Memorable Snowy Winters in Leeds

Post by **cnosni** » Sun 29 Mar, 2009 1:49 am

Does anyone else think that we have actually experienced normal weather since October last year?Weve had a cold wet Autumn, a winter with snow and ice .(i saw Redwings in Roundhay Park this year for the first time in 15 years)that lasted more than a day in Keighley and we are now having a proper March/ April with wind and showerswith this in mind does this mean we will get a summer from mid June til late August now?Id love to think so,a normal run of the mill set of succesive seasons that we used to have,instead of the bland grey misty June to September weve had in the last few years.Or could we have the summer of 76 please.That was the best,the absolute best example of flag cracking,tarmac melting,resevoir emptying,grass browning,moorland burning,water rationing,concerned local tv news reporting with Alan Whitehouse summer ever.I broke up from school as a ten year old in June 76 and every day was a baking hot sun filled day of joy until i had to go back to school in September.It must have been like all of Arrys summers in his youth,along with George Formbys and Adolfs of course,eh Arry?

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sun 29 Mar, 2009 11:03 am

cnosni wrote: Or could we have the summer of 76 please.That was the best,the absolute best example of flag cracking,tarmac melting,resevoir emptying,grass browning,moorland burning,water rationing,concerned local tv news reporting with Alan Whitehouse summer ever.I broke up from school as a ten year old in June 76 and every day was a baking hot sun filled day of joy until i had to go back to school in September.It must have been like all of Arrys summers in his youth,along with George Formbys and Adolfs of course,eh Arry? 1959 was pretty similar. Standpipes in the auntumn too.As for the winter, apart from the first two weeks of February compared to the fifties it hasn't been too bad. In the fifties there would be several bouts of heavy snow which would be with us for a week or so, then it would thaw and come again a fortnight or so later. Whether it was the fifties that were unusual or it's today thats unusual its hard to say, people mostly can only speak from their personal experiences. There was though in the 18th and 19th centuries a "mini ice age" and perhaps in the fifties we were still feeling its effects.

Leeds-lad · Post by **Leeds-lad** » Sun 29 Mar, 2009 2:14 pm

As a Gritter driver for LCC it has been noticeable from my earnings that we have had milder winters for the last 10 - 15 years.Our standby used to run from 1st Nov for 24 weeksnow it is only 20 weeks long.Occasionally we have a blip like this season for instance,having said that a lot of people don't realise that we actually grit the majority of mornings or late evenings from late Dec onwards in order to prevent ice forming on Primary routes so that the public can drive to work safely.Just another thing l'd like to mention is that l also do a full days work laying Tarmac besides gritting duties

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sun 29 Mar, 2009 2:31 pm

Leeds-lad wrote: As a Gritter driver for LCC it has been noticeable from my earnings that we have had milder winters for the last 10 - 15 years.Our standby used to run from 1st Nov for 24 weeksnow it is only 20 weeks long.Occasionally we have a blip like this season for instance,having said that a lot of people don't realise that we actually grit the majority of mornings or late evenings from late Dec onwards in order to prevent ice forming on Primary routes so that the public can drive to work safely.Just another thing l'd like to mention is that l also do a full days work laying Tarmac besides gritting duties I remember it snowing in late April in 1981. It was the Friday after Easter and I'd spent the afternoon on Carlisle Road in Leeds. The snow was horrendous and the only way back to Morley was on the M621. By lunchtime the following day it had nearly all gone though.I used to work with a lad whose dad was a gritter driver for NYCC. They used to grit the road from Whitley Bridge to Knottingley, and then from Brotherton to South Milford, they had to turn the gritter off in Knottingley and Ferrybridge - that was West Yorkshshire

LS16 · Post by **LS16** » Sun 29 Mar, 2009 9:02 pm

I remember the snow in April 81 too. It was the 16th (my 17th birthday) and I'd driven all the way from Cambridge to Leeds for my first lesson only to crash as I turned in to our street at Holt Park. It was sunny when we left Cambridge and I was in shorts, t-shirt and trainers - I think the neighbours thought I was mad. I later confirmed this one winter when I lost control of a Transit van and scattered the Sally Ann band as I went backwards down the street - fancy standing in a b****y street end playing carols - just because the pavement was icy!

Lilysmum · Post by **Lilysmum** » Sun 29 Mar, 2009 9:41 pm

My sister won't forget the heavy snowfall in late April 81 as she was expecting an already overdue baby and was in a right panic incase she couldn't get to hospital. It all turned out ok in the end,the snow had long gone when my nephew arrived a week later and my sister made it to Hyde Terrace with 10 minutes to spare!!

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Tue 28 Apr, 2009 8:18 pm

blackprince wrote: Yet another 1950s Leeds snow scene :http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL And another which I took myself with my first proper camera back in winter '69.

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Tue 28 Apr, 2009 8:19 pm

blackprince wrote: blackprince wrote: Yet another 1950s Leeds snow scene :http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL And another which I took myself with my first proper camera back in winter '69. here it is http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

Richard A Thackeray · Post by **Richard A Thackeray** » Wed 29 Apr, 2009 1:23 pm

What about 1985 (or was it 86?) when it started snowing mid-afternoonAll the buses were off the roads by about 17:00, the local radio was going into meltdown with traffic reportsLeeds Cathedral opened its doors so stranded commuters could stay overnight.I was working in Leeds at that time (down near Kidacre Street), & has ridden my bike to work.Management said that anyone who wanted to go home could, but otherwise staff could stop overnight (if need be)One of my collegues (who lived on Cemetary Road in Bradford) set off at 17:30, & returned at 22:00 having got as far as Elland Road -dumping his car & walking back.I'll admit I was a bit worried about riding home in several inches of fresh snow, but I set off anywayIt took me an extra 10 minutes to get home (to Stanley, Wakefield) simply because I couldn't ride up the last hill (under the M62 at Ouzlewell Green)Surprisingly, 'Bell Hill' was a doddle!!

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Wed 29 Apr, 2009 9:07 pm

RichT wrote: What about 1985 (or was it 86?) when it started snowing mid-afternoonAll the buses were off the roads by about 17:00, the local radio was going into meltdown with traffic reportsLeeds Cathedral opened its doors so stranded commuters could stay overnight.I was working in Leeds at that time (down near Kidacre Street), & has ridden my bike to work.Management said that anyone who wanted to go home could, but otherwise staff could stop overnight (if need be)One of my collegues (who lived on Cemetary Road in Bradford) set off at 17:30, & returned at 22:00 having got as far as Elland Road -dumping his car & walking back.I'll admit I was a bit worried about riding home in several inches of fresh snow, but I set off anywayIt took me an extra 10 minutes to get home (to Stanley, Wakefield) simply because I couldn't ride up the last hill (under the M62 at Ouzlewell Green)Surprisingly, 'Bell Hill' was a doddle!! According to the snow records the winter of 84/85 was particulary snowy in Eastern England ; starting on about Jan 6th and continuing until March. This may be the one you remember. The next year was just average. Fortunately by the 80's I had moved to the West coast and thanks to the gulf stream did not experience much snow . Of course we could always drive into the Pennines or Peak district for a day out sledging.