A renowned British truck manufacturer will come under the spotlight at the UK’s biggest tractor festival in June.
ERF was established in 1933 by Edwin Richard Foden from whose initials the company was named. More than 30 ERF trucks are expected at Tractor Fest at Newby Hall, Ripon on 7 and 8 June.
Prior to manufacturing trucks, the Foden brand produced industrial engines, small stationary steam engines and agricultural traction engines.
Many ERF enthusiasts are members of the Register of ERF Vehicles Society (REVS) which is exhibiting at Tractor Fest for the first time this year. Among them is Robert Wellock from Barnoldswick, Lancashire who is exhibiting his restored 1986 ERF for the first time.
Robert is part of the Wellock family well-known as potato merchants and now as a leading supplier of high-quality food and ingredients to restaurants across the UK.
Robert said:
I’ve been around ERFs since I became an apprentice mechanic at W & G Taylor in Skipton. I worked for my dad Richard and we had many ERF delivery wagons over the years.
ERFs were built with the operator in mind – they used to be called a gaffer’s wagon. They were built to run and to be re-built.
Robert spent four years restoring his 1986 model which will be accompanied to Tractor Fest by his 1999 curtain-sided ERF which has been converted to a mobile home. Both wagons are painted blue and red to reflect the livery of his father’s ERF fleet.
Robert also organises the annual War of the Roses road run in which wagons take on a route between Yorkshire and Lancashire to raise money for charity.
REVS is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the legacy of Edwin Richard Foden. It has almost 19,000 Facebook followers. The society takes part in more than 10 vehicle rallies a year with Tractor Fest included in its 2025 show calendar.
REVS chairman Graham Flack said:
ERFs were the top selling British built lorry. They were very solid and reliable and operators could choose from different engine types. Sixteen years post production, the interest in ERFs grows every year.
Organised by the Yorkshire Vintage Association (YVA), Tractor Fest has grown over 19 years to become the UK’s largest tractor show.
More than 100 acres of the Newby Hall estate will become home to over 1,500 vintage and modern tractors and another 1,000 exhibits including stationary engines, commercial vehicles, cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Other highlights this year are two celebrations – 100 years of the American Caterpillar brand and 80 years of the Fordson E27N tractor. Caterpillar is legendary for its bright yellow heavy machinery – excavators, trucks and bulldozers – used in construction, mining and engineering.
A host of entertainment, crafts, food and drink will be on offer at the show and admission includes access to Newby’s gardens, adventure playground, dolls house and teddy bear exhibitions.
Tractor Fest is sponsored by Europe’s leading agricultural and machinery auctioneer Cheffins, Econ Engineering and Brockhills. The show is also supported by Ripon Farm Services.
WHEN? Saturday 7 June – Sunday 8 June, 10am-4pm
WHERE? Newby Hall & Gardens, Ripon, North Yorkshire
COST Adult – £18, Child – £15, Family Ticket (2 adults + 2 children) – £54. Under 4s Free
TICKETS Available online:
https://www.newbyhall.com/event/tractorfest-7th-8th-june-2025/
For more information visit: http://tractorfest.uk/
