FOGGY CHRISTMAS IN LONDON

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 79, 27 December 1937, Page 9

FOGGY CHRISTMAS IN LONDON

-Press Assn.-

Transport Reduced To a Crawl SPORTS CANCELLED

(By Telegraph-

■Copyright.J

LONDON, Dec. 25. London experienCed one of the worst fogs for years. It was impossible to see across the road in central London at noon and signalmen were called from their Christmas dinners to work the railway lines. The fog covered the whole of East England and the Midlands, but the weather on the south coast was more appropriate to summer. Many people sun-bathed on the seafronts, there being brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures. A later message says the fog persisted throughout the day, making Christmas the foggiest for many years. Londoners especially sufEered. The visibility in many districts was virtually nil. Transport services were reduced to a crawl and many buses and trams were withdrawn before four p.m., which is the official hour for closing Christmas day traffic, throwing a great strain on the underground railways. In parts of the country it was a "peasoup fog." Londoners dined by artificial light. Sport suffered, 13 League matches being cancelled. The fog prevented firemen from finding a flre at Hackney Wick. It also caused innumerable delays and prevented the crews of coasters from arriving home in time for their Christmas dinnefs. Fifteen people were injured when a train from Liverpool crashed into a stationary train at Bangor.