Stuck

Today

Before leaving for Brighton we popped over to my brother Chris's with the family Christmas presents. "So sorry I haven't any for you," said Chris "I'm planning to buy them next week." He then explained that he was driving over via the Euro Tunnel to the Christmas market in Achen and was hoping to get loads of lovely German Christmas goodies for everyone.

Only he didn't, because the trains all broke down being unable to cope with the sudden change in temperature from cold France to hot tunnel. 1000's of passengers were stranded and it's taken days to get things moving again. At least he wasn't stranded at the wrong end.

In My Day

Snow before Christmas is always a shocker in Britain, it's true; most snow falling in January or February. In 1967 I was a student in Worthing in Sussex. I'd planned to go home for the weekend - it must have been early December. I wanted to save money and had booked myself home on the bus.

We were still in class when we saw the first flakes of snow begin to fall. By the time I'd got my bags and was ready to go, there was a full-scale blizzard. Clearly the buses weren't going to run. I struggled down to the seafront where the bus station was to reclaim my fare. I could hardly walk for the wind and couldn't see for the driving snow.

I then struggled up to the train station - the trains still appeared to be running so I hopped on. I think it was about one pm. And, indeed the train did run, taking a mere nine hours to get to East Croydon. We stopped at every station to take on fugitives and crawled along as the snow worsened. Huge flashes from the train's electrics as they touched the often obscured third rail lit up the snowy embankments. I learnt later that this was the last train that got through that day.

I don't remember how I made the final lap from East Croydon to home; maybe things weren't so bad in London.

It's OK, Chris. I fully understand and sympathise if I don't get any pressies this year.