Fleet of Abbey Machinery Recessed Tankers Supporting Agricultural Contracting in Cumbria

James Miller and his team have been operating Abbey Machinery tanks since 2023. Today, they run five Abbey Recessed Tankers within their busy agricultural contracting business in Cumbria, supporting farms across the region with slurry transport and spreading services.

Miller Contractors use their Abbey tanks to support local farmers throughout Cumbria, as well as drawing waste from anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and carrying out slurry spreading operations. For a busy agricultural contractor, dependable slurry tankers are essential to maintain productivity and keep operations moving efficiently.

Choosing Abbey Machinery for Agricultural Contracting

He also highlights the importance of local dealer partner Rickerby Ltd, whose strong sales and after-sales service support has been key to their experience with Abbey Machinery.

Reliable dealer support is particularly important for contracting businesses operating intensive workloads, where machinery needs to perform day after day throughout the busy spreading season.

Reliable Slurry Tankers for Demanding Contracting Work

From the outset, Abbey stood out to James because the machines are straightforward to operate, with the LESS dribble bar easily retrofittable. Since introducing the tanks to the fleet, reliability has remained consistent.

“They never miss a day. We have never had a major problem with the tank which is so important in our operation.”

In a demanding agricultural contracting environment, dependable machinery is essential to avoid downtime and keep work on schedule. The Abbey tanks have proven themselves in this regard, regularly operating up to 10 hours a day, 6-7 days a week during busy periods.

Performance in Challenging Terrain

The tanks perform particularly well on the local terrain and ground conditions in northern England, where land can often be hilly. According to James, the stability and weight distribution of the tank are unrivalled when compared to competing machines.

Abbey’s market-leading Recessed Slurry Tanker is recognised as one of the best-balanced tankers on the market, offering extremely low ground pressure and excellent manoeuvrability. This performance is achieved through a combination of unique multi-leaf spring suspension, full chassis support, and integrated axle baffles, delivering a premium driving experience even in challenging terrain.

For agricultural contractors working long hours across varied ground conditions, this level of stability and control is essential.

Built for Efficiency in Agricultural Contracting

The practical features and well-designed components of the Abbey tank also contribute to overall efficiency in day-to-day contracting operations. Details such as integrated oil holders and intuitive component layout help reduce non-working time and improve productivity.

For contractors carrying out slurry transport and spreading across multiple farms, these small design details can make a significant difference to overall efficiency throughout the working day.

Trusted by Contractors

After operating Abbey Recessed Tankers within their contracting fleet, James and his team are confident in recommending the machines to other contractors.

“We would absolutely recommend Abbey machines to fellow contractors. The long-term value, reliability and stability of drive make it a great machine – which is why we keep coming back to Abbey.”

Discover the Abbey Tanker Range

Abbey Machinery’s Recessed Tanker range continues to support agricultural contractors and farmers across the UK and Ireland, delivering reliability, stability and performance in demanding working conditions.

Learn more about the Abbey Tanker range here or get in touch here.