Vintage tractors and steam engines sold at Cheffins auction

The final Cheffins Vintage Sale of 2023 took place at the firm's saleground at Sutton, near Ely.

The top bid was the £113,632 paid by a collector from Devon for a fully-restored 1918 Sentinel Standard steam wagon, originally built in Shrewsbury as a tipper for manufacturers of railway axles and forgings.

It spent several years at the National Railway Museum in York before being purchased by a Norfolk-based collector in 1970, who carried out significant restoration work and attended events and rallies including in Norfolk and Suffolk.

A 1918 Sentinel steam wagon fetched £113,632 at the Cheffins Vintage Sale at Sutton, near Ely (Image: Cheffins)

The best price among the 230 tractors on offer was £60,032, paid for a 1981 Mercedes MB-Trac 1500.

The sale also featured 25 classic vehicles including a rare, restored 1910 Stanley 20 HP Model 72 steam car which sold for £64,302, while the highlight among the 40 classic motorcycles was a 1956 998cc JMC Norvin, converted into a modern-day café racer, which fetched £38,360.

A Stanley steam car sold for £64,302 at the Cheffins Vintage Sale at Sutton, near Ely (Image: Cheffins)

Cheffins chairman Bill King said the auction attracted interest from hundreds of collectors and enthusiasts from across the UK, Europe and further afield.

"This year’s sale offered a comprehensive catalogue, with plenty to choose from in all sections and the enthusiasm from buyers on the day was infectious, with heady prices achieved particularly for the newer classic tractors despite the heavy downpours," he said.

"The market for vintage items has held strong throughout 2023, with multiple record prices achieved throughout the past 12 months, as buyers continue to add to their collections, undeterred by the fluctuations and instability in other areas of the economy.

"We expect 2024 to continue in a similar vein, as vintage items continually beat inflation and offer stronger returns than other more typical investments."