Jonathan Whitlam – författare

In this revealing book, tractor expert Jonathan Whitlam covers the full history of the development of Lamborghini tractors. First produced in 1948, the Lamborghini tractor brand soon gained a reputation for innovation. First powered by Morris engines, technical innovations soon led to the tractors being sold worldwide.Although Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to turn to the development of the now famous Lamborghini sports cars, the tractors continued under new ownership and went from strength to strength. The book shows how new designs and developments were introduced by the new owners, including revolutionary changes introduced in the 1980s. Lamborghini tractors stood out from the crowd, not only for their powerful six-cylinder engines but also their distinctive styling. Developments continued into the 1990s with the addition of sophisticated electronics, as well as constantly variable transmission.Including previously unpublished images of early Lamborghini tractors and drawing on original archive sources, this is the most complete, concise account of one of the world’s most revolutionary tractor brands.

Covering the whole history of David Brown tractors from 1939 to the closure of the company in 1988, Jonathan Whitlam describes the models developed at the factory in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, and how they evolved over time. The author also covers the many innovative features that were pioneered by David Brown, including hydraulic systems and transmissions.From the early Type A tractor developed with Harry Ferguson through the independently developed David Brown models, including the Cropmaster, the 900 series and the Selectmatic range of 1965, through the 90 and 94 series, and also touching on other David Brown inspired machinery, this book covers every aspect of David Brown production.Including discussion of the mergers with the US Case company and International Harvester before the ultimate demise of David Brown in the face of a worldwide slump, this book is a concise but complete account of what was a leading British tractor manufacturer.

Leyland Tractors explores the story of the Leyland tractor, beginning with the orange Nuffield tractor of 1948, which was to influence the development of Leyland tractors in many key ways. The focus then shifts to the period from 1969 to 1982, when the name Leyland was used on the bonnet of a range of blue tractors, all built in Bathgate, Scotland. All the various models built during this time are looked at in detail, as each new product brought new innovations and improvements, such as quiet cabs and syncromesh gearing – as well as some less successful developments.The story continues when Leyland Tractors was sold to Marshall of Gainsborough, concluding in the mid-1980s when the firm faltered. Finally, we take a look at the legacy of the Leyland tractor, celebrating their endurance, and the fact that many have been restored by collectors, while still others are still out on farms, working as they were intended.Filled with original modern photography of tractors both at work and on display, and containing previously unseen material, this book is a unique addition to the tractor enthusiast’s library.

Massey Ferguson Tractors takes up the story of Massey Ferguson tractors from 1957, after the merger of Massey-Harris and Ferguson, when the red-and-grey colour scheme was used for the first time. The author describes the early models that were to establish Massey Ferguson’s reputation for rugged reliability and adaptability: the 35 and 65 models of the 1960s led to the larger 1100, 1085 and 1155 models, while, in the 1970s and 1980s, greater demands for comfort saw the arrival of the 500 and 600 series. Overall, the range performs all tasks, from the basic and popular to what is needed by the tractor powerhouses of modern industrial farming. Moreover, with all the latest developments included, Massey Ferguson Tractors brings the reader completely up to date, as well as offering a look at what the future might bring.With a wide range of modern photography covering both preserved and working examples, this is a fresh and comprehensive view of the one of the agricultural world’s most popular manufacturers of tractors, considering the tractors in relation to the time in which they were built as well as by the standards of today.

John Deere is one of the world’s leading tractor companies and this fascinating book brings together the full account of production in both the United States and in Europe. Using modern photography and a largely chronological account of tractor development, the author provides an excellent overview of the evolution of John Deere tractors over the decades.Starting with the early two-cylinder tractors developed in the USA and moving through the creation of multi-cylinder engines after the takeover of the Lanz business in Germany, the book covers the 40 and 50 series of the late 1980s and the innovations in the 1990s when John Deere effectively re-invented the tractor with their full-frame designs.Bringing the reader right up to date with the latest designs that bristle with technological sophistication and covering the evolution of John Deere tractor development, this book will be an essential read for both John Deere enthusiasts and all those interested in the history of tractors, old and new.

Beginning with the development of the first Ford tractors in 1917 and finishing in 1991 with the purchase of the Ford tractor brand by Fiat, this is one of the few books to tell the complete story of Ford and Fordson tractors.Author Jonathan Whitlam covers the parallel development of Fordson tractors, made at Dagenham in Essex, with Ford tractors in the United States. The first Ford tractor was produced in 1917 to help with agricultural production during the First World War and the Fordson Model N played a key role in the development of British agriculture up to 1945.The Ford Major was launched in 1945, marking the first factory fitting of a diesel engine in a Ford tractor. The book also covers the smaller Dexta models and the ground-breaking 1000 series.The 10, 30 and 70 series tractors incorporated a host of technological developments that would not only see the Ford tractor through to 1991 but also leave a legacy that is still appreciated today.

This book tells the full story of one of the newest and most successful tractor manufacturers, which has roots in the classic Ford and Fiat brands of years gone by.From 1991, when Fiat acquired Ford New Holland, the New Holland brand tractors have been at the forefront of the latest tractor designs. The technical sophistication in medium to high horsepower tractors has changed beyond all recognition. The book covers early models such as the 40, 70 and 80 series, as well as current models such as the T4 to T9 models, to provide full coverage of the cutting edge of tractor development.The author examines the latest generation of tractors, from small speciality tractors to giants of nearly 700hp, and also looks at the future, including the development of tractors powered by alternative fuels such as methane.As New Holland tractors continue to go from strength to strength, this book is a timely expert guide to one of the world’s foremost tractor brands

This book tells the complete story of one of the most significant agricultural inventions of all time – the combine harvester. Starting with the early straw walkers and rotary models, author Jonathan Whitlam charts the chronological evolution of these complex machines which soon became indispensable to the cereal farmer. The author shows how the combine developed into the huge modern machine, capable of processing hundreds of acres of wheat in a day.The story of the combine harvester is meshed with the cereal harvest, starting with the first mechanisation of the harvest with the sail reaper, moving through to the binder and then the threshing drum. The book describes the early arrival of the combine harvester in the shape of the reaper-thresher in the USA and then smaller, more compact trailed versions that were also used in Europe. The self-propelled combine arrived in the 1940s, which is when the idea really began to take off. The book looks at the various different makes of combine harvester such as those produced by Case, New Holland, International Harvester, John Deere and Massey Ferguson and discusses what the future holds for the combine harvester, including advanced designs and driverless drones.Accompanied by a wide variety of new colour photographs, this book will appeal to farm machinery enthusiasts and those interested in the development of modern industrial machinery.

This book covers the tractor models that have stood out, from the early twentieth century to the present day, either because of their innovative design and engineering features or because they set new standards in reliability and popularity.Beginning with the background to the development of the first tractor, Jonathan Whitlam takes us on a fascinating journey through a variety of tractor types, both large and small, and their stand-out features. This includes the Fordson F, the first mass produced tractor which set the pattern for future tractor design; the Field Marshall, which introduced diesel engines for tractors; the Ferguson TE20 with its novel three-point linkage; the Massey Ferguson 35 and later 135, which stand out for sheer popularity; and the John Deere 3640, with its powerful six-cylinder engine and advanced cab. The book also describes the computerised systems featured in many of the latest tractors.Accompanied by superb colour photography of all the tractors, this book has something for every tractor and agricultural machinery enthusiast.

In this comprehensive and readable book, tractor expert Jonathan Whitlam tells the story of the development of International Harvester from its North American roots in the 1900s. The book covers developments from the early combustion-engine machines to the merger with Case in 1985 and purchase by Fiat in 1999.The story of International Harvester is inextricably tied up with developments in farming. While the giant tractors such as the Titans and Moguls could take on large-scale agriculture, smaller tractors were developed for more modest farms. The development of the famous all-purpose Farmall tractor in 1920 not only set a new benchmark in tractor design, it also completed the revolution in mechanisation of agriculture in the United States. From 1949 some International Harvester tractors were built in Britain and this book reveals the importance of European developments, including German designs in the 1980s and 1990s after the amalgamation with Case.Accompanied by a rich selection of colour photographs, this fascinating book is a complete account of both the UK and European as well as American IH tractors.