LNER V2s at Swindon Works.

Slight drift from thread - but what kind of consist would a Snowplough train have... Plough ( with a crew in it ? steam heated ? plus one or more locos plus a departmental Brake coach/van ?

 

Photo evidence seems to show it varied somewhat.

Watching "Snowdrift at Bleath Gill", there is never a very clear view of the rescue train, but the clearest bit I can see appears to indicate that it was Plough + Loco + Loco + Loco + Plough. Those were ploughs that had accommodation for the the crew involved. I suspect @Ploughman would know better.

There's a photo on the NRM website of a Midland Railway train here: http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Derby&objid=1997-7397_DY_2439 that was Loco + Support Coach + Loco, the two locos involved having snow ploughs attached to the loco rather than separate vehicles, hence the need for the additional support coach. Interesting to think of the shock going through the (presumably wooden framed) support coach, sandwiched between two 60+ ton locos, when the leading loco went into a big drift ...

Tom

 

Presumably there would be additional bodies with shovels deployed - as a snowplough wont clear snow/ ice out of points/ wires etc. but I suspect these would be in a following S&T train - allowing the snowplough train to get its job done without stopping.
Cant imagine it would be nice being in a dark damp and probably very cold steel box being propelled into snow drifts and suspect the 'Snowplough cab' would be to store ancillaries and not be manned...

 

I've just checked other pictures on the internet and the pictures taken outside (including the one of the plough without side skirts) are definitely taken at Cowlairs Works

 

There is some information on ploughing and the effect of snow on railway operations in Railway Snowploughs in the North East by D & C Williamson published by the North Eastern Railway Association.

 

This has highlighted an error in my earlier post on the numbers built.

You are quite correct that there was ADB965189, then the next batch were ADB965196-201 built at Cowlairs. I inadvertently gave the batch as ADB965189-201.

However according to published sources ADB965203-243 were split between Cowlairs, Swindon and Eastleigh and then ADB965307-309 were built at Derby.

I have also compared the horns in picture 13 of your previous post and they are an LMS pattern so this is probably ADB965189. In the picture you can just make out where the semi circular frame cut outs have been filled in, presumably to strengthen the frames. In later years this plough received side skirts to cover the wheels.

 

Normal operating practice for Snowploughing is and was Plough - Loco - Plough.
With Plough slopes facing out from the loco.
The amount of locos is a variable, down to local availability and power needed.
Regular operations in the NE that I have seen photos of tend to show a pair of ploughs and 2 locos but there are records of up to 5 locos.

In the cab of my Snowplough NER 18 the timber plough featured in Snowdrift at Bleath Ghyll there was seating for a gang of approx 6 - 8 men.
No steam heat just a normal type Brake van stove.
I would say that the gang would generally be only riding to site but I did talk with an old PW supervisor at Kirkby Stephen the other year and he said that he often told the gang that they would be riding to site and detrain while the train set back to plough through, as I said, but his instructions to the driver were keep it at 40 and don't stop.

Not sure if I am correct in thinking this, but I believe 18 with 20 at Beamish and the remaining BR Standard ploughs are the only purposely designed Snowploughs remaining, all others are conversions including NER 12 at NRM Shildon.

 

Some contemporary film shot in the 1960s of these very V2's at Swindon can be found at 33:25 here for those interested.

Not my video, nor YouTube channel.