Orkney Image Library

Looks like an International B250 and Albion binder. The tractor would put it in the range 1956-1961.

I hope they checked.....no kye in the next field! Is that an International tractor & binder?

Does the card say where this photo was taken? Obviously West Mainland, with the gap between Ward Hill and Cuilags on Hoy seen fairly close to its widest. Is that Stromness at the extreme right? The loch at the left would help pin the location down, but I can't identify it with any confidence.

The tractor is a International B250 that model came oot in 1956 as wae hid ane o the first anes in Orkney, BS5044 I still have the number plate in the shed at home along wae a lot more owld sh*t that should hiv been dumped long ago!!.

I mind your dad working at Lyness wi' my dad cutting up scrap mooring bouys.. chain.. and old boom defense gear, that was a wee boost to his money to buy that tractor, he was very proud o' it.. he told us the good thing about it was that it was indirect injection... I asked him what that was?.. he said "Damned if I know but its good"

Either Millquoy or Ramsquoy in Stenness

Oh buey Jimmy you made me day wae that story aboot the owld man and indirect injection!!.
Ach he wiz jist talkan sh*t a thing he wiz very good at, bit he wiz a good faither tae us all.

Thank you, Ian. Everything falls into place now. I confused myself by mistaking sea for land!

This is Jim Swannie fae Ramsquoy on the tractor and his uncle Jock Clouston fae Overbigging on the binder

Bea can be seen on left, & Coldomo just to the right of Bea.
Mill of Ireland is just out of shot at the top right of photo.
Fence that the sheaves are lying against is the boundary fence between Bea & Ramsquoy

When whur folk bought the B250 she was fitted wae only 10 inch tyres on the back and peedie front wheels and there was no PTO as that was an extra that they had pitten on soon afterwards.
The road speed was only 10mph!!.
Jimmy your uncle Jock o Garson used tae pass us on there Nuffield (They were fast) and shout all kinds o fun at the owld man as wae made whur way tae the peat hill. "Great days "Jimmy buey,great days aww man the memories, now there are none o owld worthies left.

I gaed tae kirkwall wan day tae look for another car, because the wan I had "got bent".. lol.. and came home wi a tractor... an International petrol parrafin, she was very fast, and had a great selection o gears , never wance got stuck in the hill wi her, peats were home very quickly.. you might mind her John, she ended up in Longhope when I moved sooth..£60 she cost me.. had to run the bent car a while longer.. lol

Luks like thurs still twathree owld wurthies aboot on here. Keep them owld stories cumman boys

Jimmy wae ended up wae that tractor at "The Burnhoose" shae wis a W4 McCormack sat many an oor on her braakan oot hill grund wae the discs .
That tractor wid be worth a bit more than £60 pound if wae had here noo.

Jimmy yae mind that big car you bought fae some divers when they left, was it a Daimler or something? I mind hid took that much petrol tae run hid yae niver gead far!! Well yae ken the skouws o that car is in a water pit up the road tae the Tunnel at Wee Fea yae can still see the hydraulic jacks on the chassie, noo that wizna yesterday Jimmy.
First time I saw you rollan up tae Garson wae that car wae thought the Queen Mother wid step oot o hid!!.

yes John, that wan was luxury at its dearest.. shae wis an AUSTIN.. SHEERLINE... 28 HP... STRAIGHT 6 CYL, aboot 11mpg.. think I paid 28 pound for her.. I thought she ended up in the coup at the corner on Ore brae.. I had an old Humber Pullman VAN about 1958... it was a strait 8 cyl, think it was an old Black Maria, ex metropolitan police, some eens that were takin the boom shed doon gaed me it for nothin, and it was dear at that..them were the days... will never see the like again..