THE GREAT SNOWSTORM (note - for Kingsbridge Rd. read Wrangaton)
After the freeze and snow storms of early January, many comparisons were made in the press and on TV with the winter of 1947. However, looking back to reports of 1947, I found that year being referred to as the worst for 50 years. A bit of research produced the following information about the “Great Snowstorm of 8th/9th March 1891”.
Birmingham and Leeds newspapers of Friday 13thMarch 1891, reported that “The counties of Devon and Cornwall have been almost entirely cut off from communication with other parts of the country since Monday, and it was not until yesterday, when the telegraph services became partially restored, that anything like correct information could be obtained of the terrible nature of the snowstorm which passed over the two counties on Monday night and Tuesday. Telegrams received last night show that such a storm has not visited the west of England within remembrance, and that some time must elapse before the damage to property and stock and the loss of life can be definitely estimated”. They go on to report that “six trains were snowed up between Exeter and Plymouth on Monday night, the snow at Bittaford-bridge, between Ivybridge and Brent, being in some places 26ft. deep”.
The Western Morning News reported, “The Great Western officials were yesterday obliged to resort to the most extraordinary steps for the purpose of clearing the line between Kingsbridge Road and Ivybridge. The great drifts were in the cuttings between these two stations and unfortunately there is only a single line of rails on this part of the system. When the men forced their way through the snow they found an engine and three or four carriages very badly off the line and it being seen that a very long time must elapse before the carriages could be replaced on the metals and the engine reached and again put back on the rails, it was decided to clear the way to the locomotive by turning the carriages over the embankment. Two of the magnificent coaches of the company have thus been disposed of this morning; a third will follow and the breakdown gang will then apply themselves to the task of putting the engine on the metals. When this has been accomplished – and certainly this will not be before late to-night – the snow ploughs will be called into request and will have to travel the whole way from Kingsbridge Road to Plympton before it will be possible to resume traffic” (There is reference elsewhere to the steam ploughs being wooden).
Turning to travel by means other than by train, the Exeter Flying Post carried a report concerning travellers whose coach driver refused to go any further on the Monday and who then walked 2 miles to the California Inn, where they spent the night. It continues “On Tuesday morning, after having a good breakfast the party made their way to Kingsbridge-road Station for the purpose of telegraphing their wives. The journey was fraught with perils and hardships. The roads were simply impassable, and a bee line had to be struck across the fields, deep snow drifts and snow covered hedges proving constant sources of danger. The rate of travelling was about a mile per hour, and hard work at that. Finding that telegraphing at Kingsbridge-road Station was impossible a fresh start was made, this time for Ivybridge, and here again the party had to make their way as best they could over the fields, the roads being completely blocked and full of dangerous drifts. “We were Englishmen” said Mr. Smith, “and were determined come what would, to get home and see our wives. Every now and again when one of the gentlemen advanced a step he would disappear up to his neck and have to be helped out by the combined efforts of his companions. After a little experience of this sort, all three decided that wriggling along on their stomachs, Indian fashion, was, despite the disagreeable results, the better means of making headway, and accordingly this method was unanimously adopted. On their arrival at Ivybridge the faces of the travellers were covered with frozen snow two inches thick, whilst their clothes were in a similar state, and the state of their linen necessitated a complete change”.
Contributed by Alan Yates