Nicola Bell

The revolutionary Fergie tractor

Harry Ferguson's TE20 Little Grey Fergie tractor revolutionised farming in Britain and around the world, from 1946. Harry's invention of the three-point hydraulic linkage for attaching implements remains the basis of modern tractor design, as the depth of the plough could be adjusted to plough more efficiently. His aim was that this tractor should help to eliminate poverty and hunger, because the tractor could plough more quickly and with less effort than a horse or hand plough - an acre an hour, instead of an acre a day with a horse.

Rest under the stars

These deckchairs are beneath the starry ceiling of Carlilse Cathedral, where (until 2 September) visitors can Rest Under the Stars, take some time out from the everyday cares and stresses, and listen to a sound installation created by Prism Arts and sound artist Tim Shaw. Prism Arts delivers arts programmes to empower people with disabilities, and the Prism artists created the textile designs for the chairs and bean bags, and worked with Tim Shaw to make the sound installation.

Read more: Rest under the stars

The Fergie Tractor

This is the Little Grey Fergie TE20 tractor at the Heritage Centre, Bellingham, designed by Harry Ferguson and built in England from 1946. His aim was to make agriculture more efficient to reduce hunger and poverty.  The three-point hydraulic linkage for attaching implements remains the basis of modern tractor design, and the depth of the plough could be adjusted to plough more efficiently.

Read more: The Fergie Tractor

An A to Z of 25 years, part 2

Continuing the A to Z of some of the topics, projects and clients with whom I have worked over the last 25 years: Kielder Water & Forest Park, Kirkleatham Museum; Lindisfarne Gospels; Maritime; Northumberland; Open Treasure, Durham Cathedral; Pilgrim Roots; Quarry Bank, National Trust; Romans; skills sharing; Thames foreshore archaeology, training; Ulster Museum; volunteers; Woodhorn Museum and Archives; Xylophone (glass); Yorkshire; Teacups, Zebras and Dancing Kaisers at Wallington. 

  1. An A to Z of 25 years
  2. New Evaluation Principles from the Centre for Cultural Value
  3. Railway Resources
  4. Good News for Heritage
  5. New Questions for New Times
  6. Canny Chanters Chopwell Arts
  7. Heritage Schools evaluation report 2018/19 launched
  8. Kings Seat hill fort
  9. Heritage Centre Bellingham
  10. Who are our visitors?
  11. Places of Worship for Community Wellbeing
  12. Snapping the Stiletto
  13. Dementia Friendly Heritage
  14. Martin Luther King in Newcastle
  15. Art up your tab
  16. Museums Change Lives
  17. Charred timber cladding for the Kielder wildlife hide
  18. New wildlife hide for Kielder
  19. Martin Luther King - Freedom City Launch
  20. On tenterhooks
  21. Heritage Schools wins Europa Nostra award
  22. Glass Beats
  23. Leeches and Stories of Glass
  24. Selma - the right to vote
  25. Kinder Transport Memorial, Liverpool Street Station
  26. Goulash Cannon and Tin Helmet
  27. Remembrance
  28. Making glass at the National Glass Centre
  29. The Canary Girls
  30. Recycling from the First World War
  31. The Talented and Colossal Mademoiselle D'Jeck
  32. Visitor Studies in Split, Croatia
  33. On the border of Slovenia and Hungary
  34. Culture Matters
  35. Slovenia
  36. Repositories of technology
  37. A piece of Hungarian social history
  38. Museum + Heritage Show; Arts Professional
  39. Evaluation training in Slovenia and Croatia
  40. Iron Applause in Central Europe
  41. Escaped Circus Elephant!
  42. Gold from Afghanistan and Foundling fabrics
  43. The Old Herring Factory, Djúpavík
  44. Contemporary art from North Korea
  45. Nicola appointed to Board: Kuratórium
  46. Workshop in Hungary
  47. Evaluation Training in Hungary
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