Murray Bown and his brother also own a 1929 Hart Parr 12/24 tractor.

This was the Bown family’s first farm tractor replacing the horses used previously. It has 12 HP output at the drawer bar and 24 HP output on the belt and also carries a special New Zealand modification, a three speed gearbox instead of the American 2 speed as original.

Murray thinks it was bought during WW2, about 1943 or 44. It was retired in about 1960 and kept in the shed as a backup tractor until about 1970 when it was moved to the museum as the shed space was needed own on the farm. It was fitted with new mudguards and repainted and is now on display with many other fine pieces of machinery at the Marlborough Vintage Machinery Clubs fine premises at Brayshaw Park in Blenheim.

This tractor has always been in Marlborough and Murray thinks it was sold new by Andrews and Beaven. There is a big old Peterbro tractor parked outside the museum and the Bown brothers have just found out they own that as well!