i thought there was some law where they had to pull in to let the que behind them get passed, every corner you go round theres one, drives for about 20 miles[ well it seems like it] totally unaware of the dirty great que behind
Yes, bad time of year for them things.
Anyway I seem to remember hearing once that they are supposed to be limted to a certain mileage, because of the red diesel etc, was it 6? - a week or day - whatever it is. Anyone know the facts ?
I know there is certainly reference to this in the Highway Code, whether there is actually a law governing the driving of slow vehicles and resulting queues, I’m not too sure 
I live in a rural area, and I do know the general practice around here, which I guess is the same for most of the country - smaller farms (less prosperous), tend not to own much machinery, and there is a lot of borrowing/hiring of vehicles between the farms, notably tractors, balers and harvesters, which often means that the ■■■■ thing can be driven for 8 - 12 miles between farms, and they can clog up the road for best part of a morning 
Cheers
Steve
DAFMAD:
Anyway I seem to remember hearing once that they are supposed to be limted to a certain mileage, because of the red diesel etc, was it 6? - a week or day - whatever it is. Anyone know the facts ?
AFAIK it was six miles a week but hasn’t it since been abolished and therefore no vehicles using red diesel are allowed on public roads (?)
DAFMAD:
Yes, bad time of year for them things.Anyway I seem to remember hearing once that they are supposed to be limted to a certain mileage, because of the red diesel etc, was it 6? - a week or day - whatever it is. Anyone know the facts ?
15km of its land
I have heard that they are meant to pull in if 4 or more vehicles are following them, however most of the time they don’t.
About the red diesel it can vary depending where they are travelling to (e.g. if they are travelling from land owned by them to other land owned by them) It can also depends what they are using the tractor for (eg agricultre, forestry etc,) but if they are being used for transport or if they are doing work for some one else they must be run on white diesel but don’t quote me on any of these because it is only what I have heard and I am not 100% sure
ady:
i thought there was some law where they had to pull in to let the que behind them get passed, every corner you go round theres one, drives for about 20 miles[ well it seems like it] totally unaware of the dirty great que behind
The other half’s father used to be a copper in Camborne (Cornwall is a big area for tractors!!!) so I got this straight from the horses mouth.
There is no law saying they have to pull over when a certain number of vehicles are behind them,
BUT!!!
Their guidlines were that if they passed a suitable pull in with more than about 6 or 8 vehicles behind, then they could be considered for driving without due care and attention, a far more serious offence!!!
Pulling over has been suggested as advisory in recent years in the "Code of Practice " sense from the NFU, though I pulled over to let a Big J past me back in 78, the driver waved back as well (friendly wave that is)
I think the mileage travelling on public roads may relate to no road tax rather than red diesel and is usually only allowed between fields across the main road from each other.
A couple of years ago I had to register and licence a brand new Manitou R/T masted forklift that we had bought at the woodyard where I worked. The DVLA told me that it could not be classed as a tractor (a telehandler can be) but would qualify for Limited Use tax which was less than 6 miles a week on the public road. As for the red, they sugested we contact HM customs & excise but our road use was about 200 yds a week so we never bothered.
I seem to recall being told by a driver that you can run a truck on red if it used for forestry purposes, this would include haulage of felled timber into the sawmill. But once cut it becomes haulage and requires the use of white.
Not 100% defo on the last, but fairly sure it’'s about right.
tractors are tax and MOT excempt to long as they dont travel more than 10 miles from their base, i assume the same ruling also applies to the type of diesel they use.
As for no law governing if and when you should pull over, there isnt a ‘specific’ one but it could be considered ‘driving with out due consideration to other road users’ which covers a wide variety of issues.
Chances are though with most tractors if you pulled them over for something like that you could go over it and find half a dozen faults on the vehicle, dangerously exposed parts, non working/obscured lights and number plates, wheel tread protruding beyond the wheel arches etc etc And some of the trailers, if you can call them that, well!
Never read so much supposition & male cow excrement.
Agricultural tractors can & do run on red all the time unless doing hire & reward haulage work. (and even then most still do until they get caught out) No mileage limit. Many round here do hundreds of miles to Yorkshire & back carting straw in for their own use in the winter, on red.
They used to have to be taxed at a nominal rate, but there was an exception if doing the short mileages/range as mentioned. Now they still have to be taxed, but as with pre 1973 classic vehicles , its free.
If you see JCB Fastraks running on the motorway, they should be taxed up for the relevant weight they’re operating at, be on white diesel, & not driven by a 16 year old, as anything classed as an Agricutural tractor is not allowed on the motorway. (except in exeptional circumtances such as being directed on by the police to tow out cars stranded in snow).
Vehicles built with a body specifically for winter grit spreading may also use red.
Buses on local service routes run on white, but claim the rebate back.
Forestry vehicles & any other vehicles used solely off road can use red, as can boats, though there has been talk of ending the exception for pleasure craft users.
Unsure about exception for forestry vehicles using the road between forests, but i’m sure there will be one.
Airside vehicles at airports: ■■? Anybody know■■?
Shunter tugs in companies yards that don’t go on the road: red.
Shunter tugs on docks: red i think.
Irish trucks transiting England: white/red/green who knows? 
Many farmers have diversified into haulage, so i’m sure a few of our other members will be along shortly to set the record straight.
if it’s on private ground and not used on the public road any vehicle can be run on red diesel. (not petrol ones obviously!)
what is called here ‘white diesel’ is actually called ‘DERV’ Diesel Excise Road vehicle, you only need use in in vehicles used on the road, so airside vehicles that never leave the airfield dont need, tax, MOT or use DERV.
That’s typical yorkies though, will drive hundreds of miles at 30mph to save having to pay for a trucker to do it 
Is there a speed limit on tractors? I thought it was 30ish, i know someone who has a toyota hilux converted for spraying, its registered as a tractor which means with the tyres he has he can only legally do 30mph on the road.
These Fastraks do 50 odd, which frankly i think is leathal on those kind of tyres.
Farmers’ Weekly Red Diesel Q&A.
"Q. What is the maximum speed limit for agricultural vehicles?
A. The maximum speed that an agricultural motor vehicle can be driven is 20mph, although certain high-speed tractors (JCB Fastracs) can be driven at up to 40mph as long as they are fitted with ABS-equipped air-brakes, fully suspended axles, high-speed rated tyres, a speedometer and mirrors."
That’s good input Dennis, BUT, want to read what i said again re carting FROM Yorkshire & look at my location?
I cannot say about nowadays, but in the early 70’s there was a trend of putting vertical exhausts on Land Rovers and taxing them as tractors but that ended when a law came out stating that to be classed as an Agricultural Tractor it must not be able to exceed 25mph.
an Agricultural Tractor it must not be able to exceed 25mph
I can see this is going to extend this thread now!
I think the change over from 2 to 4 wheel brakes had something to do with the higher limits being allowed. Not sure 
Cant say i see many tractors towing braked trailers, they seldom have lights or number plates, so no reason to think the brakes work if they have any