First tractors or bulldozers often have a special place in their owner's affections, to the extent that some, like Robert Laidlaw of Taupo, may even buy them back 30 years later.

Robert Laidlaw, on his Caterpillar D2 5J 4500 with daughter Helen and son Andrew; photographed in 1970 at Western Bays, Lake Taupo.

Robert's first bulldozer was a Caterpillar D2 5J 4500 bought for 300 British pounds in 1964 from Flag Range Rd, Sherenden, in the Hawke's Bay.

'I used it to pull a three furrow Ransome plough, which cost £5 to plough 20 to 30 acres of swedes and chow each spring; and then converted it back to grass, sown with an IH shuffle feed horse-drawn top dresser costing £10,” Robert says.

'The D2 was very special to me but was sold in 1980, and bought back 30 years later in a sad state. Hopefully, one day it will be restored. It was a wonderful, reliable, economical little tractor.”

# If you still have your first tractor, or photos of it, we'd love to hear from you. Send your photos, along with a story of the machine and what it meant to you, to: [email protected] with the subject line: First Tractor. Or post to: First Tractor, Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110.