Caterpillars are being readied for moving next week as members of Mid Canterbury Vintage Machinery Club gear up for their annual display at the Ashburton A&P Show.
The members’ clubrooms are on the grounds of the showgrounds and they always have something special for the annual event, which runs this Friday and Saturday.
This year, they are celebrating 100 years of the American-made Caterpillar; a versatile workhorse first built in the late 19th century by inventors Benjamin Holt and C.L. Best.
In 1925, they combined their strengths and their businesses to form the Caterpillar Tractor Company – starting with just five models geared toward the agriculture industry.
Club member John Hall remembers the day his father’s brand-new Caterpillar D2 5U was delivered to the hilly family farm. It was 1954.
He was age five.
“It was our main tractor for many years. We used to tow a little header with it and baling hay with it, ploughing, drilling everything.”
Since then, it has remained in the family ownership.
It’s done 7000 hours.
Club president Keith Howden, a John Deere man, said up to 10 Caterpillar models were expected at the show ranging from a Caterpillar two tonne 1927 through until the 1960s.
There will also be two Steigers with Caterpillar engines.
“There will be (club members) about talking to people. Come and have a look.”
Also on site will be a 1948 Allis Chalmers model B.
Owner Greg Lovett said the machine was previously owned by his father-in-law – the late Peter Cates of Peter Cates Ltd.
It was used on a daily basis to push laden railway wagons across West St to the main trunk line.
The business used to be in the historic building on West St, behind the former library.
“There used to be a turntable (in the car park by the Farmers Market), so when it went across (the wagons) then went on a turntable and spun around and put on the railway track,” Greg said.
“It was used in Ashburton extensively to cross West St,” Greg said.
The wagons would be full of oats or chaff and heading to the North Island.
“Can you imagine doing that today, across West St?” he said.
In those days, if they forgot to put the brakes on, the wagons would end up in the middle of the street and all traffic would come to a standstill.
“The guy would go upstairs to go and put the bags down, look down and the wagons missing – it’s out there on the street.”
Greg, the third owner, has owned it since the 1980s and only recently had it restored by Gordon Handy of Timaru.
It has about 20-horsepower, runs on a small petrol motor and was originally bought from Buchanan Merchants, imported by Andrews & Beaven Ltd.
“It’s a family heirloom and it was used in his business, and we’ve done it up to preserve it.”
