JCB Fastrac celebrates reaching double figures
JCB Fastrac celebrates reaching double figures
By Mike Williams
THE JCB Fastrac celebrates its 10th birthday this year, but work on what was then called the High Mobility Vehicle or HMV was already underway in the mid-1980s after JCBs top management team had given the go-ahead for the project in June 1986.
The Fastrac was not the first high-speed tractor, but it was the first to combine high speed on the road with the slow-speed pulling performance required for jobs such as ploughing. This made it an interesting and challenging project for the HMV engineering team, according to Ray Clay.
Mr Clay, now the chief engineer at JCB Landpower, was invited to join the HMV engineering team early in 1987. His previous career had been in the truck and car industry, working as a specialist in chassis design.
Switching to farm tractor development seemed an unlikely move. "I was surprised when I realised that JCB wanted me to work on a farm tractor project, but when I found out more about the tractor the idea began to make sense," he says.
"I had a lot of design and development experience in suspension, braking and steering systems, and these were all areas where the tractor was breaking new ground. They were also areas that affect safety, and when you design a tractor capable of travelling at 80kmh on the road, safety has to be the top priority."
Users opinions played an important part in the development work from an early stage, says Mr Clay. The first HMV prototype was tested on the Bamford family farms and on a disused airstrip, but as more prototypes were completed they were lent to farmers and contractors in different parts of the country who provided valuable feedback on the way he tractors performed in the field.
"We also had panels of farmers and contractors that we could call on to discuss our ideas, and this helped us to make sure the new tractor would be relevant to their requirements," says Mr Clay.
"Being able to keep in close contact with future customers was extremely important, and it was an essential part of the development process.
"The thing that surprises me is the fact that there is still no direct competition for the Fastrac. We thought there would be a rival tractor within three years," he says, "And although we keep hearing rumours about fast tractor projects from different companies, nothing has arrived so far." *
Top: One of the early prototype Fastracs disguised in a green pain finish Below: The final pre-production version, captured on film in early 1991.
FASTRACMILESTONES
1984 Fast tractor idea first conceived by Sir Anthony Bamford.
1987 First prototype version of the JCB High Mobility Vehicle completed.
1988/89 A total of 11 more prototypes built for evaluation.
1990 Prototype tractor number P14 at Smithfield Show.
1991 JCB Landpower formed to handle JCBs agricultural tractor and loader ranges. Fastrac production starts in May with the 125 and 145 models.
1992 Start of Fastrac exports to Germany and other European markets.
1993 Powershift transmission introduced.
1994 Cummins-powered 185 model added to the range.
1995 Royal Show launch of Fastrac 1000 series.
1996 Quadtronic four-wheel steering available on the 1000 series.
1998 RASE Silver Medal award for Quadtronic steering.
2000/01 Detail improvements including the Smoothshift transmission, new hydraulic pumps and load sensing hydraulics.