Massey Ferguson 165

This one replaced the good old Massey 65 which had been around doing sterling service since 1959. It is fortunately typical of Corgi at their peak. The detail is superb, down to the detail on the engine, the dials on the dash, the decals - everything is excellent. Then as was their wont Corgi went the extra mile and looked for a special feature. This time they came up with the idea of making a noise like a diesel engine by putting a clacker on the front axle. There were two threads of Corgi tractors through the fifties & sixties. The Fords and Fordsons were about steering and rear hydraulic lift arms, the Massey Fergusons had a plain towing hook and no lift arms but were usually available with fore-end loaders. Slightly ironic in that it was the 'Ferguson System' of the three-point linkage and hydraulic lift arms which revolutionised mechanised farming after the war and Corgi choose to demonstrate it on the Fords.

The solo tractor (66) was added to the range in July 1967 and remained in the range until 1972. It was also made with a fore-end loader which can be a bucket or a fork, it is also found with a side-mounted hedge-cutter, and in the odd gift set.

69 Loader Shovel

This is the second version of the Massey Ferguson 165, with the bucket option on the loader. The old loader on the Massey 65 was raised and lowered with a lever mechanism. This one still has a lever, now cast on to the loader, but it's the hydraulic rams that hold it up. The bucket tipper mechanism is similar to the 65. The modelling and the detail on this toy are superb. The tractor with the shovel loader was added to the range in July 1967 and remained in the range until 1972.

GS9 Tractor With Shovel & Trailer

There is a sort of holy trinity of classic Corgi gift sets: 1, the car transporter and cars, 2, the Land-Rover & horse box and 3, the tractor and trailer. They are continually renewed and consistently offered right through the heyday of the Corgi Toys brand. Here we have the 1968 offering of the tractor and trailer with the Massey Ferguson 165 released by MF in 1964 and by Corgi in 1965 and the latest version of the farm trailer. Together it makes a handsome set with stacks of play value. This tractor is made more fun by the addition of a clicker in the front axle which is supposed to mimic the diesel engine. The set was deleted in 1972.

73 Tractor With Hedging Saw

It's a bit of a health and safety nightmare this one. with that big circular saw blade spinning round with no guard. As you push the tractor along the saw is gently turned by a spring drive. No.73 Massey Ferguson 165 Tractor with saw was released in March 1970 and was deleted in 1973, there are no listed variations. They are scarce and sought after so prices are high.