When you have 11,000 acres of grass land across Crawley to keep under control, all with differing requirements, Derek Charman of Crawley Borough Council says he is pleased he influenced the decision to buy two Progressive TDR15's from The Grass Group in 2013.


Derek Charman of Crawley Borough Council with one of his Progressive TDR15s

Derek operates the plant at Crawley Borough Council to keep the parks, open spaces, playing fields, 18 hole pitch and putt,70 football/rugby pitches and 9 cricket outfields under his remit in trim.

To do so the two TDR15's are kept in good use between March and November; now in their second season he says they have lived up to the promise they showed during initial test and Derek, along with Fleet Manager Graham Satchwell, is very pleased with them.

There are many aspects of the machine that have impressed Derek. For example he says it enables him to cut very early in the season which would normally be difficult due to wet ground. However, due to the TDR15 being very light it doesn't cause any damage to the surfaces that a heavier machine would. Transporting the TDR is easy, he says, you don't even know you've got it on the back of the tractor it is so light.

Some of the pitches he tends to are only open spaces so in one day he can cut 6 large areas in around six/seven hours. He manages to cut the pitch and putt golf course in one day.  Once the cricket outfields are prepared he will have to cut these twice a week, in a circular fashion.