THE KING OF VINTAGE COMBINES

Ron Knight is Britain's King of the Vintage Combines. He repairs them, restores them, operates them and is a source of knowledge and inspiration to everybody else who is interested in vintage harvesting machinery. This film takes a look at some of Ron's restorations as they work at Little Casterton Working Weekends, drawing enthusiasts from all over the country.

We also follow the restoration of a 1920s Holt model 36 from what looks like a heap of scrap iron to a fine working machine that only and expert would be able to tell wasn't in new condition. Other combines at work include the legendary Massey Harris Model 21, the first successful self-propelled combine, which Ron admits is his personal favourite; an International Harvester Model 123 and an Allis Chalmers All-Crop, both models that were imported into Britain from the USA during WWII.
Among the post-war European machines are a Claas Super and a self-propelled SF, as well as a Swedish Aktiv, seen here being pulled by a Land-Rover equipped with a PTO.

Archive film and photographs of other vintage combines, including a Marshall at work help tell the story of combine harvesting in the UK.

Written and narrated by Alan Stennett.

DVD Info

Region: 2
Running Time: 55 minutes