For Scott O’Nyons, grounds manager at Reading Football Club’s stadium and training ground, when it comes to their equipment longevity and reliability aren’t just ‘nice to haves’, it’s an operational necessity. Delivering exactly that is a trio of LM2700 mowers from Baroness which, after more than a decade of service, continue to deliver reliable performance and an exceptional quality of cut week-in, week-out.
Scott began at the club 19 years ago as an apprentice. Today, he oversees a team of 10 staff working across the stadium and 130-acre training ground. With a demanding schedule and limited time between training sessions, machinery performance is critical. “From a productivity perspective, we explored the options available in the ride-on, multi-unit market and took delivery of our first Baroness LM2700 in 2013” he explains. “Impressed with its performance we quickly added a further two LM2700’s to the fleet which remain fully operational, while the oldest has only recently been retired for parts.”
“Considering they’re more than a decade old and have clocked up a huge number of hours, they’ve been incredibly reliable mowers.” Across all three machines, one fact that stands out to Scott is that the club have never had to replace a single cylinder reel. “The reels are extremely robust and even when you inevitably catch a hidden contaminant in the ground, it barely leaves a blemish – a quick re-grind is all that’s needed and you’re back on your way.”
The LM2700’s five-unit configuration has been central to improving productivity, maintaining the 10 grass pitches at the training ground quickly, without compromising presentation. Scott explains how Baroness worked closely alongside the Reading team initially to refine the cutting set up for football, “In the early years we worked with Adam Butler then more recently Luke Collins who helped us fine-tune bedknife angles, grinding setup and seasonal adjustments to achieve that desired finish. The support from Baroness, together with local dealers Lister Wilder has always been fantastic.”
And the result of that collaboration? An exceptionally high quality of cut that supports year-round plant health and presentation. “We run predominantly at 24mm height of cut in the summer, rising slightly to 26mm through the autumn.” Scott adds, “Despite their size, the machines distribute weight impressively well, so we get the speed and efficiency we need without compaction.”
He concludes, “Many will know that the club has navigated a challenging few years, but these Baroness machines have given us dependable performance year after year which is invaluable.”
For more information on the Baroness range, including the LM551B five-unit fairway mower which supersedes the LM2700, visit baronessuk.com.