Michael Thorne was born in Highgate, North London, in 1938, and first experienced a Ferguson tractor when he drove a TED20 at the age of 14. His early working career was in farming, but by the age of 28 he had moved into engineering and construction. His interest in Fergusons was rekindled in 1985 when he bought a TE.D20, and since then he has become the Ferguson enthusiast par excellence. His admiration for the man and his machines is unbounded, and over 20 years he has painstakingly assembled an outstanding collection of Ferguson tractors and items relating to Ferguson products. The Coldridge Collection in Devon features a display of just under 50 tractors, along with Ferguson and Massey-Ferguson implements. It is open by appointment.
