A farming family is celebrating today after their incredible collection of almost 100 vintage tractors sold for a staggering £1million.
Father and son duo Ian and Martin Liddell began hoarding the agricultural vehicles on their arable farm, in Bishop's Stortford, Essex, in the 1980s.
Their fleet of tractors grew and grew and became so large they had to store it across three barns.
The vehicles would be as tall as the Empire State Building if stood end to end and weigh a combined 700 tons.
The tractors sparked a bidding war when the Liddells sold them with auctioneers Cheffins, of Cambridge, to free up space on their farm.
The most popular lot was a 1983 County 1474 that sold for £210,000, the second highest price paid for a classic tractor. The machine has been used for less than 100 hours in the past 25 years.
A farming family from Essex is celebrating today after their incredible collection of almost 100 vintage tractors sold for a staggering £1million. Above: Six of the tractors on display at Father and son duo Ian and Martin Liddell's farm in Bishop's Stortford, Essex
The pair (from left: Ian and Martin with Martin's wife Suzanne and son Jed) began hoarding the agricultural vehicles on their arable farm, in Essex, in the 1980s. Their fleet of tractors grew and grew and became so large they had to store it across three barns
A rare prototype 1966 six cylinder Northrop went for £79,900, while a 1989 Ford 7810 Silver Jubilee achieved £45,000 and a 1965 DOE-130 diesel Tandem Tractor made £49,300.
Hundreds of bidders were in attendance or took part in the sale online, with interest from as far afield as the US.
Ian Liddell, 90, said the sale result was 'much more' than they expected and they will spend the money on expanding the farm in Essex.
He said: 'We are very pleased with the result, and thankful to Cheffins for the job they've done.
'They sold for much more than we expected and we're hoping to now expand the farm.'
Sophie Richardson, from Cheffins, said: 'The sellers had a passion for vintage tractors and had been collecting them since the 1980s.
One of the rarest tractors on offer was this rare prototype six-cylinder Northrop 5004/6 which dates from 1966. It sold for £79,864. Only two versions of the special tractor were ever built. It was a six-cylinder version of Northrop's standard 5004 tractor. It is fitted with a 112 horsepower diesel engine. To accommodate the larger engine, the bonnet had a distinctive bulge, as can be seen above
The most popular lot was a 1983 County 1474 (pictured centre) that sold for £210,000, the second highest price paid for a classic tractor. The machine has been used for less than 100 hours in the past 25 years. Released in 1983, the vehicle has a 163 horsepower engine. The Liddell family bought the machine in 1993
Hundreds of bidders were in attendance or took part in the sale online, with interest from as far afield as the US. Pictured: A Ford 3000 half-track tractor. It sold for £4,600. Ian Liddell, 90, said the overall sale result was 'much more' than they expected. He said the family will spend the money on expanding the farm in Essex
This Fordson E27n rowcrop tractor sold for £3,400 after receiving 15 bids. The four-cylinder petrol-powered machine has only one front wheel. Auctioneer Sophie Richardson said the Liddell's tractors were seen as 'unfashionable' when they first collected them
This Muir-Hill Shunter is painted in a funky yellow colour and boasts a four-cylinder diesel engine. It is based on a Fordson E1A Major tractor. It sold for £4,200 after receiving 11 bids from interested would-be buyers, who had dialled in from far and wide
MUIR HILL Shunter 4cylinder diesel TRACTOR Reg. No. SGJ 954 (expired) Serial No. MB1209 Based on Fordson E1A Major tractor, an earlier restoration on 12-24 industrial rear and 8-19 front wheels and tyres. £4,200
'When they started to collect these
