Snow!

[RedDragon]

Thats somthing how do the (British) railways clear snow (im thinking snow banks here) nowadays.

I've got romantic images of steam engines with huge snow plows plowing through huge drifts do they just send a frieght diesel down the line? Thinking of which I did see 2 snow covered ones trundal through Crewe station this morrning.

[EXTspotter]

I was pretty sure they didn't do anything as it doesn't snow anymore. If anything, you could always just send a sprinter down first as they all have snowplows (150s do anyway).

[Dave]

I was pretty sure they didn't do anything as it doesn't snow anymore. If anything, you could always just send a sprinter down first as they all have snowplows (150s do anyway).

Hardly - these snowploughs aren't very effective.

If there are severe drifts they'll send 37s out double-headed with a plough on each end.

Like this:

[JamieLei]

Like this:

Now THAT's a snowplough!

Also I thought the 150 things were just to stop small animals getting mangled up in the wheels?

[Ameecher]

Dave, I think you'll find that plough fitted locos are what are generally used, particularily 37s but also 66s and 47s or whatever is available. DRS had a 37 sitting at Stowmarket today on plough duties and there is regularily a 37 assigned to Inverness to be on Plough duties. Very rarely do they get out the big ploughs as they tend to be overkill.

I think we should do something like this: http://hanschowdhury.fotoblog.co.uk/p54867862.html

Perhaps we can find an old Lightning or something to strap to a spare container flat?

Edit: I realise Dave that you said severe drifts. Nevermind!

[andel]

Most of the big buggers are retired now anyway.... and are often condemed because they're old.

[JamieLei]

Come to think of it, it looks very similar to the Armour train (actually a Class 20) from Goldeneye. Not the same, but similar

[JamieLei]

A good analysis of yesterday's situation:

RMOL.pdf

(100.57 KiB) Downloaded 59 times

And how odd that EMT had no problems whatsoever - probably due to the fact they run all-diesel stock.

[LaSeandre]

I was pretty sure they didn't do anything as it doesn't snow anymore. If anything, you could always just send a sprinter down first as they all have snowplows (150s do anyway).

They aren't actually snowploughs on Sprinters, they are "object deflectors" in case anything solid lands on the track.

[Xander]

And how odd that EMT had no problems whatsoever - probably due to the fact they run all-diesel stock.

No. EMT had no problems because there wasn't half as much snow in their area. Us east midlanders only had about 2-3 inches.

And EMT run such a crap service, even if it did shutdown there'd be little difference.

[Gord]

More snow forecast for Thursday and Friday...could be a fair bit in the midlands too.

[Ameecher]

Ironically, because there hasn't been much snow in recent years, track gangs that were tasked with clearing points etc have had their funding cut, according to sources on WNXX (note this bit means it may be froth).

[Xander]

Ironically, because there hasn't been much snow in recent years, track gangs that were tasked with clearing points etc have had their funding cut, according to sources on WNXX (note this bit means it may be froth).

That's why we shut down when we get the snow. We just don't get it often enough to make it worthwhile to have the funding. Brown estimated the snow days cost the economy $1.4billion or something, but compared to how much it would have cost to run all the snow clearing services for the last 18 years (the last time we had snow like this) I think you'd find we'd saved a fair bit of money by just taking the hit from the snow.

[JamieLei]

All National Express West Midlands buses cancelled this morning - akin to TfL withdrawing the lot in London on Monday, so that was my excuse for not getting into school today even though there's signs all over the school website saying school is on >_<.

[Kevo00]

All this stuff about taking the buses off when it snows is lame. When I was growing up in Durham the buses were never cancelled when it snowed, and we usually got much worse snow than what I've seen in London this week. You're actually putting people at more risk as they will take risks walking further in ice and snow or try and drive in ice and snow, something that can be very dangerous for inexperienced drivers. Bus drivers have much more intense training and more awareness of what to do if they get into a skid, for instance. My parents often used to take the bus if it snowed too much to drive.

[Dave]

Ironically, because there hasn't been much snow in recent years, track gangs that were tasked with clearing points etc have had their funding cut, according to sources on WNXX (note this bit means it may be froth).

Also because they've invested heavily in heating systems for suchlike.

Oddest.

[Ameecher]

All this stuff about taking the buses off when it snows is lame. When I was growing up in Durham the buses were never cancelled when it snowed, and we usually got much worse snow than what I've seen in London this week. You're actually putting people at more risk as they will take risks walking further in ice and snow or try and drive in ice and snow, something that can be very dangerous for inexperienced drivers. Bus drivers have much more intense training and more awareness of what to do if they get into a skid, for instance. My parents often used to take the bus if it snowed too much to drive.

The thing is, the bus companies were damned if they did and damned if they didn't. I doubt any London bus drivers have any siginificant experience of driving a bus in the snow and as such the potential for accidents is high particularily as the roads were largely untreated. If a bus had skidded and hit (and possibly killed) someone there would have been massive outcry at allowing buses to run. They can't win.

[hippeebus]

Well the HST's around my neck of the woods seem to be getting by fine (not to mention clagging like theres no tomorrow!)

[JamieLei]

The EMT 43 goes surprisingly well with the Midland Mainline Coaches!

[doktorhonig]

There's not much snow in the picture, though.