LONDON BLACKED OUT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26780, 25 May 1948, Page 5

LONDON BLACKED OUT

TRAFFIC HALTED BY POWER FAILURE N.Z.P.A.— -Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. LONDON, May 23. A two-hour electric power failure at noon coinciding with a sudden drop in temperature, was responsible for a dim-out or black-out in a large section of the London area to-night. Trams, electric trolly buses, and underground trains stopped, traffic lights went out, the 8.8. C. went “ dead.” and thousands of London housewives were left with Sunday joints half-cooked. The black-out prevailed in Sussex, Nottinghamshire, and Warwickshire, and disrupted electric transport m many areas. At London airport the lights failed during the Customs examination of passengers from incoming planes. In many parts of England temperatures dropped from the 70 s to 43 degrees. Snow fell in Wales and Scotland. Electricity undertakings have warned householders to economise tomorrow, and say further failures are likely.