TTX210 - Lee Farms

Big tractor tackles mixed arable farm workload with ease

Arable grower Alistair Lee has a straight-forward policy when it comes to replacing his front-line tractors every three to four years – get whatever the driver wants. 

“He’s going to spend most of his time in the seat, so within reason it makes sense to get what he’ll be happiest driving,” says Mr Lee. 

Derek Hibbert is more than happy with the McCormick TTX210 delivered to Lee Farms at Mattersey near Doncaster last autumn. The big tractor, with 198hp available for draft and transport work, and up to 213hp for pto implements, replaced a similar McCormick after three and a half years service. 

“That one had the electronic version of the XtraSpeed transmission and I do miss the top range auto shifting on the road,” he says. “But I thought the manual range shift would be best for a less experienced driver using the tractor for carting grain". 

By his own admission, Mr Hibbert is protective about his tractor; he likes it kept clean and tidy, and serviced on schedule. He looks set to enjoy the TTX210 every bit as much as its predecessor. 

“I loved that tractor, it was so nice to drive,” he says. “Apart from a few detail changes, this new one’s much the same; but it has got more power, which is good.” 

The tractor will be supported by a new recruit to the McCormick dealer network, Moore Farm Services at Harworth near Doncaster. And although it will not clock up a huge number of hours, it will be worked hard, handling all primary cultivations for a 1500-acre enterprise growing wheat, rye, sugar beet and potatoes. 

In addition to pulling a five-leg subsoiler and six-furrow mounted plough and press, the TTX210 will sow all the combinable crops using a new 4m trailed disc drill. 

“We’ve switched from a power harrow-seed drill combination to get more output from faster working speeds,” notes Alistair Lee. “It should be well within the McCormick’s capabilities.” 

It certainly handles the other equipment with ease: “It’s got a great engine with lots of torque low down,” says Derek Hibbert. “I’m subsoiling at 1500rpm, just ticking over really, and it’ll pull the plough and press at 1600rpm, so it’s not using a lot of diesel. 

“You also notice the mid-range power on the road – and in a top gear cruise the revs fall away to just 1850rpm, so that again saves fuel,” explains Mr Hibbert, who also likes the comfortable ride provided by the optional cab and independent front axle suspension – the best there is in his view. 

“It’s brilliant, you can see the wheels moving up and down, adapting to the surface – I can go across ploughing at an angle and not get badly bounced about,” he says. “There’s quite a few grease nipples but at least you can see and get at them easily; on another tractor we’ve got here you have to scrabble about underneath greasing the front axle.” 

The McCormick TTX was not a default choice; two other tractors were considered but neither came up to scratch for one reason or another.  “They were impressive but Derek liked the McCormick so that’s the way we went,” says Alistair Lee. “And with the Platinum Plus extended warranty giving peace of mind on running costs, it’s a good value-for-money package.”



(Above) The McCormick TTX210 pulling a 5-leg subsoiler. It also handles all the ploughing and drilling for Lee Farms in South Yorkshire.



(Above) Alistair Lee (left) with McCormick TTX210 driver Derek Hibbert.



(Above) Derek Hibbert loves the low down torque reserves of the BetaPower engine: "I'm subsoiling at 1500rpm, just ticking over really, so it's not using a lot of diesel," he says.