Peter Anderson
  2. Classic Tractor Magazine, Issue 87, July 2008

Links[]


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