£212,000 combine leads multi-million pound Shropshire dispersal
A £212,000 combine harvester and a string of £128,000 tractors headlined a multi-million pound farm dispersal in Shropshire that drew buyers from across the UK and Ireland.
The sale at Hanley Hall, Weirbrook, near West Felton, Oswestry, saw 222 lots go under the hammer, with 131 registered buyers competing both ringside and online via MartEye.
The standout lot was a 2022 John Deere T660I Hillmaster combine, which peaked at £212,000. Strong demand for late-model, low-hour machinery was evident throughout the day.
The dispersal featured an impressive line-up of modern John Deere tractors, the four newest clocking just 692 hours between them — a factor widely credited for driving values.
Two tractors topped £128,000 apiece — a 2022 John Deere 6R 175 and a 2023 John Deere 6R 185 — while a 2024 6R 155 achieved £117,000 and a 2024 6R 145 made £106,000.
Older models also attracted firm bidding, with a 1994 John Deere 4955 selling for £61,000 and a 1993 4755 reaching £48,000.
Elsewhere, a 2019 Manitou MLT 741-140V+ realised £64,000, a 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 HSE sold for £58,000 and a 2021 GSI grain dryer made £52,000.
A 2011 Challenger self-propelled sprayer achieved £50,000, while a 2020 Amazone Centaya 4000 Super Drill sold for £30,000. Potato handling equipment also proved popular, with a Tong grading line, bagging and palletising system reaching £45,000.
Bauer irrigation reels from 2019 and 2020 made £31,000 and £34,500 respectively, underlining continued appetite for specialist arable and root crop kit.
The auction was conducted by Halls on behalf of the executors of the late David Morris, who bought the 400-acre arable farm in 1987. Described as a “perfectionist”, he invested heavily in high-specification machinery and built a reputation as a prize-winning operator.
Halls auctioneer Jonny Dymond, manager of Shrewsbury Auction Centre, said the quality and provenance of the machinery were central to the sale’s success.
“Sales like this are seldom seen and never forgotten,” he said. “The enquiries, the crowd, the high specification, impeccably maintained equipment at a renowned prize-winning farm - it’s a day that will be remembered for years to come!”
The clearance rate was strong, with competitive bidding throughout, reflecting continued confidence in premium machinery with known history and low hours.
Despite tighter farm margins nationally, the result suggests buyers remain prepared to pay for well-maintained, late-model kit — particularly where condition and provenance are beyond doubt.
