tractor,quad or lawn mower

[Wendelspanswick]

Not really a tractor, quad or lawn mower but an Autoscythe, I bought it to tackle the bracken that is invading from the wood into the meadow.
Cost me £12 to buy plus £18 for a new condenser, plug and HT lead.
It starts first pull and it propels you along at a gentle walking pace with the cutter bar chattering away in front of you:

You can change the cutter bar on the front to a spinning disc with cutting blades and you can also stick a wheeled seat on the back to save you walking!

[Meadowcopse]

Without going all 'elf & safety' too much, depending on your public liability insurance, employers liability insurance for helpers (paid or unpaid), will you be using it / them on a public footpath through your woods and have the vehicles machines been modified and do they have their own vehicle statutory insurance?

The above is why I prefer to have a conventional compact tractor with road legal insurance and an appropriate woodland insurance policy ('helpers' are specifically covered under an employers liability aspect).
The cost for all the above peace of mind is about £1 a day and covers trailers and tools associated with the tractor to an agreed value...

[Dexter's Shed]

that looks a mean bit of kit, would love one, great for taking trespassers by the ankles

[Wendelspanswick]

Without going all 'elf & safety' too much, depending on your public liability insurance, employers liability insurance for helpers (paid or unpaid), will you be using it / them on a public footpath through your woods and have the vehicles machines been modified and do they have their own vehicle statutory insurance?

The above is why I prefer to have a conventional compact tractor with road legal insurance and an appropriate woodland insurance policy ('helpers' are specifically covered under an employers liability aspect).
The cost for all the above peace of mind is about £1 a day and covers trailers and tools associated with the tractor to an agreed value...

I have two full size tractors, a Fergie TE20 and a John Deere 2130, but one of our meadows is too steep to take the tractor and topper on to safely. The Autoscythe is for these areas.
The Autoscythe is unmodified, it looked like that when new apart from being shinier then. It is 60 years old after all!
As to whether it needs specific vehicle insurance it's never going to be used on the road and it's a grey area as to whether it's a vehicle as it has no steering or seat so it won't be getting insured! One years premium would be more than it cost me.

[Meadowcopse]

Apologies Wendlespanswick - my reply was to Dexter's modified mowers.
(Technology caused a skip to the previous page).
I used to have an Allen Scythe similar to the auto-scythe, but actually found a Hayter Hayterette mower to be easier / better (although it mulches rather than leaving long hay).
I sometimes use a 5 foot bar / knife mower behind the Kubota, but still swear by an Austrian scythe and hay-rake in the meadow / orchard...

[Dexter's Shed]

Without going all 'elf & safety' too much, depending on your public liability insurance, employers liability insurance for helpers (paid or unpaid), will you be using it / them on a public footpath through your woods and have the vehicles machines been modified and do they have their own vehicle statutory insurance?

The above is why I prefer to have a conventional compact tractor with road legal insurance and an appropriate woodland insurance policy ('helpers' are specifically covered under an employers liability aspect).
The cost for all the above peace of mind is about £1 a day and covers trailers and tools associated with the tractor to an agreed value...

in that case, the answer would be no,no and no

[Meadowcopse]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... rance.html