In article , Marland
writes
bert wrote:
In article , mechanic
writes
On Tue, 06 Mar 2018 21:05:43 GMT, pamela wrote:

Stories about disasters and diseases sell newspapers, so we can
understand the press would talk up bad weather. But the BBC? As
a public service broadcaster it shouldn't be exaggerating the
impact of cold weather, even if it does improve audience numbers.

I suppose it depends where you live. In Alston where the roads have
been blocked by snow for five days or so things got pretty serious.
Hence the pix of chinook helecopters air lifting supppies.
I know the Alston/Nenthead area. Funny how it never used to be blocked
for more than a couple of days back in the 50s/60s Even Killhope would
be open.

The branch line to Alston was kept open longer than many others after the
Beeching report because the roads of the time were considered to be blocked
by snow frequently enough that the railway was considered an important
lifeline.
Road improvements to alter this situation were eventually undertaken and
the line closed in 1976.
Somebody must have thought that keeping the line as an €œinsurance€� was
worthwhile as most similar loss making branches had gone by 1970.

GH
Durham CC had a huge American truck, 6 wheel drive Mack with snow chains
and a massive snowplough on the front which they used to keep the route
open over to Nenthead as this road was used commercially to carry
fluorspar output from Cambo Keels mine to the processing plant.
--
bert