Little Grey Fergie goes coast-to-coast

The Ferguson TEA–20 has a top speed of 10mph and is expected to take four days to travel from St Bees, in Cumbria, to Robin Hood’s Bay, in North Yorkshire.

The tractor was manufactured in 1948 and still has its original engine and many other original parts and features.

Mr Calvert’s grandfather, Christopher Calvert, bought the tractor for £375 from Reeth Garage, in 1951.

It was the first in Upper Swaledale and worked at Hoggarths Farm, near Keld, for many years until the death of Chris’ uncle, William Calvert, when it was sold in a farm auction.

However, Mr Calvert managed to buy it back in 2002.

“I bought it for sentimental reasons, it had been in the family for so long,” he said.

The ride is for Cancer Research UK and is in memory of Mr Calvert’s mother, Mabel, who died from the disease 18 months ago.

Mr Calvert and his wife, Glenda, run a bed and breakfast business on their farm at Pry House, near Keld. It lies half-way along the Coast-to- Coast route and Mr Calvert got the idea for the tractor drive from some of the walkers.

He said: “A lot of people do the walk for charity, but it takes a couple of weeks and I couldn’t afford to take that amount of time off. I needed something a bit quicker.”

Chris Whitehead, of Pickhill, near Thirsk, in North Yorkshire, a restorer of Ferguson tractors, has given the Fergie a thorough overhaul in preparation for the trip – including re-wiring and fitting new wheel bearings.

Mrs Calvert is acting as back-up for her husband and will carry some spare fuel, as the tractor’s only dial is for oil pressure.

“We know it holds seven gallons but we don’t know how many miles to the gallon it does – no one has been able to tell us,” said Mr Calvert, whose only luxury is a padded cover for the metal seat .

The couple have already had pledges totalling £3,000 and hope to raise £4,000. Collections will be taken en route or can be made at justgiv ing.com/Chris-Calvert Mr Calvert will leave St Bees on Friday.