Bath Race Course contractor PVSGM doubles aeration fleet

By Alistair June 10, 2018 06:29 Updated

South Wales contractor Peter Villars Sportsgrounds Maintenance (PVSGM) has doubled its aerator fleet. In January the Cwmbran-based family business added a Wiedenmann Terra Spike XD6 to its existing Wiedenmann Terra Spike GXi8 HD.

Director, Iestyn John, said: “We need to cover lots of ground fast. Clients want you in and out so they can get on with their business. Even at speed the Wiedenmanns can be relied upon do a neat and tidy job.”

Ahead of the season launching Easter meeting at Bath Race Course, PVSGM spiked the whole race course easily within a normal working day.

Iestyn working with his father, Steve John, said because of relentless poor weather it was the first occasion they had the machines in tandem.

“The Bath track is about seven hectares. We started in the home straight with the tractors facing separate directions. Tine holders on the legs of XD are slightly further apart than the GXi8 so hole patterns weren’t strictly identical but matched closely. Both were set to 150mm deep with heave at 10° as the roots are quite shallow and there’s a base of Cotswold stone beneath. We kept to a steady 3km/hr.

“Last year the same job took us two days. Now with the extra Terra Spike when we see a weather window, clients will get the benefit. We can get the jobs done faster.“

PVSGM has been operating in south Wales and the south west for over 30 years. With several race courses on its books it also maintains and renovates bowls, tennis rugby, cricket and football surfaces as well as helping a host of synthetic customers.