Bombardier has had an extensive involvement in Australian oversnow transport since the later decades of the 20th Century, possibly partly assisted by their having production/support facilities in Australia for many years. While the Bombardier company itself no longer produces oversnow transport, many Bombardiers remain in service today (the marque has been purchased by Leitner/Prinoth). If you're interested in Bombardier oversnows, here are two sites with more information:
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_Recreational_Products
Enthusiast site:
http://www.unusuallocomotion.com/pages/industrial/j-a-bombardier-travel-on-snow.html
Pictures: Ashton, National Library of Australia
Taken early in the 1964 season a Bombardier J5 owned by Fritz Fiersinger of the Marritz Alpine Inn is seen towing out Frank Homolkas' Chevrolet next to on of Pioneer's Tucker Sno Cats.
Picture and information: Damien Breitfuss Collection
While the quality of the picture above isn't great, it is included because of the rarity of what it shows - a Bombardier Muskeg on the left and Bombardier J5 on the right bracketing a Snow Trac at Smiggins Holes in 1968.
Picture and information: Damien Breitfuss Collection
While the quality of the picture above isn't great, it is included because of the rarity of what it shows - a Bombardier Muskeg on the left and Bombardier J5 on the right bracketing a Snow Trac at Smiggins Holes in 1968.
Picture: Ralph Zollinger Collection
Richard Bell has supplied this cutting from the "SUMMIT Journal of the Mt Buller Committee of Management JULY 17, 1975 Vol. 1 No.4" and notes: "Bill Heathcote of Mansfield ran the Landrover taxis, Bus service and every other bit of transport on Buller."
Picture: Richard Bell Collection
A Bombardier Snow Coach at Perisher Valley carpark is overtaken by the Charlotte Pass sled pulled by an unidentified oversnow c.1984/5.
Picture: Slopegrooming Reducing Injuries Report
Richard Bell has supplied this cutting from the "SUMMIT Journal of the Mt Buller Committee of Management JULY 17, 1975 Vol. 1 No.4" and notes: "Bill Heathcote of Mansfield ran the Landrover taxis, Bus service and every other bit of transport on Buller."
Picture: Richard Bell Collection
A Bombardier Snow Coach at Perisher Valley carpark is overtaken by the Charlotte Pass sled pulled by an unidentified oversnow c.1984/5.
Also seen in 1984/5 is this Bombardier Ski-Dozer attached to the more modern Charlotte Pass transport sled, presumably quite a bit more comfortable than the "ice box" of some four decades prior.Picture: Slopegrooming Reducing Injuries Report
Even clicking on this image, the oversnow is small (it's there in the middle right) but it's my earliest picture of a Bombardier Muskeg that was serving one of the chalets at Perisher Valley in 1986.Picture: Andrew Collier
Judging by the skiers outfits, I'm guessing this is a mid to late 1980s picture of skiers being transported to I think Guthega on a sled behind a Bombardier Muskeg.Picture: Ralph Zollinger Collection
Three Snow Coaches in use at Charlotte's Pass rest through the off-season in 1989.
Picture: Andrew Collier
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The ski resort at Falls Creek has many lodges snow bound during the ski season necessitating oversnow access. This solution entered service in 2002 - it appears to be a Bombardier Ski Dozer with a locally built trailer hauled semi-trailer style, and was popularly known as the "Pope Mobile". Picture kindly supplied by ASB via ski.com.au.
Picture: ASB
A gaggle of Hans Oversnow Snow Coaches await their next job at the Perisher Ski Tube station in 2005.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Hans Oversnow use several Bombardiers of various marques for their service of the Perisher resort in NSW. Hans Oversnow was kind enough to allow me a visit to their Jindabyne headquarters out of season in 2006 to take some photos of their Bombardier Snow Coaches and Muskeg.
Picture Andrew Collier
Picture Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Snow ski (interchangeable with the road wheels) for a snow coach.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Muskeg next to a stored Axtrac
Picture: Andrew Collier
A great shot by Bruce Hood of the Swagman Chalet's Bombardier at Perisher in 2008.
Picture: Bruce Hood
Three great shots follow by Steve Bottrell who runs the Snow Limo service into Falls Creek, of Falls Creek's previous Bombardier based fleet, taken in 2008 prior to being replaced recently by Prinoth Huskies.
Picture: Steve Bottrell / www.snowlimo.com.au
Picture: Steve Bottrell / www.snowlimo.com.au
Picture: Steve Bottrell / www.snowlimo.com.au
Above and below are 2 pictures of Hans Oversnow removing one of their Snow Coaches toward the end of the 2009 season.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Chalet Sonnenhof's Snow Coach and BR100 Bombi parked outside the chalet in Perisher Valley, 2009.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Hans Oversnow Bombardier 252s at their Perisher terminal, 2009.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Skidozer 252 at Perisher Valley, 2009.
Picture: Andrew Collier
What looks to be either a BR400 or Plus MP and I think LMC 260s at Perisher Valley, 2009
Picture: Andrew Collier
Two Bombardiers (right) at Perisher in 2009 preparing for night snow grooming, with at least one and possibly two 252 Skidozers behind.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Snow grooming by Bombardier in progress later in the evening, Perisher, 2009. Picture: Andrew Collier
A nice atmospheric shot of one of the Falls Creek Bombardiers, this time kindly donated by Kim McKeown, of the fleet's number 6 in it's last season of service, 2010.
Picture: Kim McKeown
A Bombardier BR 376 with grooming attachments at Perisher Valley in August 2010.
Picture: Photnart via Wikipedia
Hans Oversnow currently has this Muskeg for sale as of 2011. Picture: Hans Oversnow
Here's a picture of the same Muskeg at Hans Oversnow's depot out of season in late 2011 looking ready for many more years decent work.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Above and below is a Bombardier at Mt Buller during the off season in 2011.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
The Snow Coach in the two pictures below has been placed on display in the Mt.Buller village by the National Alpine Museum of Australia. The plaque notes it never served in Mt.Buller, and Ralph Zollinger of Hans Oversnow has advised it had an interesting later life having been purchased with one other Snow Coach from the Charlottes Pass fleet and used in a Jackie Chan movie as a Russian troop carrier, prior to it's restoration to a more Australian appearance and placement here.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
By the time of my out of season late 2011 visit to Hans Oversnow's Jindabyne depot, these two Bombardier Skidozers (Left and Right, Thiokol in centre), both featured in pictures on this page above (at Perisher and Falls Creek), had been purchased by Hans Oversnow.
Picture: Andrew Collier
A Skidozer for Charlottes Pass traffic pictured at Perisher Valley after the 2019 season.
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A Jumbo from Charlotte's Pass on loan to Mt Blue Cow and seen from the Mt Blue Cow workshop c.1992.
Picture: Damien Breitfuss
The ski resort at Falls Creek has many lodges snow bound during the ski season necessitating oversnow access. This solution entered service in 2002 - it appears to be a Bombardier Ski Dozer with a locally built trailer hauled semi-trailer style, and was popularly known as the "Pope Mobile". Picture kindly supplied by ASB via ski.com.au.Picture: ASB
A gaggle of Hans Oversnow Snow Coaches await their next job at the Perisher Ski Tube station in 2005.Picture: Andrew Collier
Hans Oversnow use several Bombardiers of various marques for their service of the Perisher resort in NSW. Hans Oversnow was kind enough to allow me a visit to their Jindabyne headquarters out of season in 2006 to take some photos of their Bombardier Snow Coaches and Muskeg.
Picture Andrew Collier
Picture Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Snow ski (interchangeable with the road wheels) for a snow coach. Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Muskeg next to a stored AxtracPicture: Andrew Collier
A great shot by Bruce Hood of the Swagman Chalet's Bombardier at Perisher in 2008.Picture: Bruce Hood
Three great shots follow by Steve Bottrell who runs the Snow Limo service into Falls Creek, of Falls Creek's previous Bombardier based fleet, taken in 2008 prior to being replaced recently by Prinoth Huskies.
Picture: Steve Bottrell / www.snowlimo.com.au
Picture: Steve Bottrell / www.snowlimo.com.au
Picture: Steve Bottrell / www.snowlimo.com.au
Above and below are 2 pictures of Hans Oversnow removing one of their Snow Coaches toward the end of the 2009 season. Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Chalet Sonnenhof's Snow Coach and BR100 Bombi parked outside the chalet in Perisher Valley, 2009. Picture: Andrew Collier
Hans Oversnow Bombardier 252s at their Perisher terminal, 2009.Picture: Andrew Collier
Skidozer 252 at Perisher Valley, 2009. Picture: Andrew Collier
What looks to be either a BR400 or Plus MP and I think LMC 260s at Perisher Valley, 2009 Picture: Andrew Collier
Two Bombardiers (right) at Perisher in 2009 preparing for night snow grooming, with at least one and possibly two 252 Skidozers behind. Picture: Andrew Collier
Snow grooming by Bombardier in progress later in the evening, Perisher, 2009. Picture: Andrew Collier
A nice atmospheric shot of one of the Falls Creek Bombardiers, this time kindly donated by Kim McKeown, of the fleet's number 6 in it's last season of service, 2010.Picture: Kim McKeown
Picture: Photnart via Wikipedia
Hans Oversnow currently has this Muskeg for sale as of 2011. Picture: Hans Oversnow
Here's a picture of the same Muskeg at Hans Oversnow's depot out of season in late 2011 looking ready for many more years decent work.Picture: Andrew Collier
Above and below is a Bombardier at Mt Buller during the off season in 2011.Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew CollierThe Snow Coach in the two pictures below has been placed on display in the Mt.Buller village by the National Alpine Museum of Australia. The plaque notes it never served in Mt.Buller, and Ralph Zollinger of Hans Oversnow has advised it had an interesting later life having been purchased with one other Snow Coach from the Charlottes Pass fleet and used in a Jackie Chan movie as a Russian troop carrier, prior to it's restoration to a more Australian appearance and placement here.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
By the time of my out of season late 2011 visit to Hans Oversnow's Jindabyne depot, these two Bombardier Skidozers (Left and Right, Thiokol in centre), both featured in pictures on this page above (at Perisher and Falls Creek), had been purchased by Hans Oversnow.Picture: Andrew Collier
A picture of a Bombardier at Ben Lomond in Tasmania during September 2012, the picture owner noting the oversnow was purchased for snow grooming from Bob Heatley at Mt Selwyn 2 seasons ago. My thanks to BLSS for the first Tasmanian oversnow for the site!
Picture: Ben Lomond Snow Sports
A further Snow Coach is stabled at the depot awaiting the afternoon rush hour.
Picture: Andrew Collier
A 252 Skidozer also awaits use later in the day.
Picture: Andrew Collier
A Bombardier Groomer arrives into the depot at the end of a grooming/smoothing run along the Kosciuszko Road, possibly from Charlotte's Pass.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Another Skidozer 252 awaits loading at the terminal.
Picture: Andrew Collier
I may be wrong, but I think this is one of the Bombardier conversions purchased ex-Falls Creek in Victoria, here seen arriving from South Perisher.
Picture: Andrew Collier
A further Hans Oversnow Snow Coach awaits later loading at the terminal.
Picture: Andrew Collier
What I believe to be another of the ex-Falls Creek Bombardier based oversnows is unloaded at the terminal, the snow fall being quite heavy at this point!
Picture: Andrew Collier
Following a tip off from a member of the Aus Ski Forum I dropped into Cooma Airport in August 2013 and found this Bombardier SV2520 stored at the Airport in apparently good condition. The obscured shot is courtesy a rather large wire fence. Seems an unusual place for it to be stored but perhaps as a contingency if the airport is snowed in. It was parked near to two trailers similar to that seen in the picture above that was in use for some time for the run between Perisher Valley and Charlotte's Pass
Picture: Andrew Collier
Also from the 2013 Season is this great action shot from the cab by Nikolas Geyer of
a pair of Bombardier BR275’s heading across to Smiggins from Perisher Valley for daily grooming
duties.
Picture: Nikolas Geyer
Picture: Brad Colson
Brad Colson has very kindly supplied a suite of photos showing the delivery and set up of a Bombardier Jumbo at Tasmania's Ben Lomond Resort during a recent season. Two pictures are above and there are more shots of this interesting operation on my back-up picture archive at:
Picture: Brad Colson
In late August 2013 I spent a too-brief 10 minutes at the Perisher Valley Depot where the cleared road ends and the snow covered road commences. With very cold tempatures and snow falling the oversnow fleet was busy with rarely a moment passing without movement of some kind, as the pictures here and others throughout the site of different marques show (a few more pictures are also on the back-up picture archive at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrew_cudgewa/sets/72157635401791356/). Above is a picture of one of the newer Bombardier BR groomers parked across at the resort awaiting it's next assignment.
Picture: Andrew Collier
I have wanted to take a photo of a ski-equipped Snow Coach for some years however typically visit in late season when the reduced snow means tyres are fitted. Here however a Snow Coach is rumbling toward the depot with loading from North Perisher.
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Andrew Collier
Following a tip off from a member of the Aus Ski Forum I dropped into Cooma Airport in August 2013 and found this Bombardier SV2520 stored at the Airport in apparently good condition. The obscured shot is courtesy a rather large wire fence. Seems an unusual place for it to be stored but perhaps as a contingency if the airport is snowed in. It was parked near to two trailers similar to that seen in the picture above that was in use for some time for the run between Perisher Valley and Charlotte's Pass
Picture: Andrew Collier
Picture: Nikolas Geyer
Picture: Damien Breitfuss Collection
Pictures: Chalet Sonnenhof (https://www.sonnenhof.com.au/)
Two lovely pictures of Chalet Sonnenhof's Bombardier Snow Coach used for transport in and round Perisher Valley NSW for their business. The pictures appear to date from 2010 and 2019 however I suspect they were taken at the same time.
