A rare mid‑1950s Massey‑Harris 744D tractor is set to take pride of place at Tractor Fest this summer as part of the event’s celebration of Scottish engineering.
The tractor has been restored by Ripon farmer and wagon driver Mark Dean who, together with his father, spent 18 months bringing the tractor back to life, sourcing authentic parts, repairing worn components and reinstating the distinctive Massey‑Harris red and yellow livery.
The 744D is widely considered a desirable classic, with only small numbers ever produced and just a few hundred believed to survive. But Mark’s tractor is especially unusual. Exported to Australia in the 1950s, it left the Kilmarnock factory equipped with full hydraulic rear arms—a rare and valuable feature. Tractors for export were more usually fitted with just a drawbar.
The tractor was used for decades on a farm before reaching the end of its working life. By the time it was rediscovered, it was in a sorry state with a failed engine, a ruined steering box and bent rear wheel rims.
However, the tractor’s bleak future changed when a friend of Mark’s returning a steam engine from Australia mentioned he had bought a Massey‑Harris 744D to fill the shipping container. A single photograph showed a battered machine, but Mark immediately spotted the rare hydraulic linkage. Despite warnings that the tractor was in terrible condition, he and his late father agreed to buy it.
Mark said:
Four years earlier, my father and I had bought a Nuffield tractor from a Lincolnshire farm. The seller insisted that we also take a spare engine—a Perkins P6 that had done barely ten hours’ work before the combine it powered was written off. We suddenly had a virtually brand‑new engine, but no tractor to put it in but all that changed when we spotted the Massey-Harris.
Back in the workshop, the scale of the restoration task became clear. The Perkins P6 was serviced and fitted, a replacement steering box was sourced from Australia, and numerous parts were rebuilt or replaced.
A friend completed the paintwork, and in 2001 the fully restored tractor made its debut at the Great Dorset Steam Fair.”
Since then, the 744D has travelled across England and Ireland, becoming a familiar sight on the rally circuit. Today, it stays closer to home but remains a firm favourite with enthusiasts.
The tractor is part of Mark’s collection of 12 working classic and show tractors. And it’s a collection that only set to grow as Mark’s two young sons are as mad about tractors as he is. James, who is nearly 5, owns his own Massey Ferguson 135 and 2-year-old George has his own Fordson Super Major tractor.
Mark said:
We weren’t particularly looking for a Massey Harris 744D but I love how the bonnet design flows and when you drive it you can imagine setting off across a massive field out in Australia and reaching the end by dinner time ready to turn back for tea time.
The restoration has been a real labour of love. This tractor has had a life on the other side of the world, came back in a terrible state, and now it’s something we’re really proud of.
The fact it was made in Scotland makes it even more special for this year’s Tractor Fest.
Tractor Fest is organised by the Yorkshire Vintage Association (YVA). Kevin Watson, chair of the YVA, said “Mark’s Massey‑Harris 744D is a wonderful example of the engineering heritage we’re celebrating this year. Its journey from Kilmarnock to Australia and back again is remarkable, and the care that has gone into its restoration makes it a real highlight of our Made in Scotland theme.”
Tractor Fest is the UK’s largest tractor festival. It is expected to attract more than 15,000 visitors, with more than 1,400 vintage and modern tractors, and another 2,200 exhibits including stationary engines, commercial vehicles, cars, trucks and motorcycles on display across 120 acres of the Newby estate.
Highlights of this year’s show include tractors and engines Made in Scotland, motor rollers, and the Zetor tractor brand.
A host of entertainment, crafts, food and drink will be on offer at the show and admission includes access to Newby’s RHS Chelsea gold medal winning gardens, adventure playground, dolls house and teddy bear exhibitions.
- WHEN? Saturday 6 June – Sunday 7 June, 10am-4pm
- WHERE? Newby Hall & Gardens, Ripon, North Yorkshire
- COST Adult – £22, Child – £16, Family Ticket (2 adults + 2 children) – £65. Under 4s Free
- TICKETS https://www.newbyhall.com/event/tractorfest-6th-7th-june-2026/
- For more information visit: http://tractorfest.uk/
