ZZA Beilhack Snow Ploughs join the Accurascale range

The ZZA snow ploughs feature a large amount of diecast construction, along with some separately applied and etched metal parts.  

Not only have the ploughs been used for snow clearance, they have also featured in test runs in preparation for adverse conditions, so can be seen running on the network in normal, non-snowy conditions. They are also seen in yards and depots, adding some extra interest to TMD layouts.

Available in four twin packs to replicate their top and tail formation when running, these packs cover varying eras when these ploughs were in operation up to the present day.

Each twin pack is priced at just £69.95 and, as with Accurascale’s other releases from the Hattons Originals range, are available as exclusives direct only from the Accurascale website. Delivery is slated for Q4 2025 and production numbers are strictly limited, so early pre-ordering is advised.

About the prototype

The 'Beilhack' ZZA Snowplough dates back to 1982, when BR identified a need for medium-sized snowploughs on the network. BR already had a fleet of around 40 of the larger ‘Independent’ ZZV/ZZA snowploughs which were built on old tender chassis during the mid-1960s to deal with heavy snow drifts, and obviously a large number of locomotives were fitted with ‘miniature’ 3 piece snowploughs on their bufferbeams to deal with smaller amounts of snow without having to call in a full-sized plough. There was a need for a medium-sized snowplough to deal with amounts of snow that the small 3-piece loco mounted ploughs couldn’t handle. 

With the support of specialist German company Beilhack, the plough blades were originally intended to be mounted to locomotive bufferbeams. Trials were carried out in Scotland between 1982-1984, but the ploughs proved to be too heavy for Class 37 bufferbeams as these weren’t the strongest out there to support the weight/stresses of the heavy plough. The ploughs were however successfully mounted to Class 20s as they had a stronger bufferbeam, but the need to remove the buffers to fit the ploughs and essentially have a small fleet of dedicated locomotives semi-permanently fitted with large ploughs proved operationally inconvenient and a better solution was sought.

A novel solution was found using redundant bogies from withdrawn Class 40 and 45 locomotives, which were fitted with the Beilhack plough blade at the inner end, thus leaving the original locomotive bufferbeam at the other end for haulage. This design also gave the driver of the locomotive an unobstructed view over the plough. Extra weight was added to the ex locomotive bogies in the form of a large ballast box, the pony wheels removed, and a conventional air brake system fitted. A total of 10 were built – the first six examples ADB965576-81 converted at Stratford during 1984-5 from Class 40 bogies, and a further four ADB966096-99 again by Stratford using Class 45 bogies in 1989-1990.

All 10 Beilhack ploughs were finished in all-over yellow from new, and during British Rail days ADB965576/77/80/81 were typically found at the northern end of the WCML with the other six based at Stratford, Ashford and Eastleigh. The latter received Network SouthEast lettering as the sector had paid for the work, as well as the famous ADB965579 ‘Stratford Shark’.

As built, ADB965576/77 had a flat top ballast box, the more usual triangular type being fitted to the rest of the build and the first two were subsequently modified to match.

Although rarely pictured, the plough blade could be reconfigured with the central panel on one side or the other being extended outwards and downwards at an angle and then braced from behind with a substantial bar. This then allowed snow to be ejected clear of the line to one side only rather than both sides in the normal ‘V’ position. Seemingly only ever deployed on the Scottish based Beilhacks, it is unclear whether the ploughs still have this ability.

Like the BR standard ‘independent’ snowploughs, they were all overhauled in the early 2000s, being outshopped in all over black with RAILTRACK branding, with yellow ploughs and red buffer shanks. They had solar panels and electrical boxes fitted at this time in readiness for head and tail lights to be fitted at the plough end, but some never received the lights themselves before being overhauled in 2011 and this equipment was removed.

With the demise of Railtrack, Network Rail took over the operation of the Beilhacks, they stayed in the all-over black livery with yellow blades and red buffer shanks, but with stencilled or full Network Rail branding applied alongside the old Railtrack slogan ‘the heart of the railway’ which was left in place. The Railtrack era solar head/tail lighting equipment was mostly removed during the late 2000s, with conventional battery white and red head/tail lamps being used on the lamp brackets. All remaining ploughs saw works overhaul in 2011 via Brodie Engineering at Kilmarnock, with ADB966096/97 being scrapped as parts donors during this period. Overhauls had started again in 2021, and the ploughs are placed in strategic locations on the West Coast and East Coast mainlines including Doncaster, Crewe and Motherwell. They are favoured on routes with overhead electrification due to their low height. The livery has remained unchanged, all over black with Network Rail branding, yellow plough blades and red buffer shanks.

The Beilhack company was acquired by Swiss-based aebi Schmidt group in 2005, and their 150-year history and experience continues under this name, aebi Schmidt itself was founded as far back as 1883. Only two Beilhack ploughs have been scrapped to date, and it looks like their mainline duties could potentially last for decades to come.