The site was home to great crested newts


material was compacted in layers using a 13 ton vibrating roller to consolidate the clay and to prevent future settlement. The total earthworks amounted to over 1,000 machine hours. As the bigger machines left the site, the subsoil was levelled and laser graded using a CAT D5 to a tolerance of 50mm, followed by a Blec Laser Grader to get the final tolerance of + or - 10mm. Following this operation, the topsoil was reinstated and laser graded, and then “ripped” a number of times as conditions dictated, to aerate the soil and alleviate the compaction created when the soil had been placed tightly in the bunds for storage.


When the soil was deemed to be workable it was power harrowed, stone buried, and then rolled to consolidate the surface.


On the half of the site


where there was very little cut and fill work required, it was possible to redistribute the topsoil to achieve the required levels. These areas were also rotovated but were then ploughed by a local farming contractor to turn over the topsoil and aerate the soil.


The levels of each pitch


were assessed individually and, in many cases, the topsoil was stripped, the sub soil graded, with the topsoil reinstated before final grading. The pitches were then power harrowed, stone buried and rolled.


An extensive drainage system was installed, pipe drainage using 100mm diameter laterals at 5 - 10 metre spacings and 150mm


diameter mains, connecting into the concrete


storm water drains previously installed by the main contractor.


The lateral pipe work was installed using 2 AFT whiz wheel trenchers, with the mains installed with a Mastenbroek trencher. The secondary phase of the drainage works was the installation of gravel and sand slits at 2.5m spacings using the AFT whiz wheel. The sand was compacted at the time of installation to minimise the impact of future settlement. Following the slits a 20mm sand dressing was applied to aid the surface drainage of the pitches and to allow drainage water to enter the sand slits, this was lightly ameliorated into the surface before seeding.


In total over 9,000 linear


metres of piped drains were installed and approximately 3000 tons of gravel and 3500


Days OFF!


tons of sand were used to improve the drainage of the pitches. With a seeding date planned for September, there was a tight programme for all these works.


The weather was also a factor in how the job progressed, especially with heavy lorries running across the site. There were frustrating days when suppliers could not supply sand fast enough in 8 wheeler trucks and sent articulated lorries in convoys which were prone to getting stuck on the site at the merest hint of rain. The coordination of deliveries and storage of materials was a daily concern during August as there were other contractors working around the site access at the same time installing new storm drains, sewers, kerbs, pipes and cable services


for the sports buildings. Following the final cultivation the pitches were prepared with a pre seeding N:P:K fertiliser and seeding took place on time, during September, while soil temperatures were still warm enough to ensure quick germination. The pitches were seeded


in three directions using Barenbrug's Bar 8 @ 35g/m2. On average, germination was visible within a week. The first cut took place on October 14th using a tractor mounted driven roller mower set at 35mm cutting height. Due to the mild conditions during the Autumn and the active grass growth, four cuts were carried out prior to the grass growth tailing off in late November.


At the time of writing the natural pitches are progressing well, with the hand over date for the grassed areas planned for May 2006.


Article courtesy of Peter Jones Associates Ltd: 01525 280 573.


... or what Pitchcare readers get up to out of office hours


LEIGH CASLING - Day time job - Contracts Manager, Leisure job - Elvis Presley impersonator: I have been in this industry for 23 years working for John O’Connor, a contracting firm based in the St Albans/Harpenden area. I have gradually worked my way up in the company and am now responsible for a team of 47 staff. We are responsible for maintaining a wide range of facilities including two bowling greens, eight cricket tables, forty football pitches and three large parks, plus highways verges and amenity grass areas. In my spare time I take on a new identity. It all began three years ago when one of the company's directors, Paul Wood, was leaving the firm, I was asked to perform at his leaving do. I sang a few Elvis Presley numbers that went down so well some people in the audience were willing to book me for more work. This led to an opportunity to enter Europe’s Elvis competition in Blackpool in January 2005, which I won and I’ve not looked back since. I’ve appeared on Sky TV and have recently finished a TV documentary about Elvis called Death in Excess. I do enjoy performing, it is great way to unwind after a busy week. One of my favourite Elvis songs is ‘I’m all shook up’, but there is no truth in the rumour that my favourite grounds maintenance machine is the Earthquake! Leigh has his own website www.leevis.co.uk


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