Nine-year-old boy restores vintage tractor to display at Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show at Newark Showground

A nine-year-old boy has been bitten by the vintage tractor bug, restoring a vintage tractor which will be on display this weekend.

Buddy Antcliff, alongside his grandad Steve Lyne, has painstakingly restored a 1947 David Brown Cropmaster tractor.

Buddy’s mum, Rachel, said: “His grandad is a fanatic of classic tractors, and ever since Buddy was tiny he has always shown an interest in helping him on the farm and in his workshop.

“We don’t really see him at the weekend, as he stays with his grandad from Friday night until Sunday night — they have a very good bond and they do up all sorts of things.”

He was gifted a vintage tractor of his own to restore from Michael Hart, long-time supporter of the Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show and a friend of Steve.

“Michael had to give up his storage and needed to find a new home for some bits; he knew Buddy was interested in tractors and enjoyed tinkering in the workshop with Grandad, so he donated it,” said Rachel.

“Michael is also very conscious about supporting and encouraging the next generation of tractor restorers.

“That was last year; they went to collect it from his farm and Buddy has been painstakingly taking it apart and putting it back together. It didn’t run at all, so they have stripped it down to the bare bones. He had the tyres for his Christmas present, and now it runs and can be driven.”

Buddy’s efforts will be on show at this year’s Newark Vintage Tractor and Heritage Show, taking place at Newark Showground this weekend, November 4 to 5.

He has also just joined the David Brown Tractor Club, and will display pictures from the restoration, showing its progress from finding it in the field to the finished product.

Now he is already moving onto his next project, where he will take two Wheel Horse tractors, and make one good one, out of the two.