FOG AND FROST

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 154, 28 December 1936, Page 8

FOG AND FROST

QUEER CONTRASTS

CLOSING-IN OF WINTER

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, November 25. Fog, frost, and. low temperatures occurred over inland parts of the British Isles'on several days. While many of the coastal resorts were basking in glorious sunshine on Saturday (Lowestoft had 7.8 hours) fog was dense in many areas round.London, in the Midlands, and the north. At Lingfield racing took place in brilliant sunshine— indeed, so dazzling wa's the light that colours, could not be distinguished even with glasses when facing the late autumn sun. Sunday's fog followed a severely cold night in,many parts of the country. There were 17 degrees of frost on the grass at Dalwhinnie, 14 at Catterick, and 11 degrees at Cranwell and Ross on-Wye. . Manchester's temperature never rose above 31- degrees. Some districts in Manchester were completely shut in. One innovation seen on the foggiest roads was the "guide tricycle," which the Department took the opportunity to try as an alternative to the "guide van." There were between fifteen and twenty of these vans and tricycles out in Manchester, convoying buses through the most difficult patches, and sometimes leading two or three buses together. In contrast to Saturday's racing at Lingfield was Monday's experience in Warwick, for there was a fog which at times reduced visibility to 100 yards. It caused the stewards to delay the start of the first race by ten minutes. The "off" at Warwick is signalled by a bugler, stationed on the stands, who sounds a call when he sees that the race has been started. As he could not possibly see the start of the first race, the system broke down. Dutifully he "sounded" when the runners came into view, out the leaders were nearly home and his call was not completed until the race was over. It was then decided to put out an advanced post, and a policeman, complete with whistle and white gloves, was detailed for this duty in front of the enclosure. As the runners for the second race approached him he blew his whistle and waved his arms, and the bugler carried on. ',',,, London has been intensely black. Newly arrived New Zealanders do not like it. Those who are able to get away think it is time to pack for the sunny climes of the Mediterranean or Egypt, and to leave Englanders to their fate until the arrival of spring.