The Cletrac 'Model F' Crawler Tractor starting up at 100 years old
Aug 27, 2022, 03:27 PM
Cletrac 'Model F' Crawler Tractor. 1921. Iron.
2000.75 in the Whiteman Collection, Revolutions Transport Museum.
This Cletrac 'Model F' Crawler Tractor is part of the original bequest from Manton Lewis 'Lew' Cyril Whiteman to the people of Western Australia held at the Museum. It has been restored to working order and it is believed that Lew Whiteman bought this tractor from the Narrogin area, in the Wheatbelt of the state. Who from? Where from? When? We are on the hunt to find out more.
The Model F was revolutionary and could pull up to 90% of its body weight which is equivalent to the pulling power of 6-8 horses! The centenarian tractor was built by the Cleveland Tractor Company in Ohio, USA, 1921. It was introduced to the market in 1920 by and was only manufactured up until 1922. The tracks of the Cletrac are very unique in that they employed a floating roller chain inside each track, which eliminated the need for lubrication. It is believed to be rare within Western Australia but more broadly, with National rarity, particularly in good working order.
This short recording was extracted from a video taken on Thursday 7th October 2021 for the tractor's 100th birthday celebration. This consisted of a public demonstration from 10-12noon, with the little Cletrac starting up each time visitors disembarked the train at the Bennett Brook station and wandered across to the museum. The demo ignited the senses and as such, brought to life elements of it's intangible cultural heritage values. There were short talks on its history compiled during a recent significance assessment, as well as a drop-in drawing session, where children could write down what the Cletrac sounded like, smelt like, looked like - as well as drawing it while on the move!
Recording provided by Carly Lynch.
This is part of the Obsolete Sounds project, the world’s biggest collection of disappearing sounds and sounds that have become extinct – remixed and reimagined to create a brand new form of listening. Explore the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/obsolete-sounds
2000.75 in the Whiteman Collection, Revolutions Transport Museum.
This Cletrac 'Model F' Crawler Tractor is part of the original bequest from Manton Lewis 'Lew' Cyril Whiteman to the people of Western Australia held at the Museum. It has been restored to working order and it is believed that Lew Whiteman bought this tractor from the Narrogin area, in the Wheatbelt of the state. Who from? Where from? When? We are on the hunt to find out more.
The Model F was revolutionary and could pull up to 90% of its body weight which is equivalent to the pulling power of 6-8 horses! The centenarian tractor was built by the Cleveland Tractor Company in Ohio, USA, 1921. It was introduced to the market in 1920 by and was only manufactured up until 1922. The tracks of the Cletrac are very unique in that they employed a floating roller chain inside each track, which eliminated the need for lubrication. It is believed to be rare within Western Australia but more broadly, with National rarity, particularly in good working order.
This short recording was extracted from a video taken on Thursday 7th October 2021 for the tractor's 100th birthday celebration. This consisted of a public demonstration from 10-12noon, with the little Cletrac starting up each time visitors disembarked the train at the Bennett Brook station and wandered across to the museum. The demo ignited the senses and as such, brought to life elements of it's intangible cultural heritage values. There were short talks on its history compiled during a recent significance assessment, as well as a drop-in drawing session, where children could write down what the Cletrac sounded like, smelt like, looked like - as well as drawing it while on the move!
Recording provided by Carly Lynch.
This is part of the Obsolete Sounds project, the world’s biggest collection of disappearing sounds and sounds that have become extinct – remixed and reimagined to create a brand new form of listening. Explore the whole project at https://citiesandmemory.com/obsolete-sounds