John Bezzant recommends the 310 Barrow Trailer as ideal for any smallholding
Article date: 12 August 2008
Trying to run a smallholding without a trailer is like trying to bake a cake without eggs, a total disaster so every smallholder needs as part of their basic kit a reliable and versatile trailer.
Trailers can basically be divided into three distinct categories there are tractor trailers with a one tonne plus capacity, small ATV/Sit on mower trailers with a 500 to700kg capacity and then there is the most versatile trailer of them all, the combination trailer that can be used as a hand barrow or as a trailed barrow simply by adding or removing a detachable tow bar. A very good example of the combination type trailer is the Henchman 310 Barrow Trailer, which I have been testing on my highland smallholding for many months subjecting it to hundreds of hours of gruelling work in all weathers and it has shown itself to be a very robust piece of equipment with a large range of applications. Before I get into the barrow,s actual construction let me first tell you how it performed.
Where I live on the North East coast of the Highlands it is classified as the windiest place in Europe which can prove very problematic at times such as when I needed to clean out several goat stalls after kidding. My usual trailer reverses to the goat shed doors and then I load it up, the hurricane winds whipping quarter of the load from every pitch fork full and scattering it all over the smallholding which makes the place look untidy, can block drains and is a potential breeding ground for bacteria. The Henchman 310 however did not have to sit outside the goat shed, because it is so narrow that I just pushed it straight through the door and was able to load it up totally unaffected by the wind. Looking at the barrow I thought that it was pretty shallow and so would only be able to hold about one and a half wheelbarrows which would mean dozens of trips to the muck heap, but how very wrong I was - the 310 Barrow Trailer just keep swallowing up the straw and muck, the pile getting higher and higher till the pile in the barrow was so tall I did not think it would fit back through the door. To ensure that I did not lose my load in the strong wind I fastened a ratchet strap over the straw and muck, which was as easy as pie as there are a dozen or so anchorage points on the barrow that are strong and reliable.
With the 310 hitched to my sit on mower and set of at speed in the 40mph wind bouncing and bumping over the rough ground in my haste to get my cargo to the muck heap before the wind had managed to scatter it every where, despite the rough ride and strong winds and its huge burden the 310 Barrow Trailer didn’t for a second exhibit any signs of instability. When I arrived at the muck heap I was pleasantly surprised to discover that not so much as a teaspoon of the load had been lost the straps holding it so firmly in place.
The other day I wanted to cart 400lts of water from my rain barrels up to the poly tunnel, I normally do this by filling four 25ltr plastic jerry cans and carrying them up to the poly and whilst this operation keeps me very fit and strong it also takes up an awful lot of time, but then it struck me that the Henchman Barrow Trailer is a water tight structure and all I needed to do was place a lid on top to stop the water from splashing out when I was towing the barrow and I would have myself a very effective bowser. A few scrap pieces of wood served as the lid, which I lashed down tightly to the large anchorage points on the side of the barrow. I then got my newly acquired water pump and within minutes the Henchman Barrow was holding 200ltrs of water. Now came the tricky bit of driving it over the rough ground to the poly tunnel, the lid I had bodged together was not totally water tight and I wondered how much water would actually be left once I had finished negotiating the rough ground. To my delight I lost no more than 2 or 3ltrs during the course of the short but bumpy journey and I put this down to the construction of the 310, though it is not fitted with suspension of any kind the lightweight plastic body seems to absorb concussion just like a punch bag which means that it gives a silky smooth ride. With just two trips taking about half an hour I had transferred 400ltrs of water from my rain barrels to the water tank at the poly tunnel, I was beginning to realize that the Henchman Barrow Trailer was a very useful bit of kit that could make a lot of the smallholders' little chores a lot easier and quicker to perform. The Henchman Barrow Trailer may not be the biggest or the longest on the market but it is certainly one of the most versatile. With a board placed across the back of the barrow secured down to the anchorage points on the side of the barrow with a pair of ratchet straps you have a portable work bench that can be taken anywhere on the holding with the tools and materials carried in the barrow beneath.
The 310 can also serve as a dog bath, just fill it half full with tepid water throw in the dog and away you go. As you can see its uses are quiet endless the bench across the back can be used as a potting up bench with the compost in the barrow beneath.
One very note worthy feature of the 310 barrow is the moveable axle which can be placed in any one of 2 positions. Position 1 is used when the barrow is moved by hand and in this positions the weight within the barrow is born by the axle with hardly any weight being transferred to the handles, making the barrow, even when heavily laden, easy to pull and manover. Axle position 2 is employed when the barrow is being towed and in this position a significant amount of the weight within the barrow is transferred to the hitch with the effect of bearing down on the vehicles back axle which ensures good traction especially in wet and muddy conditions.
The 310 is also a tipping trailer, you simply pull back a spring loaded catch and push the body up which pivots remarkably easily, even when fully loaded to its maximum 400kg capacity then drive forward and the barrow empties itself. The Henchman 310 barrow Trailer costs £395.00 which is not cheap, but having put this barrow through its paces I can honestly say that is a fairly sound investment. The 310 being made from plastic means that it will not rot and so it will last a life time and could easily be passed onto your children when the time comes to hand the smallholding over to them. The rims and tyres are also of an exceptionally high standard. If re painted every five years the rims will also last a life time and I reckon that the tyres have about fifteen years of wear in them before they will need to be changed. If you are looking for a combination trailer for use around your smallholding then I can thoroughly recommend the 310 Barrow Trailer as a versatile quality product which I enjoyed using.
