Sale Sports Club embraces battery mowing with Dennis ES-510
Sale Sports Club groundsman Iain Harrop is embracing the benefits of battery-powered turf maintenance after switching from the petrol FT-510 to the Dennis ES-510 electric cylinder mower.
Responsible for the club’s cricket, football and rugby pitches, as well as its artificial tennis courts, Ian has been at the heart of maintaining the facility to an exceptionally high standard. For the past seven years, Sale Sports Club has also served as the host training facility for the Lancashire women’s cricket programme and has welcomed a range of high-profile fixtures and teams.
The venue has hosted several List A women’s matches, Second XI men’s county four-day games and, three years ago, the Australia Ashes cricket team. More recently, the club was selected by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to host training days for Sri Lanka, Scotland and Ireland ahead of the Women’s World Cup.
With the club surrounded by residential properties, keeping noise to a minimum is an important consideration for the grounds team. This has made the transition from petrol-powered equipment to battery technology particularly valuable.
“We’ve always had a Dennis machine here,” explains Iain. “We changed from the petrol FT510 to the new ES-510 two years ago, and I’m keen to go down the battery route on the machines and be more environmentally friendly. For us, the ES-510 really fits the bill for cutting the square and pitches.”
Quiet operation a major advantage
The reduction in noise is one of the most significant benefits for Iain, particularly given the club’s location within a residential community.
“The key benefits of electric and battery over petrol are obviously lower noise and lower vibration,” says Iain. “The biggest benefit for me is with all the houses locally. We’re not supposed to start work with any noisy machines before 8am. This means that when I’m busy and need to get on early, I can now do so with the ES-510. There are no complaints from the neighbours.”
The Dennis E-Series is designed to provide ultra-low noise and vibration, making it particularly suitable for turf maintenance in environments where disturbance is a concern.
For Iain, however, the benefits extend well beyond quiet operation.
Battery performance delivers on the cricket square
The 12-pitch cricket square at Sale Sports Club is cut regularly using the ES-510’s 10-blade cylinder mower, with Iain typically cutting the square two, three or even four times a week when conditions and workload allow.
“The battery life is fantastic. I can cut the square more than three times on a single charge. There are 12 pitches on the square and I can be up and down at least three times before it needs a recharge.”
The rapid recharge capability also helps keep the mower ready for work when required.
“Its recharge is very quick – around 40 minutes and it’s full battery again,” Iain adds.
The ES-510 provides a 1.5kWh battery system and is designed to deliver extended working capability on fine turf surfaces, while retaining the performance and versatility expected from a professional cylinder mower.
One machine, multiple applications
Another major advantage for Sale Sports Club is the ES-510’s cassette system.
Iain uses a range of interchangeable cassettes, including a sorrel roller, brush, scarifier and verticut cassette, allowing one power unit to perform a variety of essential turf maintenance operations.
“The verticut cassette is absolutely key for great pitches,” he explains. “It gets rid of all the horizontal grass which affects the ball bounce, leaves the vertical grass and gives me a great cutting base.”
The ability to use interchangeable cassettes also means the move from petrol to battery does not require a complete change in working practices. The ES-510 uses the same cassette concept as the Dennis FT range, allowing existing operators to make the transition while retaining compatible equipment.
Precision control for professional turf maintenance
For Iain, precision and ease of adjustment are equally important.
“The key for me is the speed adjustment,” he says. “Whatever speed you’re running at, the cassette is cutting at whatever you’ve set it to. You don’t have to run behind it to keep up with the machine. You just know that everything is set perfectly to how you want it.”
The ES-510 also features simple height-of-cut adjustment, allowing Iain to make changes quickly between operations.
“The height adjustment is really simple – two knobs on the front, one on each side. As long as you’ve got an idea of where you’re at, you don’t need a setting bar for every operation- there are four clicks in a mm.”
Supporting the club’s sustainability ambitions
The move to battery-powered mowing forms part of Iain’s ambition to reduce reliance on petrol-powered equipment while maintaining the performance required for high-level sports surfaces.
For a venue that regularly prepares pitches for county cricket, international teams and elite women's cricket, reliability and quality remain paramount.
“I’d definitely recommend Dennis,” concludes Iain. “It’s a fantastic machine. British-made, reliable and long-lasting – and that’s the key to great pitches.”
The Dennis ES-510 is a professional 20-inch battery-powered cassette mower designed for fine turf applications including cricket, bowls, golf, tennis and lawns. Its low-noise, emission-free operation, interchangeable cassette system and precise cutting controls make it suited to sports clubs and other locations where turf quality and reduced environmental impact are priorities.
