Golden tractor produced to mark the Queen's Coronation will be star turn at Newby Hall Tractor Festival

Collector and motor engineer, Alastair Broadwith, from Thornton Watlass, near Ripon, will be bringing the golden tractor he calls ‘Goldie’ to the event marking The Queen’s 70-year reign.

He described finally owning one of the limited edition engines as “a dream come true”.

“In 1953 my grandfather, John Broadwith, bought a Farmall Super BMD painted in gold livery, one of a limited number that had been produced to commemorate the coronation,” Alastair explained.

“He ran a contract bailing business in Wensleydale and the tractor was used predominantly for this. As a big gold tractor, it really stood out against the much smaller tractors that were common at that time so was a great way to promote his business.

“The local schoolchildren would run out when they heard the tractor coming through the village because she was such a spectacle and grandad’s workers drove to local dances on the golden tractor – cutting a real dash.”

John kept the tractor for around ten years before selling it and Alistair said it left his father, who was also involved in the business, with fond memories of ‘Goldie’ and sparking in Alistair a life-long desire to find his own gold tractor.

Alistair managed to track down his grandfather’s tractor to another Yorkshire family who did not want to part with it.

Undeterred, he set about finding another of the gold tractors produced by Doncaster-based International Harvester.

He successfully tracked down the International Farmall Super BMD Coronation Edition he now owns in Shrewsbury three years ago.

Alistair’s tractor was exhibited by Cripps of Nottingham in its gold livery at the Royal Agricultural Show, before being sold in 1955, repainted red – the traditional International McCormick colour – and road registered.

“Goldie went from coronation exhibit to a working machine and farmers often wanted tractors in the traditional colour,” Alistair explained.

“Wear and tear on the bodywork means the red paint has cracked and peeled, revealing the original gold paint underneath. I have restored her engine but left her cosmetically in her original condition as this is a key part of showing her history.

“Only around a dozen of these tractors are still around and it’s taken me 30 years to find my own golden tractor.”