Debut in snow business • West Midlands-based J Roberts (Special
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Purpose Vehicles) believes it has found a market niche converting tractive units for airport runway snow clearance.
Leeds-Bradford, the highest airport in Britain, has taken delivery of the first refurbished 224kW (300hp) Leyland Road train tractor to be converted to all-wheel drive and "winterised" to the airport authority's demanding specification.
It will operate with a Danline combined snow blower and brush semi-trailer which is independently powered but controlled from within the cab.
A hydraulically controlled 4.9m steel plough is mounted on an A-frame below the front bumper to avoid overloading the heavy-duty front axle: the chassis is ballasted in front of the fifth wheel coupling to ensure adequate traction.
Preparation includes chassis rust protection, Harnessflex chassis electrics, a lagged fuel tank, heated fuel lines and filters, an independent cab heater, Eminox vertical stainless-steel exhaust, mud/snow tyres, beacons and plough lights.
It will be used alongside traditional military-type 4x4 tractors used to tow ploughs along the runway.
Roberts offers similar conversions for most new and used chassis; it has high hopes for sales in this sector, both in the UK and overseas.