Nuffield Universal

Nuffield Universal Four

Model 10/60 serial number 60B/2/2020/Z 58593, photographed at Cape Upstart, Queensland, in 2010.

The Nuffield Universal was a tractor produced by the British Nuffield Organisation and its successor the British Motor Corporation from 1948.^[1] When William Morris the founder of the Morris Motor Company was honoured with a title and elevated to the peerage he chose to become Lord Nuffield and so when in 1948 the Morris Motors Agricultural Division launched their tractor range the name Nuffield was chosen to be the brand name for the company's agricultural products. The design was similar to the new David Brown built tractors as the designer Dr. Merit had also worked on the design of the David Brown 50D before moving to Nuffield.

Engines

Petrol-paraffin

Petrol-paraffin engine models introduced at the 1948 Smithfield Show were the Nuffield Universal M4 and the tricycle-wheeled M3. Both tractors were powered by an engine based on the side-valve Morris Commercial four cylinder lorry engine, running on tractor vaporising oil and delivering 42 hp.

Diesel

The first diesel powered Nuffield was the Universal DM4 which was powered by a 48 hp Perkins P4 (TA) engine. When Morris Motors became part of the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1951 the Perkins engine was retained until 1954 when it was replaced by a 45 h.p. BMC diesel engine.

Variants

M4 and M3

Original engine for both M4 and M3 was a Morris Commercial 4-cylinder sidevalve engine running on tractor vaporising oil, delivering 42 hp.

• M4 Conventional 4 wheel model
• M3 Single front wheel version for row crop work.

P4

• A diesel engined variant with a Perkins Engine
• A BMC diesel was also available in 3.4 litres

Universal 3(3DL) and 4(4DM)

Built from 1957 to 1961:

• 3DL 2.55L 3 Cylinder Engine 37bhp
• 4DM 3.4L 4 Cylinder Engine 53bhp

3/42 and 4/60

Built from 1961 to 1964. All tractors built at Bathgate in Scotland from 1962.

• 3/42 2.8L 3 Cylinder (100mm) 39.2bhp
• Export 3/42 models have a 2.55L engine with vacuum governor like the 3DL.
• 4/60 3.8L 4 cylinder diesel engine. Produced by boring-out the 3.4 litre.

10 series

Built from 1964 to 1967 with 10 forward gears:

• 10/42 - 2.8 diesel engine, 42hp
• 10/60 - 3.8 diesel engine, 60hp

Leyland tractors

In 1968 BMC's holding company British Motor Holdings was amalgamated with the Leyland Motor Corporation which also owned Standard Triumph and Rover to become British Leyland. Tractor production continued under the Nuffield name until 1969 when the tractors were renamed as Leyland Tractors and the familiar poppy red livery was changed to a new two-tone blue Leyland corporate colour scheme.

See also

• List of tractor manufacturers
• List of former tractor manufacturers

References

1. ^ Nuffield Leyland and Marshall 1948-85, by Allan T. Condie, ISBN 1-904686-11-7