Ballymena Steam Rally, 2026

Held on Saturday the 25th of July it was hosted once again by the Traction Engine Club of Ulster and held for the second year at the Livestock Market, Ballymena. It once more despite the light rain showers was a very enjoyable day.  A wonderful display of steam engines, stationary engines, vintage and classic cars, tractors, vehicles and machinery.  The working displays, tractor pulling and exhibits were all very entertaining.  As was the live music and dancing.

A few items in particular stood out for me.  Firstly the Ford 8N tractor with Ford V8 conversion at the Faith Mission.  Originally the Ford-Ferguson 9N designed by Harry Ferguson and his engineers introduced in June, 1939 used a Ford designed and built 4 cylinder petrol engine that was half of a Ford V8 engine previously designed by Henry Ford.  For those wanting more power in their Ford-Ferguson 9N or 2N and later Ford 8N tractors, the Funk Aircraft Company in the USA produced the Funk V8 conversion from 1949 to 1952 that included a Ford V8 engine.  These kits boosted horsepower from roughly 27HP up to 100HP.

A 1952 Ford 8N tractor with Funk V8 conversion on the 27th September, 2015 at Ohio, USA set a land speed record by reaching 96.3185 mph and later up to 101.2 mph, a record that previously stood for 81 years being set by an Allis-Chalmers Model U tractor at 68MPH in 1935.

I got a chance to explain once more about the centenary of the granting of the Ferguson Master Patent being celebrated in 2026 a technology pioneered here in Northern Ireland and perfected in County Tyrone as the Ferguson System that still helps feed the world and is now standard in every tractor.  And also to read my now famous poem "Centenary of the granting of the Ferguson Master Patent, modern tractor invented."

Other exhibits that I enjoyed seeing included a Ferguson-Brown Type A and two furrow plough on the Ferguson Club stand.  The Ferguson Brown-Type was the world’s first production Ferguson System tractor that was introduced 90 years ago in 1936 and made ideas of farming with nature, tractor and implements a single unit and automatic depth control from the Ferguson Master Patent a reality.  This example had a combined pulley and PTO that is quite rare.

An early 1947 Ferguson TE20 with Perkins Diesel engine conversion also caught my eye as did a nice Ferguson FE35 tractor.  This year marks 80 years of the first Ferguson TE20 introduced in 1946 and 70 years of the first Ferguson FE35 introduced in 1956.

Stevan Patterson, Castlederg, County Tyrone

Publication: Belfast News Letter