Operator Dale takes on the trees with a JCB 150X HD

"You can grab, saw, and then move the tree all in one go." explains operator Dale, who uses a JCB 150X HD combined with a Powerhand grapple saw from Field and Forest Machinery LTD and Rototilt Ltd tiltrotator to perform his daily tree surgery tasks. 

Peter Haddock met Dale on site with Rupert Arneil of The Cotswolds Group to see how he was delicately cutting tree branches close to live powerlines, using the machine provided by Holt JCB Limited and financed through JCB Finance Ltd.

Dale: "I have been operating machines since I was 17, working in lots of different roles. But I really enjoy this job as it's so varied and I get to travel around the country.

When you are doing work like this, it's very specialist, and you need the right tools for the job.

"I have to manoeuvre the attachment precisely into some very tight spots. So, the control I have over the tiltrotator is very important. Often, other people ask me how hard it is to operate?  

"Once you're used to it, it's straightforward. It's very user-friendly, which is what you need when you're dealing with jobs like this, and you tend to get muscle memory, so it comes more naturally."

Another key factor in Dale's success is the support he receives from Holt JCB. "You can't fault them," he says. "They're always just a phone call away, and we've got LiveLink so they can see everything, including where the machine is, how many hours it's done, any error codes etc."

It was certainly great watching Dale in action and seeing how he was able to take down some very tall and heavy branches with ease.