William Wall-Ice and Carrie Bradthaw: Meet Scotland’s punny gritter trucks fighting the snow

Spreddie Van Halen, Spray Charles, and Hansel and Grit-all are among the famous names taking to the roads of Scotland this winter, as the punny Scottish gritters return to fight the snow.

Ranging from pop culture puns to droll reinventions of Scottish heroes, the Scottish gritter trucks have been given imaginative names since 2006. 

With Scotland experiencing the Met Office’s longest ever yellow weather warning, forecasters have warned of up to 15cm of snow in higher areas.

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In the face of this, Scottish icons Calvin Harr-Ice, William Wall-Ice and Charles Rennie Mackinslush are leading the fightback and freeing up the roads.

Fans of Roman puns can only hope I Came I Thaw, I Conquered is joined by Veni, Skiddy, Vici next year.

There’s a strong James Bond theme with the Scottish gritters, too: Snow Connery currently sits south of Edinburgh, while For Your Ice Only, You Only Grit Ice, and Licence to Chill make the rounds.

Devoted followers of the silly salt-spreaders can even track their progress online, using Traffic Scotland’s Trunk Road Gritter Tracker.

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Here’s a taste of this year’s Scottish gritter names:

• William Wall-Ice
• Oor Chilly
• Ready Spready Go
• Icesweeper Willy
• You Only Grit Ice
• Calvin Harr-Ice
• Spreddie Van Halen
• Hansel And Grit-All
• The Snow Buster
• Snow Destroyer
• Tam O’salter
• Gonna Snow Dae That
• Sweet Child O’Brine
• I Came, I Thaw, I Conquered
• Spread Sheeran
• Snow Connery
• Licence To Chill
• Polar Patroller
• Scotland’s Bravest Gritter
• Always Be Grit-Full
• Carrie Bradthaw
• Brine Freeeeze
• The Great Grittish Flake-Off
• Veruca Salt
• For Your Ice Only
• Charles Rennie Mackinslush
• Troon Raker
• Snowwakyo Drift
• Buzz Iceclear
• Spray Charles
• The Winter Explorer
• Salty
• Mary Queen Of Salt