Archived News

26th August 2008

EVENING UPDATE - FIRE! 

As he was combining this afternoon, Laurence smelt smoke and thought there was a bonfire nearby. After a while he saw a fire at the rear of the combine and managed to tackle the blaze with a fire extinguisher but not before it had caused significant damage and wasted two hours.

The land at Shalford is hilly and the gearbox must have beome quite heated as the combine was working up and down the steeper than usual land. The dust on top of the gearbox heated up and caught fire and was then sucked inside into the seive area.

The combine is back to work again now but with only one forward gear and one brake, instead of three forward and one reverse gear. 

The corn is being carted further and the grain is still 16.5% moisture and needs to be put through the drier back here in Wotton so I am fortunate to fall asleep to the gently rhythm of the drier as the men continue to work.  This will result in a more vivid report to the NFU next week!