It might not quite be business as usual, but Thainstone Specialist Auctions welcomed a return to near normal service, when they conducted an online live sale of plant, equipment, machinery, and commercial vehicles, at Thainstone where a top price of £60,000 was paid for a Massey Fergusson tractor.

Access restrictions imposed by Government to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 meant that no buyers were present on site during the sale. However, more than 530 registered buyers took part via TSA’s online sales platform. The live auction, split in to two sections with auctioneers running the sections concurrently, featured an entry of more than 440 lots and resulted in 355 lots changing hands to give an 80.6% clearance.

“The live online auction ensured that customers continued to benefit from the competitiveness and transparency that only selling using the auction process can provide,” said Mark Barrack, head of Thainstone Specialist Auctions.

“The sales format and structure followed that of our ‘normal’ machinery sales with the introduction of additional safety measures and procedures following government COVID 19 guidelines.

“As a result trade was very good, strong prices were achieved with all vehicles and equipment attracting an excellent trade with enthusiastic bidding on all lots.”

Top seller at £60,000 was a Massey Ferguson 7726 Dyno VT 4wd tractor followed jointly by a New Holland T7-185 4wd tractor and a Manitou MLA 630-125PS telescopic handler which both sold for £29,500.

Light commercial and 4x4 vehicles sold to £9600 for a 2015 Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian double cab pickup while a 2018 Renault Kangoo L121 business + edition van made £8800.

Trailers and containers were topped at £3400 by a Fruehauf tri-axle aggregate trailer, and a 2015 Daf CF300 FAT 6x4 tipper went for £27,500 in the lorries section.

Implements peaked at £13,200 for Vaderstad CR240 carrier and small plant and RTV’s sold to £5800 for a Genie Z45/25 access boom.

Auctioneers: Aberdeen and Northern Marts