Despite the icy weather over the last few days, the Chapter 2 visit to the yard of J C Balls & Sons Limited in Ambergate, Derbyshire went ahead yesterday.

Attendance was lower than expected, but everyone throughly enjoyed the visit hosted by Chapter member Kevin Balls. Kevin's wife Julie and friends kindly kept everyone supplied with bacon & sausage sandwiches throughout the morning together with tea and coffee.

Kevin is in the process of completing the restoration of a Cat Sixty tractor which was on display, together with a WW2 era R4 tractor with overhead LeTourneau gantry blade and pcu and a D6 2H tractor originally owned by Derek Crouch Contractors. Derek Crouch started his agricultural contracting business with the D6, prior to moving into overcast mining and civil engineering. The J C Balls collection of vintage JCB equipment was also on display, together with a newly aquired Hymac 480 tracked crane.

Pictures to follow - I need to resize!