Old machinery on show at the Woodville Tractor Shed

The E27NP6 Fordson tractor was the first tractor Glen Lett restored

Nestled at 211 Troup Road, Woodville, is a vintage hobby museum called the Tractor Shed run by Glen Lett.

On display are lots of old trucks, tractors, bulldozers and stationary engines, even a John Deere combine harvester.

Each year an open day is held the day of the Woodville Christmas Parade from 2pm - enter at your own risk. The rest of the year admission is by prior arrangement - phone 06 376 5876 and leave a message.

An old boiler at the Tractor Shed.

"I've been collecting for 22 years. It started when I owned an E27NP6 Fordson tractor and decided to restore it. It carried on from there and it grew and grew," said Glen.

A mechanic by trade, he always liked mechanical things. He lived in Hastings till 10 years ago when he met his wife Sally and they moved to Troup Road in Woodville.

A steam boiler, top, used to drive piles at Mount Maunganui Wharf as seen in the photo.

"The collection has grown quite a lot since then, we started with five acres of bare land and now we have three large sheds to house the collection.

"Its a large, varied collection, you have to be able to do it yourself, as its only a hobby, to be able to afford it," Glen said.

A general view of the main shed

He likes his collection of Bedford trucks most - he can remember riding with his father in a 1958 Bedford S quite a few times, which sparked the interest. The oldest is a 1931 W and the newest a 1980 TK.

Two Lister stationary engines run on petrol while a couple of others run off steam from a boiler in the middle of one of the sheds. It powered a pile driver on a barge which helped build the Mount Maunganui wharf at Tauranga.

A general view of the main shed