JCB honours Scottish rugby hero with tartan tractor
A UNIQUE tartan tractor has rolled off the production line at Staffordshire’s JCB Landpower factory honouring Scottish rugby legend and motor neuron disease (MND) campaigner, the late Doddie Weir.
The Fastrac 4220 ICON, wrapped in Doddie’s own design tartan livery, was welcomed off the Cheadle production line by son Angus Weir, ready to report for fundraising duty with the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
Scottish and British and Irish Lions international Doddie, who died of MND, aged 52, in 2022, founded the charity to fund research with the vision of a world free of MND.
So far, more than £11 million has been committed to vital research in his name and the foundation is dedicated to continuing the fight against the cruel disease.
The Doddie ICON Fastrac is the brainchild of Doddie’s schoolfriend and director of crop services in the Scottish Borders, Douglas Stephen, who joined Angus for the unveiling.
Douglas operates a number of Fastrac tractors and approached his JCB dealer, Kelso-based Scot Agri, to build a special edition machine in support of the foundation.
The blue and yellow tartan tractor will appear at agricultural shows and rugby games north of the border.
Its grand tour was beginning at the Royal Northern Spring Show, in Inverurie, this before moving on to the Fife, Northumberland, Royal Highland, Border Union and Perth shows, as well as many other agricultural events over the summer.
Angus said: “It has been fantastic to be here to unveil the new Doddie tartan tractor. Dad would have absolutely loved it and I’m sure it will turn a lot of heads, raise a lot of smiles and help continue his fundraising legacy.”
For Douglas it was an emotional day. He said: “Our Doddie was born into a farming family, was part of the farming community and loved tractors. He was also always accustomed to wearing big, bright, garish tartan suits, so this is right up his street.
“What JCB has done is beyond all expectations and they have really pulled out all the stops and this will help us to keep Doddie’s memory and MND legacy alive.”
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation director of fundraising and communications, Paul Thompson added: “We are incredibly excited about this collaboration with JCB and expect it to raise a great deal of awareness of both motor neuron disease and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
“The Fastrac looks brilliant, and we can’t wait to see the look on people’s faces when nine tonnes of tartan tractor arrive at one of our events.
JCB territory manager Sam Taylor said: “Doddie Weir was an icon, not only in the way that he played his rugby, but also in the way he handled his MND diagnosis, setting an example of bravery, and inspiring others to take up the fight. The JCB Doddie ICON Edition Fastrac is a great example of teamwork.#
Donations can be made to the foundation at justgiving.com/page/ doddietheicon