A collection of rare vintage tractors and steam engines owned by the late Richard Vernon, attracted international buyers and prices way beyond expectation, at a sale in Leicestershire.

The event, which included more than 200 lots of tractors and implements from the last 30 years sold to £156,000 for a pair of Fowler BB1 ploughing engines – Princess Caroline and Princess Jayne – which date back to 1918. They sold a buyer from the USA and far exceeded the pre-sale estimate of £120,000-£140,000, for two rare engines that have lived their 100 plus years within a 20-mile radius in Leicestershire.

The early Victorian 1884 Fowler SC ploughing engine, Aethelflaed, which had been owned by Mr Vernon since 2004, made £64,000 to a collector from Worcestershire.

Top price amongst the tractors was £40,000 paid for a circa 1920 Peterbro’. A 1920 British Wallis which made £28,000 and The Grey 18-36 achieved £23,000.

A 1916 Parrett tractor, that had been built in Illinois sold for £20,000 and a 1920 Sawyer Massey 11-22 made £33,000.

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Bill King, chairman of East Anglian auctioneers, Cheffins who conducted the sale added: “The prices achieved show that the pockets of the vintage collecting community are still incredibly deep when it comes to buying the best in class of examples. Steam engines are rare to come to the open market and this sale caused quite a buzz, particularly as Richard Vernon had a fantastic reputation as one of the leading figures in steam preservation."