Social Sensation Visits Ransomes

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Social Sensation Visits Ransomes: After seeing Jimmy Broadhouse’s ‘Wembley pitch finish’ tweet, Ransomes Jacobsen invited ‘jimmythemower’ to their Ipswich factory to see how his famous Parkway 225 stripes were made.

A little over two weeks ago Jimmy shot to social media fame when he posted a picture of a council pitch he cut in Bilbrook with the message, ‘it might only be a council field next to the tip, but to the kids round here playing football it’s Wembley. So I always cut it like it is.’

Social Sensation Visits Ransomes

Jimmy’s now famous stripes were cut with a Parkway 225, and he’s used Ransomes mowers since starting his business, Ditton Services, with a MK 4 Motor Triple that he fully restored for commercial use with his late dad, who was a retired engineer.

Before the factory tour and a chance to stripe the turf on Ipswich Town Football Club’s Portman Road pitch, Jimmy cut the Ransomes factory football pitch with the Parkway 3 Meteor before finding out the machine would be his for a year.

“I’m blown away by being invited down to Ransomes,” he said. “What an honour it is to be here and test drive a brand-new machine. I’ve been using Parkway’s since I can remember and they always provide me with an excellent finish on all the pitches that I cut, and to go down to Ransomes, have a tour of the factory, ride on a mower and then be presented with the keys and for them to say we can make one to spec is just unbelievable, it’s the stuff of dreams.

“I sat on this new one, and I’m blown away. I thought the one I was using was the best that you could get, but every improvement on this is there for a reason, it’s a fantastic machine. The adjustable steering wheel and armrest console are great, the flexibility and comfort of the seating position are excellent, and then there’s the fantastic cutting finish that we can see behind us on the pitch.

Social Sensation Visits Ransomes

“I’ve had a fantastic day coming down to Ipswich, having a look round the factory and then to the football club. I walked across the pitch and had a look at the renovations for the coming season and stood in the middle of it and got to see what a fantastic job these guys do, I’m really, really chuffed to bits.”

Jimmy’s tweet has over 44k likes and has been seen more than 3m times on social media as well as his BBC Midlands video, which was trending number one on the BBC News website.

His tweet has struck a chord with groundsmen and the general public with an overwhelming number of positive comments and feedback coming Jimmy’s way. Ransomes’ sales manager, John Quinton, is one of the millions that have seen the tweet and was delighted to show Jimmy around the factory and hand over the keys to his new mower.

“We wanted to surprise Jimmy by loaning him a new machine for a year because he’s made a real difference to those he’s cutting pitches for and this is our way of recognising that. We’ll be in touch with him throughout the year to get his feedback on the mower and get his opinion on how it performs in the field. In peak times he’s cutting up to seven days a week for six to 12 hours, so he’ll really get to know the machine.

Social Sensation Visits Ransomes

“He has a genuine enthusiasm for his job and the Ransomes mowers he uses, and I’m really pleased we’ve had the opportunity to bring him to the factory because he’s had a great time.”

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Two New Campey Launches

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Two New Campey Launches: Campey Turf Care Systems is set to introduce the Fleischmann Electric Five Deck Mower and Uni-Scratch to the American market at the Turfgrass Producers International (TPI) 2019 Summer Convention and Field Day.

The three-day convention is being held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and attendees will have the chance to visit some of the states’ best facilities including the National Sports Centre (NSC) in Blaine, Minnesota, which has the largest outdoor soccer complex in the world with natural grass facilities that include a 50 multi-use athletic field and an 18-hole PGA-Tour designed golf course.

Two New Campey Launches

Campey will be introducing the Fleishmann mower during the exhibition, with the ma-chines performance and environmentally friendly features designed specifically for turf growers and sod farmers.

The mower has five 2.20 metre cutting decks with six spindles per deck, giving a 10-metre overall cutting width. The mower features a braked steering rear axle, and the two-point pivoting front mount hitch provides high manoeuvrability, enabling cutting speeds up to 20kph.

Each blade on the five cutting decks is powered by a low maintenance electric motor, leaving behind traditional gearboxes and PTO shafts and eliminating the risk of oil leaks. The six high tip speed blades in each deck give more cuts per metre and offer excellent clipping dispersal.

An efficient modern generator is used to power the mower and lower all the factors you’d want less of. That’s low PTO requirements, low engine revs and lower noise output for quiet operation, resulting in less fuel used

The mechanics of the operation are enhanced further by the five low ground pressure castor wheels. Each deck has five wheels which are expertly designed to follow contours and iron out bumps in the surface without leaving any marks. The wheels are also used to easily set the height of cut with all other operations controlled from the in-cab control box.

The second new product being launched is the Uni-Scratch. This machine is the ideal solution for professional and effective maintenance of natural grass and can also be used for the final organic matter removal on natural grass hybrid carpet pitches when carrying out annual renovations.

For maintenance during the season, Campey offers the UNIRAKE. Users can adjust the severity of grooming to remove organic matter or simply stand the sward up to encourage growth, with altering the intensity taking no less than 30 seconds.

The Campey sales team, joined by chairman Richard Campey, will be at the convention to answer any questions on the new machines and the existing Campey product range.

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Brighton Staff Vow To Clear Names

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Brighton Staff Vow To Clear Names: Three groundsmen sacked by Brighton and Hove Albion (BHAFC) over the leaking of team sheets have said they are fighting to clear their name.

Dean Massey, Ashley Smith and Jordan Woodsford were dismissed by the Premier League side last month.

Brighton Staff Vow To Clear Names

In a letter seen by the BBC, the trio was told the club had “lost all trust and confidence” in them.

A spokesperson for BHAFC previously said they would not comment on matters which it regards as confidential.

Mr Massey, Mr Smith and Mr Woodsford all claim they were not given the chance to appeal the decision to sack them following an investigation into the leak, which the club said began in October 2018.

All three men have said they are determined to prove their innocence through a court or tribunal.

Speaking to BBC South East, Mr Massey said: “The way they have gone about the situation is not what you expect from a Premier League club.

“I was distraught. I hadn’t done anything wrong. I just want the truth to come out.”

Ex-deputy head groundsman Mr Smith said he was told the club was going through a restructure and a change of culture, adding there were also suggestions he was removed due to being a fan of the club.

The 34-year-old said: “I feel like I have been treated terribly. You feel like a number or a piece of meat and not like a human being.

“I have been a fan since I was five. That’s not a real reason to sack someone.”

Mr Woodsford, 25, added: “It makes you feel like you are a criminal. It has been really stressful.”

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New Grinders At Richmond GC

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New Grinders At Richmond GC: The Richmond Golf Club are aiming to improve their cutting performance by relief grinding back to OEM specifications using their new Foley Company Grinders.

Located six miles from central London, The Richmond Golf Club has a well-deserved reputation for its impressive 18-hole course which has undergone significant developments in recent years including extensive re-bunkering and substantial upgrades to other areas of the course.

New Grinders At Richmond GC

Course manager, Les Howkins, has been steering these improvements and is now aiming to enhance his mowers’ cutting performance by relief grinding with the purchase of a Foley company Accu-Pro 633 with Accu-Touch 3 control and a 673 automatic Bed-Knife grinder.

Les explained: “For us, one of the main advantages of choosing the Foley Accu-Pro 633 is that it delivers relief and spin grinding in the one machine and the changeover is very quick – approximately 20 seconds.

“This is important because it gives us greater flexibility; we can easily switch from relief to spin and back again. We can choose what’s needed for each unit rather than having to do all the spin or all the relief grinding in one go as we had previously.

“Another reason is that the Foley grinder removes what is known as coning. This is where the reel wears more at one end than the other.  This occurs through general use or in some occasions over adjustment.   With the built-in electronic gauging system, we can set the units up true and grind them back to parallel.

“Other important factors for us are that the wheel-head and spin motors are electric.  Both are neat and tidy units, easy to operate, unobtrusive and quiet, which is crucial for the  health, safety and general operating welfare of our staff.”

Les said “We have “40 cuttings units of varying sizes, the majority of which are John Deere.” His mechanic, Ian Clarke was looking to improve the length of time his units stayed on cut before needing to be re-ground. “Ian is delighted with quality of cut delivered by the Foley. Now that we can relief grind quickly and efficiently and the cutting units stay on cut longer, he will be able to manage our grinding programme much more effectively. As the machines are also very easy to use, we are also planning to improve this further with more of our staff using the grinders.”

It is the 633’s Accu-Touch 3 controls which make this an easy process. It has an automatic computer system that provides a step-by-step tutorial for new technicians and a quicker set-up and spin grind feature for the more experienced operators. You input the make of unit you’re working on and the computer does the rest. Pre-programmed spin speeds, relief torque, and in-feeds are only a few of the new features found in the ACCU-Touch 3.

Complimenting the 633 is the 673 automatic Bed-Knife and the 450 Rotary blade grinders. Automation is an essential feature of Foley grinders because it increases productivity, ensures accurate results and allows operators to carry out other workshop tasks while grinding.

The 673 has an innovative bed-knife mounting system that uses powerful electromagnets to hold the bed bar in place, and positive gauge stops to make set-up fast and straightforward. You can grind any bed bar arrangement without additional tooling and fast angle set-up provides repeatability without recalibration. Set the angle stops once, and the 673 will grind the same angle repeatedly. Changing from grinding the front face to the top face is as simple as pushing a button and watching as the powered Tool Bar rotates into the position.

The 450 rotary blade grinder is a simple pedestal-based machine that can be used to quickly re-face and sharpen our blades, whether there right or left-handed.

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PRO 34R Tops Warwick Wish-List

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PRO 34R Tops Warwick Wish-List: Duncan Toon, Grounds Manager for Warwick Independent Schools Foundation, says that when he heard rumours about the new Dennis PRO 34R rotary mower, he instantly added it to his wish-list.

Warwick School, Warwick Junior School, King’s High School and Warwick Preparatory School are justly proud of their sporting success, including national awards, and the ability to provide all its pupils the opportunity to play their chosen sport.  Essential to their achievements are high quality and well-maintained sports pitches.  Therefore, the Foundation has recently made additional investments in its grounds in a bid to ensure the very finest sporting facilities.

PRO 34R Tops Warwick Wish-List

After joining the Foundation from Birmingham City FC nine months ago, Duncan’s first port of call was to acquire a new fleet of machinery which would help him to maintain the sports surfaces to the highest standards. It was while he was researching an extensive list of equipment that he first caught wind of the news Dennis was bringing out a new product.

“I had heard rumours about this new machine which was set to be a game changer and Dennis was always on my wish-list because I know they manufacture reliable machinery. I arranged a demonstration as soon as I could and based on what I saw I knew I just had to have one. I was amazed with how well built it was – it was robust and the finish was fantastic.”

As Duncan says, the rumours started to mount after the PRO 34R was first introduced to the industry at SALTEX 2017 with the sole purpose of gathering feedback from potential end users. Over the course of the next twelve months, the mower was refined and developed based on the input from the groundsmen who would eventually be using it. With no stone left unturned, the all new PRO 34R was unveiled at SALTEX 2018.

The Dennis PRO 34R is a 34” (860mm) rotary mower which has been designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface. It is ideal for sports pitches and lawns producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently.

The angle of the cutting deck and twin blades can be easily adjusted using a single ‘click adjuster’ ensuring the mower is suitable for changing conditions and meeting groundsmen’s requirements.

“The best feature about the PRO 34R is the presentation and the incredibly fast clean-ups. We use it to clean the pitch up after rugby matches and also after training sessions and the brush on the front is a big bonus as it enables you to really get into the sward.

“You’re achieving two key maintenance tasks with it – you are cleaning up all the debris and you are also getting that amazing finish. I’m really impressed with it.

“It is also incredibly simple to use, especially if you have previously used a Dennis G860 cylinder mower. The handlebars are similar and it is just like riding a bike – you never forget.

“In fact, I’m seriously considering ordering more because of the speed of the clean-ups. We just haven’t got the staffing levels to use our other rotary mowers but because the PRO 34R’s are so much bigger, it would enable us to get the task done in no time at all.”

Based on the success of his PRO 34R, Duncan did indeed order more and is now the proud owner of four Dennis PRO 34R rotary mowers.

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter or Instagram @DennisMowers and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK. You can also view the latest Dennis videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers

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