Two AFT machines aid in youth football development

Two AFT machines are currently involved in a substantial football pitch construction project at Dukinfield Youth Football Club, Cheshire, in conjunction with the STRI and the Football Association. BPG Sportsground Contractors Ltd. of Bardsley near Oldham were the chosen contractors for the site where their scope of works has included moving around 16,000 m3 of soil to reshape two existing poorly drained and constructed pitches into four new pitches with a security fencing surround. A one year old AFT100 machine has been put to work in establishment of around 2500 linear metres of lateral drains plus 400 linear metres of mains.

The tender for the works at Dukinfield was won by BPG in the middle of last year, and the company replaced their previous AFT100 with a new machine, which was delivered in November 2005. Specified with a 125mm wide tooth set on a 1.2m boom, the AFT100 was also delivered with a high lift soil clear up conveyor and equipment ready to accept a laser grading system. This allows grading of drains, ensuring positive water flow from each pitch to the main drains.

BPG's Bryn Winston explains how the AFT100 has been working at Dukinfield: "The AFT100 trencher has proven to be a great asset to both the Dukinfield project and to our fleet. With the machine we have been installing in excess of 600 linear metres per day. Its versatility is such that it has allowed us to trench a main drain in the morning at 200mm width and then change teeth in the afternoon to trench out laterals at 125mm.

"Added to this, the continued success of the AFT Wizz Wheel 55 for sand slitting on other projects will mean we will be utilising this machine on the Dukinfield pitches once they have been seeded and sufficient grass cover allows machinery to work without damage. We estimate that we will cover around 40,000 linear metres of sand slitting with this machine over the four pitches" Mr Winston concludes.

Photo: BPG's AFT100 working at Dukinfield.