Two Centuries of Tractors

Available for over a year

For nearly 200 years the machinery auctioneers Cheffins of Cambridgeshire have been selling second-hand farm machinery. It is the world's largest monthly sale of machinery, attracting around 3000 lots - including tractors, construction equipment and farm machinery. As one of its partners, Bill Pepper, signs off after more than thirty years in the business, Anna Hill meets him to find out about the company’s fascinating history. She joins buyers and sellers in the field where bidding is fast and furious, and talks to Bill about how the company has thrived, even during the pandemic, when sales had to go completely online. He tells her about the impact over the years of game-changers like Foot and Mouth disease, the fall of the Iron Curtain, and the changing landscapes created by Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic. Produced and presented by Anna Hill.