Not Modelling, this was for real!

[Guest]

My daughter, son-in-law, grandson 15 and 9 drove from Northern Germany via Dunkirk to Shropshire for Christmas. Boarded the ferry on Monday noon, sailed bumpily across. Could not dock because of the storm. Announcement: "We are going back to France!". So back they sailed to the French coast where the sea was less rough, to ride out the storm, "sleeping" in chairs. Back again and docked at 12 noon, Christmas eve, then a 6 hour drive. What a palaver! But we had a good Christmas. (They have now gone, it's rather quiet now and the cat has fewer laps to stretch out on.)

But on that ferry was a person who had made the crossing the previous day (Sunday) only to be told at Dover that her dog's papers had not been properly stamped, so back she went to Dunkirk, got the papers stamped and joined the ill-fated ferry on Monday!

However, I have been thinking about those flooded out of their homes at 1 hour's notice on Christmas morning. We were flooded out 4 times between 2000 and 2007 and you have to experience it to know how awful it is. Sunday lunch of biscuits at the top of the stair! Merry Christmas and New Year, by the way.

[Guest]

Hi Steve yep been there and got the T shirt, only a couple of times for us but that was enough, we tend to get no electricity for days on end for no apparent reason, so glad I pay a fortune for it

Luckily we have been OK over Christmas but I do feel sorry for the poor devils who were flooded out over the festive period and were apparently abandoned by the services who get paid a fortune for supplying the power

Paul

[eddiesolo]

I am glad that your family managed to get to you safe and sound Steve and that you all managed to have a great Christmas and time together. Although we have never been flooded out we get an email informing us of flood warnings as we near the Ouse. I hope that you do not have any more flooding as although I do not now how it feels per say, I can imagine it to be a horrific and upsetting time.

Si.

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Though I feel for the families that have had a miserable Christmas, I don't think its at all fair to blame the electricity companies and say they did nothing, its a case of the power transformers been under water and as we all know water and electricity do not mix so they have had to wait for the water to recede. They were plenty of engineers that worked through Christmas and boxing days leaving their families at home.

Perhaps when people are buying homes near to rivers for the pleasant views or buying properties on what was flood plains they may want to stop and think for a while of what may happen.

The train companies got it in the neck also, if they had let the trains run and they had run into fallen tress who would have been held to blame then, so people got delayed a few hours, better that then never arriving.

At the end of they day people will have a story to tell about the day the were affected by the weather, least they can tell it

Adrian

[Guest]

…..I hope that you do not have any more flooding as although I do not now how it feels per say, I can imagine it to be a horrific and upsetting time.

Si.

We moved 2 1/2 years ago into a bungalow in town. The road is on the same level as the top of the spire of the central church. If we got flooded, half of Shropshire would as well. We feel very safe now.

[Guest]

Though I feel for the families that have had a miserable Christmas, I don't think its at all fair to blame the electricity companies and say they did nothing, its a case of the power transformers been under water and as we all know water and electricity do not mix so they have had to wait for the water to recede. They were plenty of engineers that worked through Christmas and boxing days leaving their families at home.Perhaps when people are buying homes near to rivers for the pleasant views or buying properties on what was flood plains they may want to stop and think for a while of what may happen.

The train companies got it in the neck also, if they had let the trains run and they had run into fallen tress who would have been held to blame then, so people got delayed a few hours, better that then never arriving.

At the end of they day people will have a story to tell about the day the were affected by the weather, least they can tell it

Adrian

Agree with you Adrian. Pity that people do not wait until they find out what the truth is rather than grumble.

From what I have seen so many have been put back on to the grid & many of those that have not have a generator to get them by. All those that turned out on a public holiday, including those engineers who travelled to the affected areas for a far, deserve admiration rather than condemnation. Also the families whose children lost their dads for the day of the year. Well done to the Engineers & their families.

Laurie

[Guest]

Sorry I think we will have to agree to disagree on this point, if you work for a public service, as I have, you have to expect to have to work at shit hours, the power companies did not turn out as they should have and left several people, including vulnerable people ie the elderly, without heat or elec for days on end. im sure that some companies were on the ball but im afraid that was seriously lacking around here. I know its crap but ive had to give up spending Christmas with my family on many occasions because of emergencies, but hey that's life and theres always next year. its not as though its a one off either we only have to have a breeze and the powers out and as for flooding we don't live near a river or on a flood plain and we have still been flooded, so unless you live on a hill your not going to know if your house floods in bad weather or not, I also think that people should expect the best service from the power companies and the councils and this was unfortunately lacking with this last episode

Rant over

Paul