Boxing Day
A Snowy Winter's Tale -Part 1
Clive Smith
Clive Smith
Clive tells us a story from his spotting days 31 years ago
Saturday 12th December 1981 turned out to be one of the coldest days on record in some parts of the country. I was travelling from Plymouth to Birmingham and had been on 45042 since mild and snow-free Taunton and just a few flakes were falling at Weston-Super-Mare. However the temperature started plummeting just west of Bristol TM with snow laying on the ground. Not thick just extremely cold even with the sun shining. What I do remember was the bitter cold on my skin as I jumped out at Temple Meads for a snowy shot in the sunshine. My recollections from the weather forecasts was that it was 12F in the Bristol area, that's minus 11C. That is extremely cold for the UK. As I headed north to Birmingham the landscape looked positively Arctic with tree branches covered in solid ice. As usual in such weather British Rail continued to run services and there was no mention on radio or TV of staying at home unless travel was essential. The railways ran and people travelled. Once I'd reached Birmingham and started to return south on 46051 on the 1V91 11.43 Newcastle - Bristol TM was when the real trouble started. As darkness had descended the temperature plummeted further, from being very cold to exceedingly cold with multiple frozen points and track circuit failures occurring. I eventually left Bristol 4 hours late on 47459 on the 1V90 Liverpool - Plymouth arriving at Plymouth over 5 hours late at 01.00. 1V82 the Manchester - Plymouth due at 16.25 had ended up terminating at Taunton some 6 hours late. Very unusual for BR back then to terminate a train.
Regards, Clive Smith. Many thanks Indeed Clive.
Saturday 12th December 1981 turned out to be one of the coldest days on record in some parts of the country. I was travelling from Plymouth to Birmingham and had been on 45042 since mild and snow-free Taunton and just a few flakes were falling at Weston-Super-Mare. However the temperature started plummeting just west of Bristol TM with snow laying on the ground. Not thick just extremely cold even with the sun shining. What I do remember was the bitter cold on my skin as I jumped out at Temple Meads for a snowy shot in the sunshine. My recollections from the weather forecasts was that it was 12F in the Bristol area, that's minus 11C. That is extremely cold for the UK. As I headed north to Birmingham the landscape looked positively Arctic with tree branches covered in solid ice. As usual in such weather British Rail continued to run services and there was no mention on radio or TV of staying at home unless travel was essential. The railways ran and people travelled. Once I'd reached Birmingham and started to return south on 46051 on the 1V91 11.43 Newcastle - Bristol TM was when the real trouble started. As darkness had descended the temperature plummeted further, from being very cold to exceedingly cold with multiple frozen points and track circuit failures occurring. I eventually left Bristol 4 hours late on 47459 on the 1V90 Liverpool - Plymouth arriving at Plymouth over 5 hours late at 01.00. 1V82 the Manchester - Plymouth due at 16.25 had ended up terminating at Taunton some 6 hours late. Very unusual for BR back then to terminate a train.
Regards, Clive Smith. Many thanks Indeed Clive.
(1) 45042 stands at Bristol Temple Meads with the 10.40 Taunton - Manchester Piccadilly. Copyright Clive Smith.
(2) This is the scene leaving Bristol Temple Meads passing Barton Hill. 45042 opens up on the 10.40 Taunton - Birmingham New Street as 33055 passes with the 09.10 Portsmouth Harbour - Bristol TM running 30 minutes late. Ice is encrusted on the carriage. Copyright Clive Smith.
(3) 31401 is photographed on the goods line from Avonmouth as my train approaches Bristol Parkway from Filton. This was very cold hanging out of the window for the photo. Copyright Clive Smith.
(4) Steam gushes from 1M72 as 45042 turns north from Westerleigh Junction. The trackside bushes have ice frozen on them. I can still feel the cold air making my face raw. Copyright Clive Smith.
(5) Just outside our CRS area but included for continuity, the station staff at Gloucester have been busy with the shovels clearing snow from the platform. Ice hangs from the side of the parcels vans. 45042 is now at the east end of the station ready to leave with the 10.40 Taunton - Birmingham New Street. Copyright Clive Smith
To get a real feel of just how cold it was I would suggest reading the follow weather links -
Philip Eden: Snowiest of 20th century | weatheronline.co.uk
December 1981
Philip Eden: Snowiest of 20th century | weatheronline.co.uk
December 1981
It's very good to be in on days like this, we tend to forget what the journey to work must have been for rail staff and others,