Things in living memory which seem very anachronistic now

[dangie]

An inch or two at the most.

Some serious rose-tinted specs get donned when talking about the weather in previous decades.

Whenever you can still see grass poking through the snow, the snow isn’t deep.

 

[Lloyds siding]

An inch or two at the most.

Some serious rose-tinted specs get donned when talking about the weather in previous decades.

Really? My 60+ years perception is that there is now: less snow, less frost, higher temperatures in spring and summer in particular (especially May/June), just generally warmer, more rain especially heavy rain. And bathing in the sea is more pleasant becaue coastal sea temperatures are higher. But don't take my word for it this takes you to the Royal Meteorological Society's examination of climate Royal Meteorolgical Society report 'State of the UK climate 2023'

 

[Trackman]

Ice cream and jelly being the customary highpoint of children's birthday parties.

Not forgetting chocolate rice-krispies cakes, if they are still a thing,

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Not forgetting chocolate rice-krispies cakes, if they are still a thing,

Cream horn cakes seemed a must in those days .......

 

[75A]

My Wife still makes them. the chocolate rice crispie ones not the French Horns.

 

[McRhu]

Going straight for the Montelimar in a box of Weekend chocs.

 

[dangie]

Cadbury’s Old Jamaica Chocolate.

Cadbury’s did stop making it but according to t’internet due to public demand they’ve started making it again.

That’s all well and good, but I’m blowed if I can find it anywhere

 

[McRhu]

Writing of primitive projection methods at school, our after school hours Railway Club the Secretary used to borrow the school epidiascope. The heat generated by the bulb was terrific, and if you left the (b&w pc size, of course) in too long it replicated the map in the opening part of the US TV series Bonanza (some will remember...)

When I was in HM Civil Service some 50 years ago I attended a basic computing lecture. To demonstrate Octal they showed a cine film on a desk top projector. A cartoon octopus with a big friendly smile came on screen and the film promptly jammed. The octopus shrivelled up and went on fire. I couldn't speak for 10 minutes and tears of laughter were running down my face like a river. Everybody else took it quite seriously which made it all the funnier. It still makes me laugh.

 

[simonw]

....or kids' pedal cars....or tricycles.

Peddle cars are still available....at a price

Austin Pedal Cars | J40 Classic Pedal Car Specialist Austin Pedal Cars

Austin Pedal Cars, formerly the J40 Motor Company, is the only dedicated Austin J40 pedal car sales, service, restoration & community specialist in the world.

www.austinpedalcars.com

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Neapolitan ice cream.

 

[Cross City]

Really? My 60+ years perception is that there is now: less snow, less frost, higher temperatures in spring and summer in particular (especially May/June), just generally warmer, more rain especially heavy rain. And bathing in the sea is more pleasant becaue coastal sea temperatures are higher. But don't take my word for it this takes you to the Royal Meteorological Society's examination of climate Royal Meteorolgical Society report 'State of the UK climate 2023'

This is all true and I’m not disputing it.

I just struggle to believe the (what I assume to be) hyperbole about how cold and snowy it was. It’s the UK not Siberia.

I think it’s just nostalgia, and standard childhood exaggeration where everything seems bigger/better when you’re an 8 year old.

On a similar note…
Remember the “beast from the east” in late Feb 2018? Sub -10c temps for a fortnight, very heavy snow and massive snowdrifts due to the wind.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jan 2025 ==

Neapolitan ice cream.

Still available in every single supermarket.

 

[GusB]

Neapolitan ice cream.

You obviously haven't been looking for it recently! A quick Google search produced this link to ASDA's website (other retailers are available):

https://groceries.asda.com/product/view-all-ice-cream-parlour/asda-soft-scoop-neopolitan-ice-cream/21915

 

[Merle Haggard]

This is all true and I’m not disputing it.

I just struggle to believe the (what I assume to be) hyperbole about how cold and snowy it was. It’s the UK not Siberia.

I think it’s just nostalgia, and standard childhood exaggeration where everything seems bigger/better when you’re an 8 year old.

On a similar note…
Remember the “beast from the east” in late Feb 2018? Sub -10c temps for a fortnight, very heavy snow and massive snowdrifts due to the wind.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jan 2025 ==



Still available in every single supermarket.

Rather than discounting the possibility that old winters were colder out of hand, I suggest you just google 'big freeze 1963' or 'winter 1962-63'. The "beast from the East' only lasted for a fortnight...

There's a BT Films showing the conditions over Stanmore in early 1963 and what it took to move a snowbound train. It's on You tube somewhere

 

[Killingworth]

Rather than discounting the possibility that old winters were colder out of hand, I suggest you just google 'big freeze 1963' or 'winter 1962-63'. The "beast from the East' only lasted for a fortnight...

There's a BT Films showing the conditions over Stanmore in early 1963 and what it took to move a snowbound train. It's on You tube somewhere

Happy to oblige, but it was 1955;

 

[D6130]

Rather than discounting the possibility that old winters were colder out of hand, I suggest you just google 'big freeze 1963' or 'winter 1962-63'. The "beast from the East' only lasted for a fortnight...

There's a BT Films showing the conditions over Stanmore in early 1963 and what it took to move a snowbound train. It's on You tube somewhere

I'm afraid the Stainmore line closed in January 1962....almost a year before the 'Big Freeze'. I think you may be confusing the BT film Snow - about the effects on the railway of the 1962-63 winter - with the earlier (1955) BT film Snow Drift at Bleath Gill , which depicts an earlier snow blockage of the line.

 

[Lloyds siding]

Some of the diggers were wearing gloves! Not like t'were back in my day!

 

[Killingworth]

I'm afraid the Stainmore line closed in January 1962....almost a year before the 'Big Freeze'. I think you may be confusing the BT film Snow - about the effects on the railway of the 1962-63 winter - with the earlier (1955) BT film Snow Drift at Bleath Gill , which depicts an earlier snow blockage of the line.

It certainly was cold and I had to leave my bike at home for a few days and walk to school. I don't think I missed a day. Here's a BBC documentary to remind us older forum members of what we experienced and overcame. Younger members brought up with central heating, double glazing and heated cars may be surprised that some may still have the emergency candles tucked away since the last wave of winter rota power cuts.

For 1963 see;

 

[Lloyds siding]

Peddle cars are still available....at a price

Austin Pedal Cars | J40 Classic Pedal Car Specialist Austin Pedal Cars

Austin Pedal Cars, formerly the J40 Motor Company, is the only dedicated Austin J40 pedal car sales, service, restoration & community specialist in the world.

www.austinpedalcars.com

I had a J40...sixty-five years ago.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jan 2025 ==

This is all true and I’m not disputing it.

I just struggle to believe the (what I assume to be) hyperbole about how cold and snowy it was. It’s the UK not Siberia.

I think it’s just nostalgia, and standard childhood exaggeration where everything seems bigger/better when you’re an 8 year old.

On a similar note…
Remember the “beast from the east” in late Feb 2018? Sub -10c temps for a fortnight, very heavy snow and massive snowdrifts due to the wind.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Jan 2025 ==



Still available in every single supermarket.

It seems that you are disputing it. When my mother was a 6 year old there was the 'Great Blizzard' of February 1932, more heavy snow in 1936-37, 1939-40 saw the 'Blizzard of the Decade', followed by the exceptional snowfall in 1940-41 with drifts up to 16 feet. She says that her dad opened the front door and just said, 'B....y H..l!' The snow was higher than the door! Then there was 1946-47, the snowiest winter last century. However, during the fifties there were localised severe winters, but other than 1955, not the widespread snow, ice and disruption seen previously.
I don't think she was exaggerating about the weather when she was young.
To see a review of winters for the last few hundred years see this page from netweather: The History of British Winters

 

[Harpo]

It certainly was cold and I had to leave my bike at home for a few days and walk to school. I don't think I missed a day.

Whereas nowadays schools seem to close when it snows and re-open when it’s turned to ice because pavements don’t get gritted.

 

[Merle Haggard]

I'm afraid the Stainmore line closed in January 1962....almost a year before the 'Big Freeze'. I think you may be confusing the BT film Snow - about the effects on the railway of the 1962-63 winter - with the earlier (1955) BT film Snow Drift at Bleath Gill , which depicts an earlier snow blockage of the line.

Thanks yes relying on memory too much, should have connected the Stanmore closure date.
What I do remember about early 1963 (and I'm pretty sure it was that year) was when the Scottish Region demonstrated to the Press snow clearance with diesel locos and an independent snow plough. It appeared on TV news (ITV I think) one evening. The locos (BRCW Type 2s) approached a snow drift with perhaps imprudent high speed. Then, all that the film showed was swirling snow for what seemed like minutes. When it settled unfortunately the whole lot was off the road...
At Northampton there was a 'Super D', 49448, with a full height plough as high as the top of the smokebox bolted onto the buffer beam (the buffers had been removed). Snow clearing was carried out by p.w. gangers shovelling out as much as they could and then the loco. would run through at walking pace to do the final clearance. Disappointing in the lack of wild action.

 

[Killingworth]

Thanks yes relying on memory too much, should have connected the Stanmore closure date.
What I do remember about early 1963 (and I'm pretty sure it was that year) was when the Scottish Region demonstrated to the Press snow clearance with diesel locos and an independent snow plough. It appeared on TV news (ITV I think) one evening. The locos (BRCW Type 2s) approached a snow drift with perhaps imprudent high speed. Then, all that the film showed was swirling snow for what seemed like minutes. When it settled unfortunately the whole lot was off the road...
At Northampton there was a 'Super D', 49448, with a full height plough as high as the top of the smokebox bolted onto the buffer beam (the buffers had been removed). Snow clearing was carried out by p.w. gangers shovelling out as much as they could and then the loco. would run through at walking pace to do the final clearance. Disappointing in the lack of wild action.

There's plenty of flying snow in the BBC report I linked above.

 

[dangie]

This could go under Football, but I’ll put it here.

The Football Pools ‘Pools Panel’. It sat and predicted what the results of games would have been if postponed due to bad weather. Does the Pools Panel still exist, and if so when did it last sit?

 

[52290]

This could go under Football, but I’ll put it here.

The Football Pools ‘Pools Panel’. It sat and predicted what the results of games would have been if postponed due to bad weather. Does the Pools Panel still exist, and if so when did it last sit?

Do the Football Pools still exist?

 

[Lloyds siding]

Do the Football Pools still exist?

AFAIK yes.
Current line-up I believe is Michael Owen, Derek Johnston. Rachel Brown-Finnis (who used to live a few roads away from me), and Ian Callaghan.
Probably going to be sitting fairly soon witrh the weather forecast.

 

[BingMan]

AFAIK yes.
Current line-up I believe is Michael Owen, Derek Johnston. Rachel Brown-Finnis (who used to live a few roads away from me), and Ian Callaghan.
Probably going to be sitting fairly soon witrh the weather forecast.

The question was "Do the football pools still exist"

 

[CaptainHaddock]

The question was "Do the football pools still exist"

If only there was a way of finding out that information online.

Football Pools: What is it & Can You Still Play? – Betting Sites Offers

www.bettingsitesoffers.com

 

[Lloyds siding]

If only there was a way of finding out that information online.

Football Pools: What is it & Can You Still Play? – Betting Sites Offers

www.bettingsitesoffers.com

Just because you see something on line doesn't mean it's true......

 

[GordonT]

Barley Sugar. You can probably still buy it but at one time it was seen as being a good sweet for long car journeys or to pre-empt sore ears during plane take-offs or landings.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Barley Sugar. You can probably still buy it but at one time it was seen as being a good sweet for long car journeys or to pre-empt sore ears during plane take-offs or landings.

A staple of early 1980s family travels to south Devon. Barley sugars to ease our car-travel sickness; and barley sugars to settle our stomachs from grandmother's plaster-of-paris-like walnut cake (an unavoidable consequence of our journeys to south Devon...).

 

[DerekC]

My grandmother putting the leftover bits of bars of soap through a mincing machine and storing the result in a large jar ready for doing the washing. She had a copper to heat the water.