SNOW ON THE WAY?

Mebbe snow on the way? If you ask when will the weather change? take care what answer you get.

Check out

BBC weather

Schools in Cranfield in the Snow

CBC website shows Holywell and Lower School (AKA Church of England Academy) closed today. Check closures at 
CBC school closures

I'm off to wrestle with Thameslink.

They made 'em tough

Do think you've got problems outside at the moment? Here are some shots of Marston Hill in the bad winter of 1947. I'm impressed that a bus appeared to be getting through. "They made 'em tough in those days", says Diana Lord of Mill Road who kindly supplied the images

There'e no business like snow business

Its fine but its persistent and the traffic isn't clearing the snow off the road so we won't be straying out of Cranfield today. I might have an exciting trip to the Coop a little later on, once I've mustered the huskies and got Captain Oates out of bed (and I'm not having any of that 'I may be some time' nonsense).

The onset of the white stuff took us a little by surprise as the BBC weather was suggesting midday but we are where we are with snow piling up outside the front door and cats very doubtful about the whole business. I've no idea what it will be like tomorrow but I take my hat off to every one who has to pull on a woolly hat, gloves and pair of boots to go work unlike those of us who who can sit in front of a computer checking our facebook page. LOL

So thanks to the Amey staff who turned up on Friday morning with the salt provided for the village by CBC. This was carefully deposited behind the skip in the cemetery and will be available for the salt boxes around Cranfield. Hopefully those near the salt boxes may spread a bit from time to in icy conditions. Hats off again to a small  number of people on the High Street who cleared their section of the footpath yesterday. We are not among them but we probably all should, give or take a bad back or a dodgy hip. There was some debate two years ago about whether we are allowed to clear the footpath on some spurious health and safety ground. 

I hope we we are past all that nonsense. If you have household members who revel in the snow, have a great time  but at the same time it would be good to be open for business again  tomorrow morning

Here it comes

Big slab of white stuff heading to our bit of Beds. According to the BBC we'll get the first dab around 3 am

And the next load will come between midday and 3 pm. Make your preparations accordingly. Deep joy

Big thaw

Drove to Milton Keynes via the uni and Shire Lane. Despite the thaw there is still some really tricky slush on Shire Lane, producing a couple of dodgy moments. Similar to Moulsoe Road, near the windsock on Friday. It was mostly clear except for a bit where the snow had drifted and it was a tight squeeze getting past an artic (arctic?).

Round Lodge Road

Lodge Road and Wood End Road brilliant to walk around this afternoon but the compacted snow could be tricky underfoot. 

Snow, snow, snow

After a necessary family-inspired  taxi run to Bedford last night I was confident about getting out of the village this morning and driving to Flitwick station. However the FCC departure board on the web at 6.30 am was showing 'cancelled' in repeat performances. But Milton Keynes seemed to be operative.With only Radio 3 Counties for company I set off toward Salford. The R3C buzz was all about Arriva buses and someone who wanted to know if they could get up Ampthill Hill  (shouldn't that be Ampt Hill?).

The first big shock after driving through Salford to Broughton was to discover that the Broughton Road was now closed for construction of Milton Keynes coachway. So it was turn around and down to H8 and then H7 and finally V6, Grafton Gate. It could have been worse and it could have been better. Most of the dual carriageways - well, all of them - had only one operative lane and once  car got stuck it took ages to get round. The 4x4s imperiously ploughed down the snow-laden central reservations. The train from MK was in reasonable time.. Now I  just need to get back and into the village.

Snow in Cranfield

After escaping MiltonKeynes as the first flakes gently descended around lunchtime we got a complete skipload of the white stuff as the afternoon wore on. The doorbell went at around 3.30 pm as the drifts mounted up and I wondered who on earth it could be. Only good old Royal Mail with a parcel - so well done them for getting through.