David Holliday – Regional Sales Manager (Carlisle) & Auctioneer for Harrison & Hetherington
"With new machinery and implements still subject to long delays in supply and steep price rises, our outstanding results from the first three months of trading in 2023 show that buyers are continuing to seek good quality used machinery and implements as a more accessible and affordable alternative.
Our first online sale on January 10th started the year with a slight departure from our normal focus on agricultural machinery, with the dispersal sale of all B&B, Office, Kitchen, Cafe and Bar equipment from Lockerbie Lorry Park on behalf of C&B Properties, and the leading price of £14,900 for a Brittania Wagon Wash, certainly set the bar for the rest of the quarter.
Our monthly online sales of farm machinery and equipment saw intense bidding for high quality lots, with the first sale on February 2nd including 733 implements, tractors and handlers producing top prices of £18,800 for a John Deere 3200 Handler, £10,000 for a Takeuchi TB125 Mini Excavator and £7,100 for a Kverneland 6 Furrow EG85 Plough.
On March 2nd a great sale of tractors, implements and livestock equipment at Borderway, achieved top prices of £46,900 for a JCB 320s, and £14,300 for a 2014 Kuhn Venta IC 3000. A month later at our April sale we had a huge entry of 780 lots, including tractors, field implements and small tools, with 172 vendors selling to 150 purchasers who paid top prices of £15,990 for a Brougham Mega Dumper Trailer, £15,000 for a 2003 Valtra A65 with loader, £12,900 for a JCB 403 Compact Loader , and £7,500 for a Wessex BRF180 Crossfire Straw Bedder.
The onsite H&H Spring Machinery Sale at Borderway on February 28 emphasised the trend for buyers willing to pay top prices for high quality used equipment offered at auction. This great show of machinery, implements and tools included the dispersal sale of the Kendal family, formerly of Outgang Farm, which comprised many beautifully maintained tractors and implements. Leading prices included £38,000 for a Case IH 115U, £34,000 for a Case 115C, £17,000 for a Case IH MX120 & Quicke Loader, £8,500 for a McHale Wrapper 991 , and £7,000 for a John Deere 578 Baler.
H&H were also privileged to be asked to conduct two exceptional on farm dispersal sales in this first quarter of 2023, the first, at Brownsbank Farm in Lanarkshire, on behalf of the Tweedie family, the second at Stoney Wath on behalf of Messrs Alan and Raymond Whitfield (formerly of Lowthian Gill).
The Brownsbank sale attracted a packed crowd of buyers who bid up to £46,800 for a New Holland T6 180, £12,500 for a Kubota RTV X1110, and £8,000 for a Teagle Telehawk bedding machine. The Whitfield family’s sale saw bidders from all corners of the UK and Southern Ireland with leading prices exceeding all expectations, including £61,000 for a New Holland T7, £51,000 for a Case Puma 165, and £49,000 for a Kramer KT357 Handler. Without a doubt the phenomenal prices achieved at these sales is down to these farming families’ meticulous care for their machinery.
There is always an element of sadness in conducting a farm dispersal sale, as many of those we conduct are on behalf of families whom Harrison and Hetherington has served as auctioneers for several generations. But is also an honour to be entrusted with these sales, and a great pleasure to be part of the farming communities whose generous support makes them so successful.
Our Monthly Online Sales of machinery and implements continue throughout the year and in addition to this we regularly incorporate specialist and on farm sales into the diary. Those scheduled for the nest couple of months include:
An online Garage sale on behalf of Mr Robert Common’s Bruce Street Garage, Lockerbie onTuesday 23 May.
An on-farm and online sale at Bridge House Farm, Stockton-on-Tees of a combine, tractors and implements on behalf of Mr P & Mrs A Heslop on Friday 2nd June.
An online Garage sale on behalf of Ellenside Garage, Blennerhasset on Tuesday 6th June
Full details of all our Machinery and Implements Sales can be found on our website