Markland's engines

Diesel production at Dagenham didn't start 80 years ago, it started in November 1951

The photo on page 23 is not correct in stating that diesel production at Dagenham started 80 years ago, actually it started in November 1951 with the four cylinder diesel for the Fordson Major tractor, production of the engines followed a few months later with a six cylinder version for the Trader Truck 7V.

They were designed at Sir Patrick Hennessy's request by Laurie Markland. Both engines were very reliable.

My name is John Foxwell (Fellow) and I worked with Martland on military vehicles during the war and then closely as Chief Engineer of tractors during the engine' s development.

Markland was the cleverest engineer I ever had the pleasure to work with in my career at Ford both in the UK and US. He should have been knighted for his work. Unfortunately he died in 1967 at the age of sixty.

It would be nice to have an article or two on the latest tractors made by CNH at Basildon in a future issue of PE.

John Foxwell

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