Vintage gear gets an outing at expo

Jim Cooper shows off his four vintage tractors (background) which date back to the 1940s. Photo/Warren Buckland

A Huge vintage machinery expo being held in Central Hawke's Bay next week is a bit of a variation on the idea of big boys and their big toys.

Expecting about 200 items on display at the March 25-26 second Junction Vintage Machinery Expo, on about 12ha of farmland owned by former All Black John Ashworth and wife Jo at the intersection of State Highway 2 and Byrne Rd, near Takapau, Hawke's Bay Vintage Machinery Club secretary Alison Pask says: "It's wonderful, all these vintage people wanting to play with vintage machinery."

The good news is she gets away with it, for it's one of the thing about an expo which could be just about the biggest thing going in Central Hawke's Bay this year.

The machinery, much of it farm gear and implements, from as a far as Auckland in the north and Southland in the south generally comes with years of experience.

Based on the success of the first Junction Expo in 2013, and expectations that the weather will be fine, crowds could total more than 10,000, with tractors, aircraft, ploughs, World War I wagons and other items, some (non-human) exhibits being over a century old.

There are also some much younger exhibitors, perhaps inheriting grandpa's prized collection or developing on their own time growing up on the farm, their enthusiasm also "amazing" Mrs Pask who says there is continually growing membership among the clubs that rotate the hosting of the annual expo, in Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Whanganui and Horowhenua.

Among the exhibitors will be Jim Cooper who took to buying vintage tractors after retiring from his orchard on the outskirts of Havelock North.

Now 76, he has four Case tractors, bought from as far away as Edendale in Southland and dating back to the 1940s, which will be loaded onto a truck provided by transport operator Bill Nimon and taken to Takapau, where club members will start setting up the site from Tuesday.

He also has a Dexter and a Massey Ferguson in the shed he describes as "John Deere green, without a John Deere tractor in sight".

"It's amazing how much is still tucked away," he said, marvelling that there is also something at the shows he hasn't seen before.

"I don't think it's run out yet."

As well as the annual expos, he and many others also display each year at the Hawke's Bay and Central Hawke's Bay A and P shows, take part in a couple of tractor treks, and turn out for occasional historical events.

The first expo at Takapau raised $10,000 for the Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter Service, and this time expo will also support the SPCA, Alzheimers NZ and Cranford Hospice.