On 08/09/2016 15:22, Len Wood wrote:


I was in one of the first years of Grammar school in Essex.
Amazingly, new boys had to wear short trousers in those days.
Had a 30 min walk then a trip by train (fairly reliable diesel units along a ploughed line) that took about 30 mins out into the heart of the Essex countryside. Then a 20 min walk to school.

The worst part about school was playing sport in those snowy conditions.
Football was impossible because of the icy pitches, but we were sent on cross country runs. Across ploughes field that were solid rock.
Got back frozen to the bone and unable to do buttons up because of frozen hands.
My flies had to stay undone for a while.

I remember well from school games lessons not being able to do the
buttons up on my my shirt because my hands were so completely numb with
cold. I imagine that is the first stage of frostbite. This was late
70s/early 80s so a run of cold winters. I hated it, absolutely hated it.
Not that the bloody teachers cared, only in the most exceptionally cold
conditions was outside games cancelled.
I wonder if kids today have to go through that.

--
Col

Bolton, Lancashire
160m asl
Snow videos:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3QvmL4UWBmHFMKWiwYm_gg