Irelands Farms Limited look after 1700 acres split between their base at Grange Farm near Sleaford and 6 contract farms within a 13 mile radius. Mark Ireland talks to us about his relationship with Bailey, which started 25 years ago when the business purchased 2 Beeteaper trailers that are still hard at work today.
You run Bailey Beeteapers, what was behind your decision to order them?
We were running an ageing fleet of trailers; none of which were ideal for carting beet. Back then Beeteaper trailers were fairly new to the market, we thought we should have a look at them. In 2000 we bought two 18 tonne Beeteapers through Sharmans Agricultural, they were our first Bailey trailers. In 2020 we added a third 18 tonne Bailey Beeteaper to the fleet.
Did you specify any options, if so which and why?
Flotation tyres and air brakes were a priority. We also had a secondary drawbar for pulling trailers in tandem.
Is there an option / feature that you couldn’t do without?
Definitely flotation tyres, they work extremely well in the field during the winter months and hardly leave a mark. I would also say LED lights and the extra lights at the top of the rear door, they ensure we are very visible on the road.
What duties are the trailers being used to support?
Carting beet throughout September to March. During harvest of combinable crops – wheat, barley, oilseed rape and beans we use 2 and sometimes all 3 trailers as we’re working flat out on long days.
What do you look for in a trailer?
We’re working within a radius of approximately 13 miles from base, travelling on A and B roads, therefore, we need trailers that give us confidence on the road. Reliability is key to the smooth running of our operation and we want a durability, we put our machinery through its paces.
How do you find the performance of the sprung drawbar in relation to the ride in the tractor?
Unless you’ve used a trailer with a standard drawbar, you don’t appreciate the smoothness of ride that a sprung drawbar brings. I wouldn’t consider a trailer without a sprung drawbar now.
How does the higher opening door help with heaping, scraping and levelling beat?
We hadn’t realised what a difference this door would make prior to using one. Previously we used a teleporter on the beet clamp, which now happens very rarely. More often than not, well organised tipping negates any further pushing up before loading. In effect we’ve saved time by losing an operation, which also reduces potential damage to the crop.
How much easier do the extra lights make when reversing up to a heap at night?
We had the extra reversing lights fitted when our original 2 Beeteaper trailers were refurbished by Bailey in 2015. We were so impressed that we specified them on our later trailer. These lights make tipping at night so much easier, whether we’re backing up to a heap of beet or into the stores during cereal harvest, visibility is much clearer and therefore safer for the operator.
Do you run any other Bailey trailers; can you tell us what they are?
We also run a 14 tonne Bailey flatbed trailer. This trailer is used to cart fertiliser, seeds and bales, it’s a real workhorse around the farm. Like our Beeteapers, this trailer is very well made, it’s 10 years old and has stood the test of time fantastically well.
How would you rate the back-up from Bailey?
Absolutely first class. We are only 3 miles from the factory, it has been easy for us to address the few breakdowns over very many years. I like the fact that at the same time that Bailey has invested in fabrication, they have also invested in the parts side of the business. Bailey build a trailer that will last for years and are prepared to back it throughout its long working life.
Can you sum up what owning Bailey trailers means to your business?
Introducing Bailey trailers to our business over 25 years ago has made a real difference to the reliability of our farm haulage operations. The trailers are very well matched to the latest tractors; therefore, we know we’re safe on the roads and we’re not leaving a big footprint in the field. Bailey trailers are fantastic products, from an operational and financial perspective they speak for themselves.
About Bailey Beeteaper trailers
Our Beeteaper range is designed especially for transporting and heaping beet and features a unique tipping angle of approximately 60°. We fit longer side arms and rams, which enables the rear door to open higher when compared to conventional trailers. This extra clearance permits the heaping, scraping and levelling of beet to a height of around 9’. Although Beeteapers are designed primarily for beet, they are just as dependable when transporting grain and other crops.
Read more about our Beeteaper trailers here ››
