Campey Turf Care          Stand No A20        

One newcomer is the Dakota D606 Soil Mover/Box Scraper which enables a perfectly level finish to be achieved on tees and similar surfaces.Weighing 750kg and 1.8m wide, it has a capacity of 1.5m3 and can bepowered by tractors of 30hp-60hp.Featuring very heavy-duty construction, the height of the blades can be adjusted quickly and precisely. Options include laser controls to ensure that precise levels are constantly achieved.

Also new is the Vredo super-compact overseeder. Available in widths of 0.8m, 1.2m and 1.6m, their spacesaving design and innovative operating principle give small dimensions and a lightweight footprint at a seeding width of 35mm. Specially shaped cutter discs make sharp, V-shaped slots with minimal ground disturbance.

After the seed has been dispensed, a roller presses the slit down to give ideal conditions for germination. The Vredo supercompact overseeders are available in both towed and 3-point tractor linkage versions.

The exhibitor also features the TurfWorks Fine Turf Maintenance System launched 12 months ago. It is shown on a veteran Jacobsen 622 mower. Nine modular cassettes are available for key tasks and all fitted in seconds to the cutting reels of most makes of greens triples and lightweight fairway mowers. They can be adjusted without the use of tools.

The 7120 Verti-Drain is a central feature of a wide ranging display of equipment. The 2m wide deep aeration machine is designed for the most demanding of users.Powered by a 45hp tractor or above, it can be used all-year-round to keep playing surfaces free-draining and in peak condition by altering tines and spacings, says the exhibitor.The 7120 features direct gearbox drive to all cranks powering the tine assembly. This configuration does away with drivebelts and avoids risk of slippage, giving perfect operation.

Making its debut is the CC3000HL Core Collector, designed for speedy clear-up after greens aeration work.This pedestrian unit has a spacious 1m3 capacity hopper that tips hydraulically to a height of 1.3m. Power comes from a 7.5hp Briggs & Stratton petrol engine and the machine’s integral belt collection system is said to give maximum pick-up efficienc, the collection head ‘floating’ overundulations.The machine’s gearbox has six forward and one reverse gears, and controls are described making operation straightforward.

The range of FT pedestrian , low vibration machines that accept 11 quickly interchangeable cassettes is highlighted. Mowing, scarifying, verti-cutting, rolling, slitting, brushing and other yearround tasks from a single power unit is its well-known virtue.

Also on show is the G860, part of a range derived from the FT series, but with a wider cut.Offering similar cassette versatility, these are designed to meet intensive usage from contractors and other professionals. They are described as lightweight and highly manoeuvrable. A cast three-section aluminium ribbed roller gives positive traction in all conditions and provides mark-free turning.

Shown too is the Sport Mk2 mower, a dedicated machine with a very short wheelbase for precise cutting even on undulating ground.An adjustable comb assembly liftshorizontal grass blades prior to cutting, for the ideal finish on greens and other fine turf, says the manufacturer.A Sport Ultra version is promied early this year. This will incorporate a powered tungsten tipped groomer reel with a Weile grooved front roller to reduce the wheelbase still further.

Greenkeepers will also be interested in the S500 Powered Spiker. An integral turntable enables 90 or 180 degree turns to be made easily, even in wet conditions, and the machine can be fitted with a Bray seed slotting reel, which makes flat-bottomed seeding slots at a controlled depth for optimum germination.

Major Equipment           Stand No M5 
For large scale cutting, the TDR Rollermower featured cuts 16.5 acres/hour at 7mph with the timed overlapping blades leaving a fine cut and a stripe free finish.Undulations are easily managed, says the exhibitor, because eachdeck is equipped with a three-point pivot system which ‘snugly fits’ into contours.

The cutting heights are variable between 12-150 mm and cutting widths are of 4.9m for the TDR16000 model and 6.1m for the TDR20000.

The company says that the Upchurch River Valley Golf Course in Kent which took delivery of a Rollermower in 2006 has since noted a 30% reduction in running costs compared with its former use of cylinder gang mowers.

Also a show debut is the MF GC2300, a 22.5hp sub-compact tractor and the MF 20MD, a 4WD utility vehicle with 20hp Perkins diesel, 408kg load capacity and class-leading ground clearance of 266mm.

New Holland         Stand No M11a
Upgrades to two of the company’s tractor ranges are unveiled.Making its debut is the renamed TCE series. The upgrade applies to the engine and means that the vehicles meet, and exceed,the new low emission levels set by the EU.

Also new, the Synchro/Power Shuttle transmission for TND/S-A series tractors (below) is controlled by hand rather than feet, and offers what are described as effortless changes of direction.Power Shuttle features afingertip control lever, located behind the ‘tilt and telescopic’ steering column, an ideal position for operators. It has an oilimmersed wet disc pack, which means that it is lubricated, reducing friction and heat, as well as increasing durability and and cutting maintenance.