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Snow ploughs

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217 RIVER FLESK	Snow ploughs	Lead	[-]
Posts: 43 (27/05/09 10:39:13) Full Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None At the weekend, I came across a model of a UK snow plough & it started me thinking if such things had ever operated in Ireland. OK, I know the climate is such that Ireland generally gets little snow, other than perhaps right up in the north, but have there ever been purpose built propelled ploughs built or perhaps were there smaller ploughs that could be bolted to the front of steam locos? Again in the UK, a number of the now 'classic' diesel classes could carry 3 piece small ploughs, were the Metro-Vics ever fitted with similar? Finally, what happened to the Irish rail system in 1947 & 1963 when the UK suffered 2 severe winters, did things just grind to a halt or did the worst of the weather miss Ireland? Mike C
bangor1968		#1	[-]
Posts: 125 (27/05/09 12:38:02) Full Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	There is a picture in Mark Kennedy's book "The LMS in Ireland" of an NCC 0-6-0 (No 13) fitted with a snow plough at York Rd in 1939. As for the winters of 1947 and 1963, there was significant amount of disruption on both occasions. There are pictures of NCC No 41 stuck in a snow drift between Ballymoney and Ballycastle in 1947. The line was blocked from March 12 to March 16. I seem to remember that Mac Arnold's "NCC Saga" contained details of the problems experienced on that line. As for 1963, I had to travel to Dublin from Belfast on the day following the worst of the blizzard. The worst of the snow was north of the border, and the 10.30 was heavily delayed. This was not helped by the fact that the previous evenings 18.15 Dublin train had managed to run into a dmu at Lisburn, thanks to the heavy snow having caused the Lisburn up distant to give a false sighting. We ran out of the snow by Dundalk and the rest of the trip was fine. I imagine that the entire line would close completely if the was a similar snowfall today! Ian
MGH2		#2	[-]
Posts: 208 (27/05/09 13:52:55) Full Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	There's a reminisence of a snowplough working over the Burma Rd following the 1947 blizzard to be found at http://www.westontrack.com/history12.htm Mark
Mayner		#3	[-]
Posts: 294 (28/05/09 06:01:16) Full Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	CIE had a small snow plough made up for use with the 071 following the blizzard in 1980, I am not sure if it was ever used There was quiet a drama at the time a blizzard hit Dublin on a friday ,more or less cutting Dublin City off from the rest of the country. Heuston Station was more or less turned into a hostel with people sleeping on the trains and the Sligo Line closed for a week! CIE gots some positive publicity when the Government ordered a train from Cork with an emergency supply of powdered milk and bread for Dublin. John
3BG		#4	[-]
Posts: 61 (03/06/09 11:17:08) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Jack O'Neill refers to 184 being fitted with a snowplough and used to clear blocked lines around Waterford, also in February 1947. See page 15 of this Five Foot Three.
217 RIVER FLESK		#5	[-]
Posts: 50 (18/06/09 20:59:29) Full Member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Thanks for the above replies. Wonder if anyone has got a pic of the '071' plough or even better, one of it actually fitted to a loco! Cheers, Mike C
mountaintrain		#6	[-]
Posts: 17 (16/07/09 07:51:50) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I can't remember now where I got these pics, or who the photographer was, but they clearly show a very snowy scene at Ballymena. The interesting bit is the jeep with snow plough. The MPD yellow and black front should help date the scene - I'm guessing early 1960s, perhaps the big snow in 1963?

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