County, Doe, Chaseside, Muir-Hill, Matbro and Bray were all well-known British companies and leaders in their own fields of engineering design and innovation, each producing successful ranges of agricultural, earthmoving or construction machinery. Linked by their extensive use of the Ford tractor skid unit as a basis for their machines, these companies also pioneered the development of the four-wheel drive agricultural tractor in Britain.

Stuart Gibbard details all the main models and machines of these manufacturers. He also brings the firms alive by chronicling their fortunes over a number of years, tracing several company histories from the turn of the century to the present day. He discusses many of the personalities involved as well.

He also mentions many of the lesser-known Ford tractor conversions, and explains why the Ford tractor became so popular with the specialist equipment manufacturers.

The author's absorbing text is accompanied by over 350 black and white and 120 colour illustrations. Many of the photographs have come from company archives, and are rare and previously unseen. This book has a wide appeal - not only does it cover agricultural tractors, but also commercial vehicles, earthmoving and construction machinery, both vintage and modern. Other makes of tractor besides

Ford are included where necessary to complete the story. Stuart Gibbard is well known as a specialist supplier and collector of early tractor literature, and farms in South Lincolnshire. He has spent many years researching the history of Ford tractor conversions, and has owned many of the machines featured in the book.