Yanmar (dating from 1910) made the dog's dangles of a small tractor in the late 1980s - the Yanmar YM 14. They came in a number of guises but the top of the range was a three cylinder diesel beast - the YM 14 Power Shift. The diesel engine is also used in canal boats for its rugged reliability.
Searching E-bay they go for £2,000-ish but I found one for sale with no reserve price and blow me, got it for £351! It was on a farm at South Milford, to the east of Leeds and had been in daily use for levelling off a horse riding area.
I was lucky enough to be able to borrow a trailer big enough to collect it and did so today. Trouble was my sat-nav led me up the remotest farm track towards the end of the trip and I found myself well and truly grounded with front wheels clear of the ground. I could move neither forwards or backwards and was marooned in the middle of a field. Fortunately my mobile had a good signal and I was able to ring the vendor who contacted the relevant farmer, Mr Batty. It was stair rodding with rain when salvation came in the form of a gigantic tractor with all the bells and whistles. Driver Lee Craven - a saint of a man - was able to first drag the trailer back to the main road, then the car (backwards). He would not accept a penny in thanks.
When I got back on the right road I arrived to find my purchase ticking over chug-chug wonderfully and a cup of tea. I had a quick drive of it then drove it onto the trailer.
The YM14 is back here now thanks to vendor Alison Spencer, farmer Batty and Lee Craven. Quite a day.
Here it is:
click to make it into a bigger tractor
The seat is the only part that requires obvious attention!
And it has now received it in the form of the seat off a broken bar stool:
Looks more like it already - and considerably kinder to the backside.
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