Petts Wood put their trust in Ferrari ….. Again

Petts Wood and Hawkwood National Trust have enjoyed a long relationship with Lamberhurst Engineering, stretching back to when they ordered their very first Ferrari compact tractor over ten years ago.

Sam Pettman is the Countryside Ranger responsible for five sites covering over 1,000 acres across North Kent. While only being 13 miles South East of Central London, the Petts Wood and Hawkwood site covering 340 acres provides an oasis of peace and tranquillity. Full of natural history, the area is a haven for all kinds of bird, butterfly, amphibian and plant life.

When the time came to replace his tractor, Sam had no hesitation in choosing yet another Ferrari Vega. “I didn’t consider buying anything else as we’ve been so pleased with the older models,” says Sam. “It offers many more features than other tractors in its size and is such an all-rounder, being able to undertake a host of year-round tasks.”

Sam wanted a small yet powerful tractor to be transported between sites on a trailer to run the attachments needed to maintain the woodlands. The low centre of gravity makes the Vega the ideal tractor for his many specialist operations, including mowing and timber extraction in tight or difficult areas where a normal tractor cannot access due to height or width restrictions. The tractor is particularly suitable for forestry work because of its reversible-drive facility, which enables the driver to keep a close watch on winch work.

Although it is the reverse drive feature that sets the Vega range apart from the other conventional tractors on the market, it is the marriage of compactness and power that impresses most. The Vega range of tractors has been designed specifically for use where other tractors are too large or too heavy, such as forestry management. The optimal steering radius, the four wheel drive and the ideal weight distribution let you work safely and efficiently in difficult terrain. The comfortable driving position and the practical, easy to read instruments let you work without fatigue.

“Because the work I do is predominantly forestry work, I customised the configuration, with a Bonatti front-loader fitted at Ferrari’s Italian factory and Maxwald cable winch for PTO attachment, which was also supplied by Lamberhurst Engineering. I also had Lamberhurst fit the belly, side and front forestry guards to help protect the tractor.

“The winch has been extremely impressive and paid for itself many times over in little under six months. I got the loader and winch to be more flexible and to be able to save time and money bringing in a contractor for our timber extraction which was done by hand in the past. We have been able to remove sizeable sycamore and oak tree debris for our ancient woodland restoration and thinning project. With the new tools, it’s now safer and much faster to pull logs which we sell locally as fire wood”.

Ferrari has gained a reputation for producing tractors that are highly reliable and robust, which is why when the time came for Sam to upgrade, the older model was sent to work at Cobham Wood and Mausoleum, near Gravesend Kent, where it continues to be a real workhorse.

The complete range of Ferrari tractors is on sale in the UK exclusively from Lamberhurst Engineering.

Keeping Access to Sussex’s Green Corridors Open

There are 3200 kilometres of public footpaths and other rights of way in East Sussex which provide access to the beautiful East Sussex countryside. Keeping the paths open and well maintained is one of the jobs of the East Sussex County Council’s Economy Transport and Environment Department.

Seen here, Countryside Maintenance Ranger Alistair Wallis is clearing an important public footpath link to the Cuckoo Trail near Heathfield using a Ferrari Cobram tractor and Seppi offset mulcher both acquired recently by the County Council from nearby Lamberhurst Engineering, specialists in the supply of groundcare and horticultural machinery and exclusive UK importers and distributors for these two Italian manufacturers.

Alistair leads one of four teams of two across the county whose job it is to keep public paths open and in good order throughout the year. During the summer months their work involves a lot of clearance of ground and hedgerow undergrowth. In Alistair’s territory alone he is responsible for maintenance of around 800 miles of paths, at least 20 kilometres of which require intensive summer clearance.

The Ferrari Cobram 4-wheel drive compact tractor was purchased for its manoeuvrability in tight areas and its stability on uneven ground. The low profile vehicle has a tight turning radius and is specifically designed for confined space work like this. This particular model is the Cobram 65RS, powered by a 49hp VM emission controlled engine and with front wheel steering and 12 forward and 12 reverse gears. Also available are 46hp and 56hp along with articulated versions and the option of reverse direction drive.

The one being used in East Sussex is fitted with a fold-down protective roll bar, which meets stringent EU standards. Its chassis, and that of all Cobram models, oscillates front to back about 15 degrees, so work on uncertain terrain like the Heathfield footpath is made all the more easier and maximum traction maintained at all times. The driver’s seat and steering column can be adjusted to suit the operator.

Alistair says that previously this work was done using a less stable tractor with a flail unit in a fixed position rigidly behind the vehicle. It meant that passes had to be made exactly over uncut material with the consequence of regular punctures. Behind the new Ferrari Cobram by 3-point linkage is an offset mulching unit, the Seppi SMWA specifically designed for awkward undulating, winding or sloping areas. Alistair says the job of tackling brambles, nettles and general excess undergrowth is now much easier and the risk of punctures gone. There is ample side shift to the right – with a maximum of 144cm – and together with independent hydraulic angling from 90° up to 50° down the mulcher can cope with every type of terrain and undergrowth encountered on countryside pathways. Maximum working speed is 5km/h. and features include front and rear protection, anti-shock device, and a support roller adjustable in height by 5cm.

The complete range of Ferrari tractors is on sale in the UK exclusively from Lamberhurst Engineering.