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RAPID CLEARING OF SNOW-BOUND ROADS.

10th March 1925, Page 11
10th March 1925
Page 11
Page 11, 10th March 1925 — RAPID CLEARING OF SNOW-BOUND ROADS.
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A New Swiss-made Appliance which will he Employed Shortly on the Alpine Passes, Cutting Pathways Through the Snow.

IN Switzerland it is important that at the earliest possible moment the main roads should be cleared of their accumulations of snow, and it is found that by the use of motor-driven snow-ploughs for the purpose the roads can be thrown open many days earlier than was possible with older clearance methods in operation.

In these islands, thanks to the beneficent influence of the Gulf Stream, few of our roads are snow-blocked for very long even during a severe winter—or spring, for the matter of that, for often the heaviest snowstorms occur just when the fruit trees arc in blossom ! Roads over the Grampians, Shap Fell, some of the roads in the Scottish Lowlands, in the Peak district of Derbyshire, in the West Riding and elsewhere become snow-bound for short periods, but as there are alternative routes in almost all eases the need does not exist in this country for the employment of the clever snow-plough shown in the accompanying illustrations. -It is interesting. however, to gather a few particulars of an appliance which can be put to such useful ,service where the need exists, although we have to admit that not a great tleal of information is available because the chassis on which it is based Is of the caterpillar type known as the

Hanomag, used by the Swiss War Office, and very little concerning it has been allowed to be disclosed to us.

• The snow-plough was built at the Snorer works, represented in this country by the Saurer Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd. (through the courtesy of whom we are enabled to reproduce the illustrations). In the driving of the creeper tracks a 50 h.p. W.D. engine is employed, this being mounted forward in the chassis with the ploughs disposed in front of it. The driver's seat is immediately to the rear of the dashboard, and beside him, disposed over the tracks, are two seats for helpers, the one on the left side having a control lever at his right hand, the purpose of which is not obvious. Behind the driver's seat ja mounted a 70 h.p. type E engine, which drives the plough fans, its radiator facing rearwards and its exhaust being secured transversely at the rear below the radiator. A folding platform is pro

vided to give suitable position for reaching the starting-handle of this engine. The two petrol tanks are mounted one on each side of the vehicle towards the rear. The plough fans are supported on two brackets pivoting about the centre of the casing to the creeper tracks, so that they may be lifted clear of the ground. When lowered for action, the downward thrust set up by the scoops is taken by two heavy rubbertyred castor wheels. The fans are rotated at a high speed and express the snow through the outlets above them, delivering it well to the road sides.

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Organisations: Swiss War Office

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