[Fieldfare]

Hi all- does anyone know where I might get on a Tractor Driving course in the South Yorks/Derbyshire area? (or if a one-day I could travel anywhere really).
Many thanks,

[stufe35]

Field fare,

I don't have any official qualifications, but I am a health and safety advisor in my work in the construction industry, and have worked with tractors since I was eleven years old.

I have a 135 along with a range of other tractors and a jcb on my small holding, I also have a baler haybob, mower, plough, rotavator, potatoe planter/digger. etc. etc.

I'd be happy to spend a bit of time showing you the ropes and demonstrating/showing you how to use the machinery you are interested in, and it's pros and cons. If you are interested I'm in Northallerton, nth Yorkshire.

Cheers. Stu

[Hassle]

I've never heard of a tractor course, well apart from when I did my track licence, most agri suppliers when you buy will do a hand over.

I'd take Stu up on his offer

[Still playing with tractors]

Thats a really nice offer from Stufe35, your only other option is your local agri college. they will do a lantra cert

[Dan]

A couple of weeks ago I did the basic tractor driving course through Lantra who do courses all over the UK - http://www.lantra.co.uk/

It was fantastic. Although I'd been using ours for a year or so, I learned a huge amount and gained a lot of confidence. Our course covered routine maintenance and safety checks, hitching, three point linkage, PTO, trailers, hydraulics.

And we got to drive two John Deeres for the two days - one an older one (like ours) the other a fairly big and modern computer controlled affair. 

[SallyintNorth]

Dan, I have never had any luck trying to get info about any courses and have failed again now to find one  on the Lantra site.

You couldn't post a link to the course in question, could you?

[Still playing with tractors]

http://www.oatridge.ac.uk/short_courses/machinery_operation/tractor_driving

[Fieldfare]

Hi all- thanks a lot for your help! Stu thanks alot...I would be very interested in taking you up on that very generous offer! I'll send you a PM. Cheers,
 

[Dan]

Dan, I have never had any luck trying to get info about any courses and have failed again now to find one  on the Lantra site.

You couldn't post a link to the course in question, could you?

The problem with Lantra is the courses they list are from other training providers, and there appears to be almost no standardisation. 

This is the list of courses that include tractor driving, but there's a huge variation in the duration and level. And they are all over the country too:

http://www.lantra.co.uk/CourseFinder/Results.aspx?within=0&postcode=&category=0&subcategory=0&deliverytype=0&deliverymethod=0&keywords=tractor+driving&iscountrywide=False&isfunded=False&istpc=False&isacredited=False&region=0&industry=0&project=&itemsperpage=83

The course I took was organised by Ringlink Services:

http://www.ringlinkservices.co.uk/

HTH. 

[SallyintNorth]

Thanks, Dan - that's thrown up several possibilities I could get to    I shall be on the phone to them in due course.

[stufe35]

Ive just had great fun coming up with an agenda... this is going to be far more interesting than the courses I deliver at work !  Have a look see if you think ive covered everything. My plan is this will all take place in a practical environment other than perhaps the first item.

Stu’s Tractor Awareness for Smallholders !
   Legislation, safety rules, user manuals, roll bars, insurance
   Starting and stopping the tractor and basic maintenance checks
   Petrol/TVO and diesel engines
   Brakes and parking your tractor
   The gears and when to use which one
   Hydraulic controls and functions
   Attaching and detaching a mounted implement CAT 1,2,3
   Stabiliser bars, different types and their functions
   Understanding position control and depth control on the hydraulics
   Differential lock and its function
   Use of independent brakes
   Connecting an implement with PTO shaft-and the importance of PTO guards
   Engaging and disengaging the PTO and -What is ‘live drive’
   Different PTO connections and speeds through the years/adaptors
   Attaching and detaching trailed implements
   When to use a pick up hitch or a draw bar- different types and there uses/pros cons
   Driving up hill and down hill with a load
   Tipping a trailer and understanding hydraulic connections
   Demonstration / have ago with a front loader
   Demonstration / have ago with a link box
   Demonstration / have ago with a topper / finishing mower
   Demonstration / have ago with a drum mower
   Demonstration / have ago with a hay bob
   Demonstration / have ago with a baler
   Demonstration / have ago with ploughs and harrows
   Demonstration / have ago with a rotavator
   Demonstration / have ago with a post driver
                 Demonstration / have ago with a muck spreader
   Demonstration / have ago with a JCB
   

[Hassle]

sounds like most of bases covered ..

Don't forget AdBlue, Cab Suspension, DGPS and my favourite Auto Steer 

[stufe35]

Cab suspension !  I'll mention the spring under the seat !  You remind me of a story my dad used to tell of when he worked on a farm in the mid 60s.  It was a particularly cold and wet winter, so on market day the farmer was off to town and said he would price up a cab for the tractor.  He arrived back that evening with a new set of water proofs !

[Hassle]

lol yes tractors have improved quite a bit

[ellied]

Wow, now I want to go visit Northallerton too     Problem is I could never afford to buy a tractor     My late brother learned in his teens and became a contractor for a few years before emigrating to NZ, and being too young at the time I never got a go at the controls, tho I loved sitting over the wheel or standing on the back or jumping on and off whatever he was towing at the time     Don't suppose you're allowed that now, can't even sit on the wheel if there's a cab