NER Snowplough

[Greg Wetzel]

I've read that the North Eastern Railway built snowploughs on the frames of an engine's tender. I don't know much about this, and was wondering, if it were built on the frames of an engine's tender, would the snowplough then have wheels?

 

[Morayshire]

Yes, it would have wheels.

There is one in the National Railway Museum collection which lives either at York or Shildon.
https://collection.sciencemuseumgro...tern-railway-departmental-snow-plough-vehicle

 

[Trestrol]

All the present remaining Network Rail independant snow ploughs are built on LNER V2 tenders. (not the ones using diesel loco bogies) . These are basically an updated version of the NER ones. The wheel closest to the plough end is smaller than the other two. The A1 people piggybacked on an order for new spring hangers in the last couple of years. These must now be the oldest rolling stock on the network in revenue service.

 

[Ploughman]

NER Snowplough 18 built in 1909 at York is one of two remaining designed purpose built Snowploughs.
The 2nd one is at Beamish in the reserve store.
They are fully built in timber with the only Iron and steel being in the wheelsets, brake rigging, ballast slabs and general iron work.

The Snowplough at Locomoton at Shildon is a conversion built on a set of redundant loco frames.

In all the NER had 24 Snowploughs with the last 2 being withdrawn from service in 1975.

18 is currently at Kirkby Stephen undergoing major surgery on a lot of rotten timber.
It is planned that it will feature in some part at the upcoming NER 200th celebrations.

18 also featured in the BTF film "Snowdrift at Bleath Gill"

The Loco rescued and the rescuing loco also still survive, one day we might get all 3 together for a re enactment.

 

[WesternLancer]

The Loco rescued and the rescuing loco also still survive, one day we might get all 3 together for a re enactment.

That would be good - Might need a a snow machine these days to generate the required levels of snow to re-enact

 

[Gloster]

The Southern Region built eight on the frames of withdrawn Schools Class locos. I also have a feeling of reading about one or two that were built by other pre-grouping railways (than the NER), possibly including the Midland.

 

[30907]

The Southern Region built eight on the frames of withdrawn Schools Class tenders.

Slight difference

 

[Gloster]

Slight difference

Oops. But wouldn’t it be nice if we had another eight Schools.

 

[randyrippley]

Slight difference

two were always parked at Salisbury
I think they lasted until mid 1980s

 

[Townsend Hook]

All the present remaining Network Rail independant snow ploughs are built on LNER V2 tenders. (not the ones using diesel loco bogies) . These are basically an updated version of the NER ones. The wheel closest to the plough end is smaller than the other two. The A1 people piggybacked on an order for new spring hangers in the last couple of years. These must now be the oldest rolling stock on the network in revenue service.

Snowploughs aren’t in ‘revenue service’, that term excludes infrastructure stock because it doesn’t earn revenue for the operator like passenger or non-infrastructure freight stock.

 

[Trestrol]

Snowploughs aren’t in ‘revenue service’, that term excludes infrastructure stock because it doesn’t earn revenue for the operator like passenger or non-infrastructure freight stock.

I disagree, in the old sense of railway operating yes you are right. Network Rail earns revenue (well partly) from providing railway tracks for TOCs and FOCs to operate there trains on. So snow ploughs clear the line so trains can operate and earn NR revenue. So they are revenue earning in a way.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I disagree, in the old sense of railway operating yes you are right. Network Rail earns revenue (well partly) from providing railway tracks for TOCs and FOCs to operate there trains on. So snow ploughs clear the line so trains can operate and earn NR revenue. So they are revenue earning in a way.

Hmmmmm

More "preventing from being unable to earn revenue" really - their use doesn't increase NR's revenue

 

[barringtoncem]

There is a book available called Railway Snowploughs In The North East If The Original Poster Is Not Already Aware Of This Title

 

[Trestrol]

Hmmmmm

More "preventing from being unable to earn revenue" really - their use doesn't increase NR's revenue

Well they do if the line is blocked by snow NR has to pay compensation. But if the line is cleared then it earns NR revenue.

 

[Harvester]

There is a photograph in Yeadon’s Register (Volume Four) taken in September 1964, of nine V2s in a line at Swindon Works all without their tenders. The caption states that the locos were awaiting the cutter’s torch, with the tenders removed for possible further use after conversion as snowplough carriers. It would be interesting to know how many V2 tenders were actually converted.

 

[Gloster]

There were 41 snowploughs built in 1965 at Eastleigh, Swindon and Cowlairs, with the last being responsible for the design; they were numbered DB 965203-965243. It is probable that all were built on the frames of V2s, but this is not definite.

 

[Harvester]

There were 41 snowploughs built in 1965 at Eastleigh, Swindon and Cowlairs, with the last being responsible for the design; they were numbered DB 965203-965243. It is probable that all were built on the frames of V2s, but this is not definite.

Fifteen V2s were sent to Swindon for scrapping, and eleven were cut up at Cowlairs. It would seem towing the engines some distance to Swindon Works for scrap, was a convenient way of transporting the tenders there for conversions.