ANOTHER BLIZZARD

Evening Star, Issue 26043, 6 March 1947, Page 7

ANOTHER BLIZZARD

TRAFFIC CHAOS IN LONDON TRAINS AND BUSES STRANDED EXPECTED THAW FAILS TO MATERIALISE (Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, March 5. ' A night-long blizzard, which was supposed to herald a thaw, caused the winter’s greatest traffic chqos in London. Thousands were hours late in getting to workshops and offices. Many did not reach . the City at aIL Country trains arrived in London three to five hours’ late. Suburban buses sometimes slid backwards down the ice-covered hills. Steam engines were sent out to pull stranded electric trains. Lorfdon airport was closed because of ice on the runways. The London Transport Board, which controls probably the world’s most efficient network, said: “ The whole service was' disorganised.” . The Air, Ministry to-day revised its forecast of a general thaw, and said the mass of warm air which was _ expected to spread over England might be forced out by another cold blast from the east. ; " The Automobile Association issued a message to motorists advising them to keep off the. icy roads unless their journeys were essential. Many, collisions are reported in the London area, although little damage was done: An electric train between Bromley and Victoria was stuck in a tunnel for 75 minutes; Women fainted in compartments jammed with upwards of 27 people instead of the normal eight. The train from Brighton arrived in London nearly 14 hours late. A Ministry of Fuel statement said conditions- in the coalfields and railways had sharply deteriorated in many parts of the country following a worsening in the weather, notably South Wales and the Midlands. The blizzard overnight in South Wales rendered 33 pits idle, and reduced attendance in others. Fifty per cent, of all available labour is being used on snow clearance in East .Midlands, where access to the pits is blocked. A hard frost is expected tonight, with sleet and'show later. .