MF 3707 AL is pitch perfect

When the time came to replace an ageing tractor, groundsman, John Ralphs certainly did his homework. After detailed research, a visit to the LAMMA machinery show and hands-on testing, way out in front came the MF 3707 AL.

“For my purposes, I found that many of the tractors were either too big and heavy, or too small and narrow,” he says. “The MF 3707 is just the right size – good for grass work, road work and hedge cutting. It’s ideal for what I want, not too big and not too small. I was really pleased when I saw that Massey Ferguson had launched this tractor!”

John has more than 28 years’ experience in amenity maintenance, working for Wem Town Council in Shropshire. A large part of his role is the maintenance of areas managed by WEM Sports and Social Association (WSSA). The association was established to provide and maintain the town’s sporting and recreational facilities on behalf of the Town Council. For John, that means looking after the grassed areas of the town – from football pitches to public open spaces, grass verges and hedges.

As a lone worker, he operates to a busy schedule. This makes the tractor his key workmate so it has to be right.

Most days will see him jump in the cab at 7.30 am for a full shift operating a range of implements including a hedge cutter, turf slitter, fertiliser spreader, roller, trailer and link box. “The tractor is my only vehicle at work so I also use it a lot on the road for transport and moving equipment and tools,” he says.

The 75hp MF 3707 AL is equipped with Alliance 550 Multiuse tyres particularly specified by John to meet his requirements for versatile performance on grass and on the road. “My local MF dealer, Pughs were very good from the start, and sourced and fitted the tyres,” he explains.

John’s local branch of Pughs is based at Market Drayton and salesman, Michael Salisbury, worked closely with him to put together the ideal specification.

In selecting the perfect tractor, John’s main criteria were weight, visibility, access in and out of the cab, and environmental impact.

With its light, compact frame the MF 3707 AL weighs in at just 3355kg. “For grassland operations I need a machine that has adequate power but isn’t too heavy. We don’t want to mark the pitches especially when working on the grounds in the winter months,” John emphasises.

“Hedge cutting is a big part of my job and visibility out of the left-hand side of the cab is very important. In some of the tractors I tried, when looking left at the hedge, the view was obscured by the side pillar. The MF 3707 has bigger side windows and the cab is a better design for what I want to do.”

“The tractor works really well with our hedge cutter and the clutchless gear change is very impressive, making the job far easier and more enjoyable. It’s easy to get in and out of the cab and it’s a comfortable place to work. I have the optional deluxe (air-suspended) seat, air conditioning and DAB radio.”

On the environmental side, the 3.4 litre, four-cylinder engine complies with Stage 3B emissions regs without the need for AdBlue, thanks to the common-rail injection electronic engine management and All-in-One technology. This unit contains all the after-treatment components and is mounted outside the bonnet which helps improve forward visibility.

“A lot of the smaller tractors available can be a bit basic but the MF 3707 AL has a nice level of equipment,” John sums up. “I take great pride in the finish of the pitches and looking after my machinery. The MF 3707 is a great grassland tractor and a really good-looking machine too.”

Click here to find out more about the MF 3700 AL