Bertie’s Story
Every great adventure starts with a mad idea, and Sammy’s came in the shape of a 1953 Grey Ferguson 20 TEF.
Sammy had very little experience with tractors & zero experience with restoration projects.
So naturally she decided it would be a great idea to use whatever money she could earn on YouTube to buy a tractor, fix it up, and see if people would follow along for the ride!
With a tiny budget and a big dose of optimism, she set out across Ireland on the hunt for a tractor she could afford. Along the way she met all sorts of characters and saw plenty of machines in all sorts of states, but eventually she found the one that just felt right. That’s how she ended up with Bertie, her little grey Fergie.
The only problem was… Sammy had no towbar, no trailer, and not a clue what she was doing. Thankfully a few legends came to the rescue!
White’s Trailers jumped in first, giving Sammy a trailer so she could actually collect Bertie. Then John Conaty came on board to help with the parts. And now South Coast Diesels have taken Sammy and Bertie under their wing. They’re rebuilding his gearbox and giving his engine the full overhaul it badly needs.
It’s been equal parts learning curve and laugh, full of breakdowns, head-scratching moments, and plenty of craic. What started as a daft YouTube idea has grown into a full-blown project that’s brought people together from every corner of the country.
Right now Bertie’s mid-restoration, and the next chapter’s about to begin: Bertie on Tour, travelling all across Ireland and the UK to see if this wee grey Fergie can still keep up with modern day machines.
Bertie's 2026 Update
After almost 6 months of restoration work, By mid April, Bertie rolled out of South Coast Diesels mechanically finished.
Tombo (with a bit of help from Sammy) had stripped Bertie right back and rebuilt him from the inside out, and got him running the way he should. For Sammy, it was a huge moment. Bertie had gone in as an old tractor that needed serious work, and he came out ready for the next stage.
From there, Bertie went to Long Haul Commercials for paint and finishing touches.
One of the most special parts of the whole build was seeing the B go on the front. Sammy always pictured it like Superman’s S , Bertie’s own little badge. In a funny way Bertie had become her superhero. When it finally went on, it felt like his personality had properly come to life.
When it was decided that Sammy would take Bertie on the show circuit for 2026, one big question came up: how was she going to transport him, move the stand and have somewhere to stay? The answer came in the form of a Scania 93M horse truck.
Buying the truck was only the start. Turning it into the Sammy TV and Bertie on tour mobile base was a completely different project to restoring a little grey Fergie. Thankfully, Ardee Coach Trim and a brilliant group of companies came on board to help transform the Scania into Bridie – Sammy & Bertie’s home on the road.
Bertie was completed on the 9th of May, a couple of weeks ahead of the launch. What started as a simple YouTube idea had turned into a full restoration. Many thanks to our project partners: South Coast Diesels, Ardee Coach Trim, John Conaty Tractor Parts, Long Haul Commercials, Auto Paint, Devlins Truck Garage, Truck and Bus parts, Phillip Ireland Tyres, White’s Trailers, Auto Sparky, Flow Tech, Nokia Tyres, BM Transport & Moran signs.
The next chapter was the launch. Over 2,000 people came along to see Bertie and Bridie in person and together we raised over 10k Euros for Little Blue Heroes.
And now, Sammy, Bertie and Bridie are finally ready for the road and ready for the 2026 show circuit. Keep an eye out for them.
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