This is another set that I remember owning, but not receiving. I must have been given it very young, I was three in 1959. Of course my tractor lost its steering wheel and the trailer lost first its tailboard and eventually its tow ring, but that was the expected attrition rate of toys played with on the farmhouse kitchen floor. These are really nice toys, colourful and tactile, and as models, good representations of the real items.
This Gift Set was introduced in 1959, it remained in production until 1964 there are no known variations and a boxed mint example will be expensive.
The models which made up the Tractor & Trailer Gift Set - GS7 were:
It's interesting to reflect on the development of the Massey Ferguson tractor range at this time. The Ferguson FE35 that evolved into the Massey-Ferguson MF35 grew out of the old 'Grey Fergie', the Ferguson TE19 to FE21 which was made for Ferguson by the Standard Motor Company (who made the Vanguard car and with which it shared its engine block) from the late Forties onwards. The FE35 had grey tinwork with bronze or as is usually referred to 'gold' painted engine, gearbox and axles and was clearly a successor to the little grey one. It originally had a diesel version of the Standard two litre petrol engine, a complete bastard to start, eventually it got a three cylinder Perkins diesel engine and a red and grey paint job to become the MF35.
Massey Harris had bought Ferguson in 1956. This Massey-Ferguson 65 looks more like an American Massey Harris with that rounded radiator grille. Paint that grille red and it would absolutely be a Massey Harris. To me it is a Massey Harris with Ferguson hydraulics added. It is not until the release of the 135/165 that the Massey-Ferguson tractor range really came together. Say it quiet, but no Fergie of any type was ever white. It makes the model look smart but these tractors were red and grey, not red and white and the wheels were grey too.
This group has been put together using models from my collection.
