Labour of love saves one of world’s last two steam tractors from the scrap heap

Mr Maris, from Unstone, near Dronfield in Derbyshire, bought the tractor during the holiday Down Under in 1992.

He then faced the battle of acquiring an export permit to bring the vehicle home, as well as the problem of finding original parts with which to restore it to its former glories.

In 2006, Mr Maris then received a much-awaited delivery – original parts for the 1926 Super Sentinel.

The 61-year-old said: “It took 14 years to get the parts from Australia.

“I remember hearing and picking up the phone at about two in the morning one Monday, and the caller said ‘you’ve got the parts’. I couldn’t believe it – I celebrated by getting up and having a whisky.”

Mr Maris, the former owner of a plant hire company, then set about the four-year task of restoring the steam tractor, which involved fitting new parts sourced from all over the world.

He said: “When I’d finished the restoration I felt a great sense of achievement.

“There’s just two of these vehicles in the world – of course there’s mine in my back yard, and then another in a museum in South Africa, but that can’t move.”

During its time in Australia, the vintage tractor was still able to earn its keep by helping with fruit picking on a farm, and was even called in to excavate gold from a mine.

The tractor, which weighs seven tonnes, has a maximum speed of 12mph.

It runs on £200-a-tonne coal and holds 230 gallons of water.

Mr Maris said: “It managed to survive while most of the other steam tractors were scrapped.”

The tractor made its first public outing at the Belvoir Castle Steam Festival and Family Show in 2010.

It has now travelled to shows all over the country, attracting interest from vintage vehicle enthusiasts and also raising money for charity.

“People love it”, Mr Maris said. “They can’t believe it.”

But after a time on the road, the vehicle is now set to be put away for the winter.

The ExpoSure show held in Unstone in September was the last of the tractor’s dates for this year.

“That was its last outing”, said Mr Maris. “Now I’m going to extract the water and it’ll be put away to rest for the winter.”