Stuart Taylor rides to Olympic Park rescue

Charmian Robinsonin Industry News

Des Smith Head Gardener Willerby Landscapes.jpg 1
When Stuart Taylor International arrived at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with two of their powerful Gianni Ferrari Turbo Cruiser mower collectors they were responding to a head gardener's call for help.

Des Smith works for Willerby Landscapes Ltd - the main construction and landscape sub-contractors to Skanska at the Olympic Park.

"We had completed the laying of new turf around the South Events area under the Orbit some weeks back," says Des.

"It was essential that the grass was mowed and in excellent condition as part of the preparations for the official opening by Prince Harry on April 4th."

But, on the evening of Friday March 30th, Des received a call from their regular mowing contractor saying their mowing equipment was out of action.

Gianni Ferrari Cruiser mowers at QE Olympic Park (1)
Des contacted a local plant and machinery company who recommended Stuart Taylor. "They were one of the few companies with the right equipment for mowing, collecting and creating the right visual impact on completion," says Des.

After a number of phone calls and emails between the two companies, Stuart assured Des that he had the right equipment for the job and would send his men and machines over the next day - Saturday March 31st.

Travelling down from their headquarters in Blackburn, Lancashire, in the early hours Stuart Taylor's men were on site and ready to go by 9.00am.

An area of 14,500 square metres was mown, with all cuttings collected and disposed of, using two Gianni Ferrari Turbo Cruisers. These robust mower/collectors have a very fast work rate with the new 44hp engine and a top speed of 18km/h.

As they are compact and very manoeuvrable, they can easily negotiate obstacles and narrow pathways. The 1300 litre grass collector, together with a high dump elevator delivers consistent, high productivity over large areas.

Gianni Ferrari Cruiser mowers at QE Olympic Park (2)
Managing director Stuart Taylor was delighted to have been able to help. "We understood the pressure Des was under and knew that the Gianni Ferrari machines were perfect for this job," he says. "They are fast, efficient and clean when working and leave an attractive striped effect - fit for a Prince."

"I am more than happy with the results," says Des. "I was impressed with Stuart's knowledge of the different machines - he took the time and trouble to establish exactly what I needed and sent the right machines for the task.

"It may have been short notice, but Stuart's men delivered a professional job with the finish I required."

Article Tags:
Industry news

Want the latest news, ideas and exclusive offers direct to your inbox?
Then sign up to our weekly newsletter today.