I read with interest Hugh Cawdell’s article in issue #195 with regards to the Winget tractor, as manufactured under license by Pederick Engineering. I must admit that I was not aware of Winget tractors being built in Australia so I thought the following, based on research undertaken some time back, might be of interest to TOMM readers.
Launched in 1966 by the firm of Slater & England, (part of the Winget Gloucester Group), which at that time was operating out of premises in Bristol Road, Gloucester, the Winget 42 was one of the larger horticultural type tractors designed for use by UK market garden operators and/or small farmers.
The firm Slater & England was well versed in the fundamentals of the manufacturing industry, and fully understood that it was entering a very competitive market, so much so that promotional literature released by the company stressed that the Winget 42 was the result of two years of extensive pre-launch field trials covering a wide spectrum of conditions way beyond anything that could be expected during the tractors’ normal working life.
The motive power for the Winget 42 came from the ‘tried and tested’ Lister SR1 single-cylinder, air-cooled, diesel engine rated at 7.75bhp at 2,500rpm, and the drive was through a Borg & Beck single dry-plate clutch. The engine’s relative small size meant that hand-starting was recommended, however, when required, electrical starting was available as part of the package of optional extras offered for the tractor.
The transmission, designed by Newage of Coventry, comprised of a special gearbox/axle unit giving three forward speeds and reverse, giving the tractor a top speed of seven miles per hour, which the manufacturers claimed would be very useful should the tractor be used for road work. The arrangement of direct in-line transmission and the use of mechanical parts of proven capability, having been used on the Winget dumper for several years, enabled Slater & England to produce a tractor of great reliability.
Horticultural applications
In keeping with most horticultural tractors of the time, the wheel-track of the Winget 42 was fully adjustable, in 2 inch steps, from 34 inches to 46 inches, making the tractor ideally suited for the wide range of duties that might be encountered on a commercially run market garden; everything from row-crop work to general haulage.
The tractor came fitted with independent drum brakes to each rear wheel, although when the tractor was used for road work these could be mechanically coupled. A manually operated differential lock, with automatic release was also fitted.
The Winget 42 came with a number of attachments as standard equipment, which included a three-point linkage arrangement with a hand-operated lifting mechanism. Should hydraulic lift be required this was available as an optional extra.
Unlike many other horticultural tractors of the day, the Winget 42 had foot-plate platforms of a size that allowed the tractor to be driven from the standing position. Operator comfort was also taken into account with a fully adjustable seat complete with a backrest being fitted.
Different specification
The basic ‘Series 1’ Winget 42 tractor, as introduced in 1966, was priced at £433.10s.0d. The ‘Series 11’ tractor, with a hydraulic-lift replacing the hand lift, sold for £492, while the top of the range, the ‘Series 111’ tractor, carried a price tag of £560, but this did include a dirt bucket and front-end loader. Should an operator wish to upgrade his Series 1 or Series 11 tractor to the Series 111 specification, this could be done quite simply ‘on the farm’ without any drilling of parts.
As with most tractors designed primarily for the commercially-run market garden, there was a wide range of implements available for the Winget 42, including a plough, rotary cultivator, rotary mower, harrows, pallet transporter, transport box, and matched trailer.
Literature for the Winget 42 tractor stated that the characteristics of the Lister industrial diesel engine was such, that it was essential that the required power was obtained before starting work, so allowing the engine to maintain its power output. It was also stressed that when used for drawbar work, full power (torque) at the wheels was obtained at just over idle speed, and that increasing engine speed while giving more road speed, did not increase the power to the wheels.
Change of ownership
In 1968/9, Slater & England sold the production rights and remaining stock of the Winget 42 tractors to Michael Steven Wade, proprietor of MSW Machinery Ltd, Wood Vale, London, and the MSW 550 tractor was born but, as they say, that’s another story.
It is not known how many Winget 42 tractors were built, but it is believed to have been around the 500 mark, of which, a high percentage were sold overseas. *Patrick Knight
