Extract from The Railway Magazine

February 1957

Precautions against snow in the Scottish Region

The device known as the snow-blower is used on the Inverness - Wick line of the former Highland Railway, on the exposed moorlands between Helmsdale and Georgemas Junction. The blowers are close-boarded fences, similar to long wooden tables, and are placed close beside the track. The inner edge of the blower is near the ground, but the outer edge is raised about eight or ten feet. The object is to funnel the prevailing winds at track level, and so create a strong enough breeze to sweep the snow clear of the tracks at given points.

Three of these blowers were installed many years ago, and have proved effective. Two of them are between Kinbrace and Forsinard, at 121 miles 65 ch. (71 yd. long), and at 122 miles 51½ ch. (48 yd.long); the third is between Scotscalder and Halkirk, at 145 miles 47 ch. (47 yd. long). The blowers kept the track clear during severe storms in 1955, but in the winter of 1955-56, there was insufficient snow and high wind to bring them into action. Two new snow blowers were erected recently for the protection of the facing points to the loops at Scotscalder and Georgemas Junction. They are not quite so wide as those already in place.