antarmike Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) In the severe winter of 1947, Horcastle and surrounding villages were cut off by huge snowdrifts. There were still Churchill tanks stationed in and around Horncastle, and the Vampire had just arrived at RAF Coningsby. Someone decided the snow solution lay in a bit of clever grafting, so TWO vampire engines were lashed to a Churchill tank in the Car Park of the Bull Hotel. A local Civilian fuel Tanker was seconded to join the Convoy, which set off towards Louth. Just outside Horcastle, the Jets were fired up and snow was blown effortlessly up into thr air and into sorrounding fields, Soon the Tarmac could be seen, and forward progress continued. The road surface was seen to ripple, as if gripped by an earthquake, then chunks of tarmac started to lift. Once an edge was presented to the contraption, the road surface for 50 yards was rolled up like a carpet! The brave experiment had gone just 50 yards when it became apparent that another solution had to be found. The Road to Louth was eventually cleared by men cutting igloo style snow blocks and throwing them over hedges. Edited March 5, 2010 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Rae Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) Pure, unadulterated genius. You can't even make this sort of stuff up...:laugh: Edited March 4, 2010 by Jim Rae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) great info Antarmike ,I wanted to say that while they were the first to come up with the idea, its not the only time something like thats been done , I have seen several clips on youtube of recently posted use of a jet engine mounted on railroad equipment currently being used to blow ice and snow from track switch gear , Although very noisy and not something to do any distance of clearing it is very effective . True it lacks the dash of a fighter cockpit attached to it. Something went wrong... Edited March 4, 2010 by abn deuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Do you think this was the first? I have edited out some text from the piccy, it is genuinely in snow, not that the retouching really shows this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diamond 981 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Two Rolls Royce DerwentMk 1 jet engines mounted on a conflat wagon were used on the Buxton to Ashbourne railway to clear heavy falls of snow in and around briggs sidings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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