Standen Engineering has updated its popular T2 XS trailed potato harvester to better handle steep ground, following requests from some customers for greater levelling capability.

The first T2 harvester was released in 2010 and it has evolved since then, most notably in 2020 when the machine was made longer to increase the cleaning area by 15%.

See also: How to decide between trailed or propelled spud harvesters

Christened the T2 XS, it was also higher than previous models to allow a steeper downward angle off the cleaning module.

This is a big advantage in dry conditions when risk of damage to tubers is high, as it gets the crop over and off the chosen cleaner unit much quicker.

Greater levelling ability

Although the XS has proved popular, in potato-growing areas with plenty of steep terrain – parts of Scotland and the Yorkshire Wolds, for instance – customers have demanded greater machine levelling ability for harvesting on slopes.

This has led to an update which sees both axles kitted out with hydraulic auto-levelling mechanisms as standard, rather than just on the right-hand side, allowing it to deal with the most extreme undulations.

Standen can build the T2 XS to any configuration, so price will vary depending on spec. As a rough guide, buyers can expect to pay at least £200,000 for a basic machine.

New three-row bed planter set for 2025 debut

A first SR300 three-row bed planter will roll off the line at Standen’s Ely factory before Christmas, with the firm welcoming interest for demonstrations from early 2025.

Based on the cup-planting concept of its two-row SR200 and four-row offset SR400 machines, the trailed setup with a tipping hopper plants three rows into one 72in or 80in bed.

Three-row beds are common when planting salad crops, and some growers are using the system for maincrop production on lighter land that won’t overload the harvester during lifting.

Order books will open after next spring’s roadshow, starting in Cornwall, and the first machines will be delivered for planting in 2026.

Price for a new SR300 is expected to be about £65,000 on-farm.