Crop establishment trends might come and go, but whatever the cultivation or drilling regime, there’s almost always a role for the humble Cambridge roll.

Beyond the usual seed-bed consolidation tasks, these versatile tools can also be adapted to carry out cultivation work, slug pellet and Avadex application, and seed cover crops and environmental margins.

For years, 6m was the most common width, but rising acreages have seen a significant upsizing, to the point where 12m models are now the biggest sellers for some makers.

Pulling power for rolls of this size can be as low as 130hp, but heavier sets used on hills will need nearer the 200hp mark.

Adding levelling boards considerably ups the power requirement, but the amount varies according to how much soil is moved.

Below, we look at eight options with varying levels of weight, complexity and specification.

Most come with a range of ring sizes to suit different budgets and available power outputs, but there are some variations in the way they follow ground contours and distribute weight along their working width.

Brakes and lighting are standard fitment for most in this size category.

Covid, Brexit and rising demand has seen steel costs double over the past 12 months, so prices for the machines have risen considerably, even though manufacturers have absorbed some of the costs.

We have quoted retail prices, so there should be some discount available, provided there aren’t any more unwelcome rises in charges for raw materials.

See also: Notts farmer opts for massive 24m Brocks rolls

NRH CRS-CB12

NRH builds solid, no nonsense Cambridge rollers at its factory in Seaton Ross, West Yorkshire and its 12.3m five-gang set weighs a reassuring 10.25t with 60cm rings.

These have a fully hydraulic horizontal-folding frame and centre pivoting wings for better contour following.

Ring options are 50, 55 and 60cm and they run on 60mm high-tensile steel axles with triple-sealed bearings, including an extra one in the centre of each section.

As standard, they come with a four-spoke construction, but heavier-duty eight-spoke rings and 10-spoke breaker options are available.

An accumulator on the back of the unit allows the hydraulics to even out the pressure across the gangs, and the simple setup means they can be operated with just two spool valves.

There’s no levelling board option on the 12m roller, but brackets for slug pelleters, Avadex applicators and seeder units are available.

Retail prices start at £31,250 for a 12.3m model with 50cm rings and go up to £33,750 for 60cm.

Dalbo Power Roll

Dalbo has seen a significant rise in demand for larger Cambridge rolls, to the point that the 12.3m, five-section Power Roll is now its biggest seller.

These come with 50, 55, 60 or 62cm rings (55cm is the most popular) in the firm’s Snowflake design. This means they have a series of forked spokes, which Dalbo claims are six times stronger than conventional rings.

Each roller section is fitted with centre bearings as standard, and they are connected to Dalbo’s Duoflex system; this has accumulators that allows sections to articulate and follow ground contours.

It also includes hydraulic weight transfer that evens out the ground pressure across all five sections. Folding is horizontal and can be performed while the implement is stationary.

Total weight for a 12.3m set with 55cm rings is 8.2t and according to the company it can be pulled on flat ground with 130hp plus and about 180hp on hilly terrain.

Optional extras include pre-emergence markers, slug pelleter and Avadex applicator mounting brackets, plus hydraulic levelling boards. These up the power requirement to between 200 and 250hp, depending on the soil and terrain.

Retail prices for a 12.3m set including Cambridge/breaker rings and LED lights start at £31,900. Levelling board kits cost £10,950.

Those looking for a heavier duty set have the option of the Maxi Roll, which comes in at 11.75t.

Vaderstad Rexius

Vaderstad’s Rexius Cambridge rolls come with a raft of optional extras which means they can be used for a wide range of jobs.

These include hydraulic levelling boards with single and twin knife attachments, and the firm’s Biodrill granular applicator and seeder. This can be fitted with either front or rear spreader plates.

Two ring options are offered: standard Cambridge roller and breaker rings that measure 48.5cm, and a 56.5cm heavy-duty set.

Vaderstad says these are designed for stiffer soils and, as they include considerably more metal, they have a longer five-year warranty.

In all cases the rings run on a set of rubber-suspended roller bearings that are designed to absorb impacts and extend the lifespan of machine. Bearings are also double sealed to prevent dust from entering.

The 12.3m model is the largest Rexius on offer and is made up of five sections.

A stong spring arrangement is fitted to transfer weight evenly between each gang to give uniform consolidation. The firm says this avoids the need for a more complex hydraulic system.

Another handy feature is a set of open storage trays that make it easy to collect stones and carry them on the machine.

The 12.3m Rexius weighs 5.8t with a standard set of Cambridge rollers and breaker rings, and 7.7t with the heavy-duty set.

Prices start at £33,520 for the standard roller and the heavy-duty option adds £3,850.

Crossboard Heavy levelling board kits are £7,940 and a Biodrill applicator has a retail price of £11,470. Spreader plates are an extra £2,785 and variable-rate seeding capability can be had for £305.

He-Va King Roller

The chunky King Roller is He-Va’s best-selling set of 12m Cambridge rolls and, at 10.5t with 62cm rings, it’s one of the heaviest to feature in this guide.

It can be specced with plain Cambridge rings or Cambridge rings and breakers in several sizes from 50cm to 62cm.

Smaller options are eight-spoke, mid-range have nine, and the largest have 10 for additional strength.

The frame is a weighty, braced affair, with deep wing pivots that feature Teflon-coated steel bushings top and bottom. Each of the five pivoting roller sections pivots run on 60cm axles and they have centre bearings for additional support.

To help them snake over ground contours, the roller gangs are suspended in the centre and the wing links and centre frame section have some vertical float.

The drawbar eye can also pivot to give additional articulation.

He-Va’s engineers have incorporated a weight transfer system, which has been dubbed Special Active Transfer (SAT). It works by plumbing the hydraulic folding rams into two accumulators, which act as an oil buffer when the rolls are travelling over uneven ground.

This resistance takes pressure off the heavier inner roller sections and transfers it to the lighter outer wings.

Retail prices for a 12.3m King Roller with 50cm rings start at £30,656. Optional extras include a set of stone trays, air brakes and an applicator such as the Opico Micro-Pro.

This can spread Avadex and slug pellets, and apply seeds, and it costs £9,309, including 16 outlets, each fed by its own metering roller.

The King Roller fitting kit – including a platform, steps, hydraulic hose extension and electronic controller – costs £4,692.

Cousins Contour HDHZ

The Contour HDHZ from Cousins is the firm’s premium horizontal-folding set of Cambridge rolls which, unlike most of the competition, comes with seven separate gangs at 12.4m.

Buyers can choose between plain Cambridge rings or rings and breakers in a range of diameters, with 60cm being the most popular.

The frame is fully hydraulic folding, meaning the tractor doesn’t have to move, and the wings are designed to float when they are in work.

They’re a relatively heavy build, with a 12.4m set weighing just over 9t with 61cm plain rings, and 10.3t with 60cm breakers.

Optional extras include hydraulic levelling boards ­– £10,470 for 12.4m – and slug pelleters, seeders and Avadex applicators provided by Techneat.

Pre-em markers aren’t on the options list, but they can be made to order if required.

Retail prices start at £40,840 for a 12.4m set with plain rings and adding breakers puts it up to £44,430.

Buyers looking for a lower-cost alternative still have the option of the firm’s simpler horizontal Sidewinder and traditional vertical-fold models.

McConnel Consolidator

Formerly built by Twose, McConnel’s Consolidator is now fabricated at the former Bamford factory in Salford Priors near Evesham, Worcestershire, which also acts as the UK headquarters for parent group Alamo.

The 12.4m model comes with 55 or 60cm five-spoke Cambridge rollers and breaker rings that are mounted in five gangs running on triple-sealed bearings.

These are supported by a fully hydraulic folding frame, which has a weight transfer system with two accumulators to even out ground pressure.

Each gang is attached to the frame with a centre pivot, which allows them to articulate as they pass over undulations in the field, and there’s a pressure relief system that protects the rams on very uneven ground.

The firm doesn’t offer levelling boards or brackets for slug pelleters and seeders, but there is a place for aftermarket units to be bolted on.

Retail prices for the 12.4m Consolidator start at £38,000. Optional extras include stone trays and road lighting.

Terra Tech Roll On

East Yorkshire engineering outfit Terra Tech builds a broad range of cultivation kit, including Cambridge rolls from 6.3m to 12.3m.

The 12.3m Roll On models come with plain Cambridge or Cambridge and breaker rings in 55cm and 60cm diameters, all of which have four-spoke centres.

They run on 60mm high-tensile axles and are mounted in a box-section frame with 50mm greaseable wing pivots.

Frames have been designed for even weight distribution between each of the five gangs and these are supported in the centre so that they follow ground contours.

There’s a simple folding mechanism that requires the operator to reverse when unfolding and draw forward when packing up at the end of the job.

Levelling board kits are available, which mount to the front beam of each section, as well as brackets for slug pelleters, Avadex applicators and seeders.

Fitted with 60cm plain Cambridge rings, they weigh 7.2t, which goes up to 8.3t with breakers. Retail prices are £24,850 and £26,450 respectively and adding hydraulic levelling boards costs an extra £7,400.

Brackets to suit various applicators and seeders are £550.

Philip Watkins Cambridge roller

South Yorkshire’s offering comes from engineer Philip Watkins, which builds a 12.3m set of Cambridge Rollers that can be specced with hydraulic levelling boards and wheel eradicator tines.

Standard features include 60cm Cambridge rings and breakers, LED road lights, a toolbox, hydraulic brakes, four transport wheels and brackets for fitting levelling boards and track eradicators.

There’s also the option of adding stone trays and a frame for holding a slug pelleter, Avadex applicator or seeder.

The 12.3m rolls come in four sections and thanks to a hydraulic latch they can be unfolded and folded without leaving the tractor cab.

The folding mechanism is horizontal to maintain a low centre of gravity and the frame can articulate to follow contours.

With 24in rings and breakers, they tip the scales at a hefty 10.8t and the firm recommends pulling them with at least 180hp.

Prices start at £27,500 for a 12.3m set with Cambridge and breaker rings.