Turoa ups groomer fleet

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 534, 3 May 1994, Page 23 (Supplement)

Turoa ups groomer fleet

Turoa's fleet of snow groomers increased by 150 per cent in February when three PB270DS Kassbohrer Pisten Bullys were delivered. The machines, worth $330,000 each new, came second-hand from a Swedish skifield, via the Kassbohrer factory where they were reconditioned. Parts such as blades, tillers and tracks are now either brand-new or in very good condition, said mountain manager Grant McMaster. He said they have worked an average of 3500 hours. Mr McMaster said the purchase will mean Turoa will be able to more consistently achieve a high quality of grooming. Until now the field's two 270s handled almost all the grooming with the smaller 1 70s helping with some shaping and pushing. With five 270s Turoa will be able to have two or three grooming, two coping better with snow

shaping and stockpiling and one on stand-by or being serviced. "It was a tall order for two machines to be asked to cope with the grooming before," he said. Maintenance on the machines will now be able to be carried out in advance of it being necessary. Turoa sold its 'flea' - the 170 machine which is thought to have been the first snow groomer in New Zealand - to Rainbow ski area in the South Island. The other 170 machine has been kept for carting equipment around the mountain. It is understood Turoa paid about $350,000 for the three machines. Two Turoa staff, Louis Hanwright and Warwick "Silver" Burling, were sent to the Kassbohrer factory in Ulm, Germany, for a course on maintaining the machines.