Tag Archive for: RTV

Kubota RTV supports community forest

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Kubota RTV supports community forest: Kubota has formed a partnership with the Forest of Marston Vale, part of England’s Community Forests which together form the country’s largest environmental initiative.

For over 25 years the Forest of Marston Vale Trust has been working with local communities, businesses and partners to plant trees and create new woodland across 61 square miles between Bedford and Milton Keynes; transforming a landscape once dominated by brick making, mineral extraction and landfill while growing tree cover from just 3.6% to well over 15%. The 12 new Community Woodlands are an extraordinary local resource bringing significant environmental, economic and social benefits to the area. The newest, Queens Wood near Houghton Conquest, also has the honour of being Bedfordshire’s Jubilee Wood, part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative to mark the Platinum Jubilee.

Kubota RTV supports community forest

Kubota RTV supports community forest

A core target for creating the Forest is increasing tree cover to 30%, a tenfold increase,

as a means to transform the social, economic and environmental prospects of the area. The Forest of Marston Vale Trust, working with local communities, businesses and partners, has already increased tree cover to over 15%.

At the heart of the forest is the Millennium Country Park, 225ha of woodland, wetland, lakes and meadows. The Park, a fifteen-time winner of the prestigious Green Flag Award welcomes up to half a million people each year, and offers local people and visitors to the area the opportunity to get outdoors and connect with nature

It is cared for by a team of five forest rangers who need to travel around 8km of hardened path, 4km of horse trail and numerous tracks to plant and care for trees and maintain wetlands. Kubota has supplied the team with a new RTV X-1140 utility vehicle to help make their work more efficient, safer and more convenient.

The RTV X-1140 is powered by the renowned Kubota engine delivering 24.8hp, and can carry up to four people in comfort plus their cargo, or quickly switch to a two-seater with even more space for tools and equipment.

Senior ranger Nicola Ceconi comments: “We have to be able to travel on grassland and to work on the wetlands outside the season for ground nesting birds; some of the site can only be accessed by this type of vehicle, on foot or bicycle. It’s often muddy and we certainly need off-road capability, yet many of our paths are narrow and we can encounter cyclists or walkers so the compact size of the RTV is an advantage. We rarely need to use four-wheel drive and the Kubota’s low ground pressure is appreciated for the more sensitive landscapes.”

The full-size cargo bed offers plenty of room for tools and equipment, but the team often need to switch back to four-seater mode for jobs requiring more labour.

“It’s a quick and easy swap – when we had our training on this new machine it was good to see how simple it was to convert,” says ranger Lottie Scoltock. “The bed also has a useful hydraulic tipping function for jobs such as mulching flowerbeds.”

Nicola adds that the RTV is driven by all of the members of the team who appreciate its straightforward KVT automatic transmission and is spacious and comfortable to drive.

“It has an open sided cab which is easy to get in and out of and much cooler in summer. We really enjoy having the RTV and it makes our job so much easier.”

Forest of Marston Vale commercial director Grant Sorrell comments: “The loan of the RTV X-1140 by Kubota makes a huge difference to our work. It’s a small team with a significant task so anything that makes us more efficient is a godsend.”

It’s part of a programme of community support by Kubota, which is based nearby at Thame in Oxfordshire.

“The Forest of Marston Vale was identified by our employees as a deserving community organisation to support, and it’s clear to see the tremendous social and environmental benefits it offers for current and future generations,” comments Kubota Tractor Business Unit marketing manager Rob Edwards.  “It is an excellent fit with Kubota’s ‘For Earth, For Life’ ethos. We are delighted to support the team with the loan of the RTV X-1140 which is perfectly at home in this type of application.”

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RTV gets winter-ready

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RTV gets winter-ready: Are you ready for the big freeze? Greenacres Landscape Management is, having equipped its Kubota RTV X-1110 with a purpose-built Hilltip snowplough and gritter combination.

The Milton Keynes-based contractor undertakes winter maintenance work on behalf of a national company, mainly using pick-up truck-based spreaders in industrial estates and military bases.

RTV gets winter-ready

RTV gets winter-ready

But some jobs require equipment that is a bit more specialised, as director Andy Powell explains.

‘We’ve had the contract at a Bedfordshire defence manufacturer for a couple of years, and we find that the Kubota RTV is the ideal machine to base on their site for the winter months. It’s a tricky site with lots of footpaths and restricted access, but we can cover it in an evening using the RTV and ensure that the health and safety requirements for the site’s employees are met.”

Andy explains that the RTV was originally fitted with a tailgate-mounted gritter and manual snowblade, but when Kubota dealer George Browns suggested the Hilltip outfit, it offered the perfect solution.

“The gritter has a large stainless steel hopper which will treat the site in two fills, with an auger in the bottom to loosen compacted salt and stainless steel spinning disc to spread the material,” he says.

Control of the electrically-powered gritter is via a switchbox from the comfort of the RTV’s cab, with an LED display showing the selected application rate, which can vary from 20-30g/sqm depending on conditions.

“We would use more after rain and then freezing conditions or can adjust it on the move to treat a particularly icy patch,” explains Andy. “There is also a joystick giving fingertip control of the height or angling of the snow blade.”

A full cab is fitted to the RTV, essential for winter work, Andy points out, but also useful when the Kubota is used for other jobs such as grass harrowing, protecting the operator from dust.

“The RTV is very straightforward to drive with its CVT transmission and there’s plenty of traction; we rarely go out of high box. We’ve also stuck with all-purpose tyres since it spends such a lot of the time on hard surfaces.”

The outfit was specified and installed by George Browns, who have also made a few other modifications – a rubber flap between the cab and cargo box to deflect any salt spillage when the hopper is being filled and another flap at the base of the box to protect the suspension from the corrosive action of the salt.

“We get a great service from George Browns and we’ve purchased other Kubota equipment from the company, which is all very robust and well-built.”

When spring comes around, there’s no rest for the RTV. With a canopy fitted to the cargo bay in place of the gritter, work then switches to the Milton Keynes Parks Trust, maintaining hedges, trees and shrubs on the city’s extensive network of footpaths and spreading grass seeds on new build projects.

“Operators can have their tools with them at all times rather than having to park up a truck at the roadside. We wouldn’t be without the RTV, and having dedicated attachments like the Hilltip winter outfit makes it even more useful.”

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RTV goes red for Rovers

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RTV goes red for Rovers: The home of Doncaster Rovers Football Club is showing its true colours with a specially-liveried Kubota RTV X-900, designed as part of dealer Farmstar Ltd’s sponsorship agreement with the club.

The Eco-Power Stadium is also home to Doncaster Rugby League Club and Doncaster Rovers Belles Ladies Football Club, and rose to international fame recently as the venue for the England Ladies’ team’s historic 20-0 defeat of Latvia.

RTV goes red for Rovers

RTV goes red for Rovers

Club Doncaster’s business development manager Michael Kilby-Scott explains: “We have a close working relationship with our sponsors and we like to offer them business where appropriate. Farmstar’s Gaynor Waddington suggested painting the RTV in our red livery and adding both of our logos and we think it highlights our relationship with the company perfectly.”

Doncaster Rovers also has Kubota B2410 and B2261 tractors at the purpose-built stadium, which became the club’s base in 2006.

As well as sporting events, the Eco-Power Stadium is a popular conference and event venue, is host to Doncaster Sports College and has operated as a test and vaccination centre during the COVID crisis, underlining its community role.

The RTV X-900 is powered by Kubota’s proven 22hp engine and has a continuously variable transmission for easy operation by any member of a groundcare team.

At the Eco-Power Stadium, it plays an essential role as the club ‘workhorse’, collecting and transporting clippings from hand mowers on the pitch, moving tools and equipment and helping with setting up before and tidying up after the stadium’s popular car boot sales.

“The RTV’s a really useful piece of kit, and very easy to drive and use,” comments groundsman Ryan Skelton. “We find it very handy for getting around the site and it treads gently on the pitch, too.”

Farmstar has a bit of history with customised RTVs – its demonstrator vehicle with its distinctive zebra striped wrap has starred this year in a promotional video filmed at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park and in a special edition of DIY SOS for the BBC’s Children in Need appeal. What will they come up with next?

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