Will the snow come next week?

[Tony Griffiths]

Tales of Austins in the snow? I managed to break a halfshaft once driving up Longstone Edge in very deep, wet snow after I'd fitted the Chummly with a pair of knobbly tyres from a motocross bike. It must have been what was, in effect, the rack-and-pinion drive that finished it off.

[Mike Costigan]

We don't seem to have the snowfalls that we used to get; this occasion in 1982 warranted a photograph, but was certainly not exceptional.

   

 Right through the 'sixties and 'seventies I would look forward to driving in the snow. I recall one occasion when I drove in to work, came home at lunchtime, back to work and home in the evening, and my tyre tracks were the only ones on the road.

[AustinWood]

I think it was also 1982 when I went to work in the snow at The CADCentre in Cambridge. The car park was accessed by a ramp and I was the first car to go in in the morning. When I left in the evening mine was the only car in the car park, no-one else had made it up the ramp.
This wasn't an Austin Seven though, but it'd post-war kindred spirit, a Citroen 2CV.
High ground clearnce large diameter, narrow tyres and good weight distribytion.

[Peter Naulls]

The "Ulster" was my daily transport from Christmas until early March 1997 as I was running-in my new Jogle engine. 3000 miles or so in 10 weeks. No snow but I did spin it on black ice in Cockfosters High Street, much to the amazement of passers by. On one daily commute into London from St.Albans I experienced the worst fog I've ever seen, just outside Potters Bar. For a mile or so I followed the white line down the middle of the road at little more than walking pace; when that ended I found myself tacking from one side of the road to the other, unable to see the verges. Scraping the ice off both sides of the screen was my least favourite chore on frosty mornings.

When we moved the car to Scotland in 2001 Grace and I used it occasionally all year round, regardless of the weather. A lot of fun but the salt was a real killer.

   

   

[Tony Griffiths]

...and on the subject of LED lights - and snow....

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Great shots, Peter.

[andrew34ruby]

Driving in snow is odd. Why do so many people struggle, while a few of us enjoy it? I've often enjoyed snow in all the wrong vehicles, my 750 side-valve Reliant in 1971 with just one wheel doing all the steering, 1973 and my rear-wheel-drive Austin A40 farina with wide tyres on. 1980 driving a Ford Thames 15cwt with little weight on the rear driving wheels. 1984 and a twin-wheel rear wheel drive Ford Transit, heavily laden.

[Duncan Grimmond]

I was regularly told off for "playing silly buggers" when the delights of an empty supermarket car park c/w virgin snow cover presented itself. I always took the opportunity to get my hand in again, a bit of safe practice in case it snowed again and I actually needed the techniques for real... I tried to persuade my better half that it wouldn't do her driving skills any harm to have a go too but to no avail.

[andrew34ruby]

Duncan, have our wonderful Council been salting the roads this week? Thinking of taking the seven out, but not if theyve been salting. Temperatures this week have been around 1 degree to four degrees.

[Duncan Grimmond]

They have gritted but there has been some rain... probably just enough to coat the entire underside with a salt solution which will dry off nicely before the day is out!

[andrew34ruby]

Thanks, it can stay in my garage another month or two then. Annoying though, as we haven't had any frost.