Snowden Mountain Railway diesels question

Snowdon Mountain Railway diesels question

Just been watching this Youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UXi6DgiFsg
and was wondering why the Snowden diesels don't have any covers on their engines. Is it to ensure engine cooling on the long slog up the mountain? Wikipedia claims "engine covers were omitted to give a good view of the Rolls-Royce diesel engines, chosen for the prestige of the name"!

Were these locos new-builds or rebuilds from existing locos? They certainly don't look very pretty, particularly with the extra superstructure to take the exhaust silencer. Judging by the amount of noise and smoky exhaust created at Llanberis at the beginning of the video, it can't be a very pleasant ride for the passengers.

Richard

 

They were new-builds. The comments on Wikipedia about the design features tallies with what I heard when they were new. Pretty they may not be, but nobody could accuse them of being boring square boxes!

PS Snowdon not Snowden.

 

Re: Snowdon Mountain Railway diesels question

Thanks, Ken. IMHO these locos are *ugly* square boxes with the sides missing!! Can't think of any other diesels which have their engines on full view like that.

Richard

 

the iomsr diesel viking is sometimes no more than a frame that goes out for a jaunt its worse than these

 

It's certainly a contestant for ugliest diesel, but at least it keeps its insides covered up:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trolleyfan/3115348085/

Richard

 

thats it complete if the weather gets hot im led to belive they take the panels off the engine compartment to aid air circulation . it looks worse then

 

Re: Snowdon Mountain Railway diesels question

Maybe clutching at straws as I think they were petrol, but the County Donegal railcars usually ran with with their covers up and they are the cutest internal combusition engined vehicles ever to run on the narrow gauge IMHO.