Shelbourne Reynolds hedger cuts traffic risks

Agricultural contractor Aled Jones, operates a general purpose contracting service within a 15 mile radius of Llanygynin, St Clears, Carmarthenshire. His services include Direct Drilling, Round Baling, Spraying, Fertilising and Hedge-trimming to name but a few. Aled’s principle philosophy is to provide the very best service to his customers because a good job done normally means repeat business, which in turn encourages continued success for the future.  

Investing in a second Shelbourne Reynolds Hedge-trimmer was testament indeed to an increasing demand for his services, - his workload effectively doubled, but his new hedger was a little bit different to his previous model, explains Aled, “I’ve had a five and a half metre Shelbourne Reynolds hedger now for some six years and it had proven itself for performance and reliability. I can’t afford to operate anything that isn’t reliable because it affects my reputation with my customers if I’m always repairing kit and turning up late. I’ve learned that when a customer wants something done, he wants it done properly and on time. Two years ago I invested in a second Shelbourne Reynolds hedger, the larger telescopic 760 model, which has a massive six and a half metre reach and a one and a half metre flail head.”

Aled saw the new Shelbourne Reynolds 760 Hedger at TAG, his local John Deere dealer in Narberth and decided to have a demonstration. He was so impressed with the ease of use and how it fitted to his John Deere 6920 tractor, that he bought the first one of its kind in the region. “I don’t normally buy the first of a model, rather wait until it’s proven itself, said Aled. “But I buy most of my machinery from TAG in Narberth and have dealt with them over the past seventeen years. They have such a good back-up service that I was really confident that they would stand behind me. Since I bought the 760, it’s been amazing. It operates for about one thousand hours a season, has been exceptionally reliable and does a really excellent job. I spent a little more on it by choosing competition flails, which really leave a very even and fine finish - my customers love to see their hedges looking so trim. It also has a pivotal head so I can get right up close around telegraph poles, without leaving those annoying tufts around the pole base, that would normally make the hedge look very untidy.”

One of the other benefits that Shelbourne Reynolds 760 Telescopic hedger boasts is the ability of the boom to fold-in close behind the tractor, especially when carrying out close work. Commented Aled, “one of the dangers in hedge-cutting on local roads used to be where the boom of the hedger used to stick out way past the tractor and that would restrict traffic passing and could easily cause an accident. It would also have been frustrating for drivers trying to pass. The new Shelbourne 760 folds in tight behind the tractor and is within the tractor width and so avoids restrictions to traffic. I’m sure many drivers will experience the benefit when I’m working the narrow lanes.” he concluded.