Tractor [MG5]
Maker and role
Ransomes Sims and Jefferies, Manufacturer
Production date
1951
See full details
Object detail
Accession number
2022.7
Production period
Description
Low tractor painted blue and red, four metal wheels with chains running around them. Exhaust pipe runs above wheels on left side. Five operating levers, toolbox at front contains crank to start engine and a spark plug. Tow bar on rear that can be raised and lowered by hand with attached lever. Sticker on right side reads: "Ransomes"; other sticker has royal crest and the text, "BY APPOINTMENT / MANUFACTURES OF HORTICULTURAL / MACHINERY TO / KING GEORGE VI / RANSOMES. SIMS & JEFFERIES Ltd IPSWICH", and a white sticker with "IPSWICH" is next to this. Two small yellow labels read, "GEARBOX OIL" and "PETROL". A white label on both sides of the tractor reads, "IMPORTANT / OIL LOAD ROLLERS / EVERY "5" HOURS". On the nose of the tractor is a large white sticker, this reads, "WARNING / RANSOMES, SIMS & JEFFERIES LTD / WILL NOT HOLD THEMSELVES RESPONSIBLE / FOR THE SATISFACTORY WORKING OF THIS / ENGINE UNLESS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING GRADES / OF OIL IS USED IN TE CRANKCASE / ESSOLUBE 50 TRIPPLE SHELL MOBIL OIL BB / CASTROL XXL MOTORINE B DELUXE / KEEP TANK AT LEAST 1/2 FULL / DRAIN TANK, CLEAN FILTERS / AND REFILL WITH ONE OF THE / ABOVE OILS AFTER EVERY / 100 HOURS IN USE". A small white sticker below this reads, "IMPORTANT / THIS ENGINE IS / DESIGNED TO RUN ON / PETROL". Embossed on the tractor is "MGE/199 / BA70459" twice.
Brief History
Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies (now Ransomes) are an agricultural machinery manufacturing company established in the 1789 when Robert Ransome started an iron-foundry business in Ipswich, England. The company produced a range of agricultural machinery products drawing from both animal-powered and steam traction before moving toward gas powered equipment in the early 20th century.
This tractor is an example of one of their petrol-powered motor garden cultivators. Being a crawler tractor, it drives on a continuous track instead of wheels and would have been used for ground clearing or levelling works. This model is an MG5, which was eventually superseded by the MG6. 5351 MG5s were produced between 1948 and 1953 and a total of approximately 15,000 of all the MG models from 1936 to 1960.
This tractor is an example of one of their petrol-powered motor garden cultivators. Being a crawler tractor, it drives on a continuous track instead of wheels and would have been used for ground clearing or levelling works. This model is an MG5, which was eventually superseded by the MG6. 5351 MG5s were produced between 1948 and 1953 and a total of approximately 15,000 of all the MG models from 1936 to 1960.
Marks
Ransomes Sticker
BY APPOINTMENT / MANUFACTURES OF HORTICULTURAL / MACHINERY TO / KING GEORGE VI / RANSOMES. SIMS & JEFFERIES Ltd IPSWICH Sticker
IPSWICH Sticker
GEARBOX OIL Label
PETROL Label
MPORTANT / OIL LOAD ROLLERS / EVERY "5" HOURS Sticker
WARNING / RANSOMES, SIMS & JEFFERIES LTD / WILL NOT HOLD THEMSELVES RESPONSIBLE / FOR THE SATISFACTORY WORKING OF THIS / ENGINE UNLESS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING GRADES / OF OIL IS USED IN TE CRANKCASE / ESSOLUBE 50 TRIPPLE SHELL MOBIL OIL BB / CASTROL XXL MOTORINE B DELUXE / KEEP TANK AT LEAST 1/2 FULL / DRAIN TANK, CLEAN FILTERS / AND REFILL WITH ONE OF THE / ABOVE OILS AFTER EVERY / 100 HOURS IN USE Label
IMPORTANT / THIS ENGINE IS / DESIGNED TO RUN ON / PETROL Label
MGE/199 / BA70459 Embossed
MG5 6873 Serial Number
BY APPOINTMENT / MANUFACTURES OF HORTICULTURAL / MACHINERY TO / KING GEORGE VI / RANSOMES. SIMS & JEFFERIES Ltd IPSWICH Sticker
IPSWICH Sticker
GEARBOX OIL Label
PETROL Label
MPORTANT / OIL LOAD ROLLERS / EVERY "5" HOURS Sticker
WARNING / RANSOMES, SIMS & JEFFERIES LTD / WILL NOT HOLD THEMSELVES RESPONSIBLE / FOR THE SATISFACTORY WORKING OF THIS / ENGINE UNLESS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING GRADES / OF OIL IS USED IN TE CRANKCASE / ESSOLUBE 50 TRIPPLE SHELL MOBIL OIL BB / CASTROL XXL MOTORINE B DELUXE / KEEP TANK AT LEAST 1/2 FULL / DRAIN TANK, CLEAN FILTERS / AND REFILL WITH ONE OF THE / ABOVE OILS AFTER EVERY / 100 HOURS IN USE Label
IMPORTANT / THIS ENGINE IS / DESIGNED TO RUN ON / PETROL Label
MGE/199 / BA70459 Embossed
MG5 6873 Serial Number
Media/Materials
Collection
Credit Line
Ransomes Sims and Jefferies. 1951. Tractor [MG5], 2022.7. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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