A few weeks ago most of us were house bound due to the snow. However, the snow that fell then is nothing compared to the snow we had in 1947.
In 1947, snow began to fall on 22 January, and with very few breaks, blizzards continued until the middle of March. At the height of the bad weather, snow drifts of up to 15 foot were recorded in some parts of Merthyr.
Below is a small piece that appeared in the Merthyr Express 71 years ago today.
The weather deteriorated so severely and so quickly that between 30 and 40 people were trapped overnight when a train got stuck in a 10 foot snowdrift between Fochriw and Dowlais. Over a hundred soldiers from Brecon Barracks travelled to Merthyr to try and release the train.
The situation on the railways around Merthyr got so bad that the Great Western Railway drafted in the RAF who brought two jet engines to clear the snow. Unfortunately, even though they were successful at clearing the snow, they were also successful at dislodging the sleepers that the rails were resting on!
Even though the snow was pretty bad a few weeks ago…..it could have been a heck of a lot worse!!!!
Do you remember the snow in 1947? If anyone has any recollections, or any stories regarding the snow in 1947, please get in touch.
I was born in September 1946 and during the winter of 1947 I was in the General Hospital on sick call with double pneumonia. My mother told me she walked from the bottom of Merthyr to the hospital every day for a number of weeks. Happily I recovered to tell the tale.
Wasn’t around in 1947 but I remember the early 60’s when the snow was up to the bedroom windows we had great fun making snow caves in the drifts. I lived in Penydarren then unfortunately haven’t got any photos
Remember 47 and the snow being up to the bedroom windows in Upper Row Penywern. I was 4 and remember the older children building igloos. 1963 was pretty bad too. We got married in Penywern Chapel, burst boilers, paraffin heaters in the Chapel, flower girl didn’t turn up until after the wedding – travelling from Cwmbran, Mr Gibbard (Minister) with his overcoat on. All because we thought John was being posted abroad, cancelled and we went to Singapore over a year later!!
I was born in February 1947 and my other used to tell me about it. They couldn’t bury the dead, snow drifts as high as the bedroom windows, shortages of essential food. Very cold draughty houses, coal shortages because it couldn’t be delivered. We don’t know how lucky we are today.
I lived in Caepantywyll during the winter of 1947 and remember travelling by bus to visit my Grandmother in the new prefabs at Dowlais. The bus only managed to get as far as the Bush Hotel and had to turn back because of snowdrifts. We walked the last mile or so and although I was only six years old I still remember the biting freezing wind and the eventual arrival in the beautifully warm bright prefab. what luxury.