Leeds storm, 1961

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:08 pm

Chrism wrote: I think that was '63 Si, but I'm sure someone will know the exact date. The winter of 1962/63 was a shocker. Snow & ice lasted for months. I travelled to and from work on a motor-bike and got frozen despite protective clothing. The alternative was to freeze at bus stops. The pain on the bike was worse, but didn't last as long. The additional "bonus" of the cold weather was sulphurous fog caused by the low temperatures plus all the extra coal being burnt. Not many places centrally heated then. Traffic followed me in the fog in the belief that my vision was better than theirs. What they didn't know was that my glasses had frozen over, so I took 'em off. My vision was marginally better without them.

Si · Post by Si » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:23 pm

Uno Hoo wrote: Chrism wrote: I think that was '63 Si, but I'm sure someone will know the exact date. The winter of 1962/63 was a shocker. Snow & ice lasted for months. I travelled to and from work on a motor-bike and got frozen despite protective clothing. The alternative was to freeze at bus stops. The pain on the bike was worse, but didn't last as long. The additional "bonus" of the cold weather was sulphurous fog caused by the low temperatures plus all the extra coal being burnt. Not many places centrally heated then. Traffic followed me in the fog in the belief that my vision was better than theirs. What they didn't know was that my glasses had frozen over, so I took 'em off. My vision was marginally better without them. Thanks, Chris and Uno Hoo,'62/'63 makes sense. I would have been three. I assume you had a "pudding basin" on, Uno!

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:28 pm

[quotenick="Si"] Uno Hoo wrote: Chrism wrote: I think that was '63 Si, but I'm sure someone will know the exact date. I assume you had a "pudding basin" on, Uno! Certainly did, had a choice of 2, black or white. Fortunately I never needed to put either to the test.

Si · Post by Si » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:31 pm

[quotenick="Uno Hoo"] Si wrote: Uno Hoo wrote: Chrism wrote: I think that was '63 Si, but I'm sure someone will know the exact date. I assume you had a "pudding basin" on, Uno! Certainly did, had a choice of 2, black or white. Fortunately I never needed to put either to the test. Good, because they were bloody useless! What was the bike, out of interest?

Lilysmum · Post by **Lilysmum** » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:39 pm

There was also a terrible storm in 68 or 69.I was in my last year at junior school and can remember going across the playground to the dinner room for our milk at playtime and it was pitch black. Then the lightening and hailstones started and all the windows were smashed.The ceiling in the hall came down and water was pouring in.We were all hiding under tables terrified and one bright spark shouted "it's the end of the world"We were allowed home when it stopped because the classrooms were knee deep in water.A family freind who was a butcher put some of the hailstones in his freezer and kept them for years they were the size of golf balls.

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:39 pm

Ariel Leader - the "car on two wheels". Wasn't just my glasses that froze over, but the windscreen as well. It had a little extension o0n the top (the screen, that is), and the idea was to look out through the gap between the two. It was like looking through a letter-box, which coincidentally reminds me of the other thread we're both working on at the moment.

Si · Post by Si » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:46 pm

Yes, I remember the Ariel Leader and Ariel Arrow. I believe Ray Brooks rode one of them in the 60s film, "The Knack."

Si · Post by Si » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:48 pm

Lilysmum wrote: There was also a terrible storm in 68 or 69.I was in my last year at junior school and can remember going across the playground to the dinner room for our milk at playtime and it was pitch black. Then the lightening and hailstones started and all the windows were smashed.The ceiling in the hall came down and water was pouring in.We were all hiding under tables terrified and one bright spark shouted "it's the end of the world"We were allowed home when it stopped because the classrooms were knee deep in water.A family freind who was a butcher put some of the hailstones in his freezer and kept them for years they were the size of golf balls. Was that the time it went as black as night during the day? Like an eclipse?

Lilysmum · Post by **Lilysmum** » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 4:58 pm

Yes Si, seem to remember for a few days previous it kept going really black and lightening during the day.After the storm the sun came out and it was a lovely afternoon and I helped my grandad salvage what was left of his vegetable garden,everything was flattened by the hailstones

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Thu 23 Oct, 2008 5:19 pm

Si wrote: Yes, I remember the Ariel Leader and Ariel Arrow. I believe Ray Brooks rode one of them in the 60s film, "The Knack." I'd have preferred an Arrow, but I "inherited" the Leader from my Dad, who bought his first car (second-hand Morris Minor 1000, 1530 NW) in 1961, just in time to miss the cold weather biking. He used to borrow it back though to get home from work (he worked nights in Bradford), as for quite a few weeks Woodhall Road leading from Thornbury Barracks was snowed up, and he could get through on the bike, but not in the car. Funnily enough, he wouldn't lend me the car to go from Calverley to Leeds and back!