Last week was cold here. It snowed lightly on Friday and the light dusting turned very quickly to ice making the roads treacherous. On Saturday night it started to properly snow and we had several inches. Despite that, on Monday I set off for Manchester to deliver a training course. Luckily it was an afternoon course and I'd given myself plenty of time to get there. I set out at ten and arrived at 13.30 to find the room not set up, no flip chart and only four delegates. By the time I'd sorted out the room the delegate numbers were up to just a couple short of the expected numbers and we made an enthusiastic start.
To be fair, I had quite a pleasant day. There was a long wait at Sheffield Station as I'd allowed plenty of time for the bus to be delayed, which it wasn't, although the train was over half an hour late. In the new world of high-tech connectivity I didn't waste that time. I bought a coffee in order to be allowed to sit and work at a table and got on with all my outstanding stuff. The trip over the Pennines was spectacular - at this time of year I rarely see it, it being dark for both the outward and return trips. By the time we got into Manchester Piccadilly we were running so late that they turfed us off and set off back to Cleethorpes leaving us to scurry along and catch the local train to the airport.
By the time I arrived back to the airport station on my way home, one minute after the scheduled departure time, they were back to running strictly to time and I had another 55 minutes to catch up with outstanding stuff. I must say that although public transport was disrupted by the snow I never for an instant though about trying to drive to Manchester which involves either the Snake or Woodhead Passes (often closed by this sort of weather and amazingly slow even when not) or the M62, a long way round and probably carrying the burden of the traffic from the other routes.
On Tuesday morning I checked National Rail Enquiries to find that the train to Leeds was running on time. Walking through fresh snow, even down my scary steep hill, was fairly pleasant so I caught my bus, then the train all bang on time. At Leeds the train to Garforth was delayed so, following a problem the week before with the taxi company (during Eid there are very few taxi drivers available in Garforth), I took the opportunity to call ahead and ask for a taxi to be waiting for me. At this point, standing in the snow on a frigid platform, I learned that none of the drivers were prepared to drive from the station to the training venue. Hmm. Luckily one of the delegates was already there and quite happy to brave the snow and pick me up. He had a front wheel drive car and so had rather more control than the posh BMW sitting in the car park, revving but going nowhere. It was a good training course and a lovely day in Garforth where it was cold but sunny all day long. Back in Sheffield though, the difference of forty miles was clear. Whilst it had been bright and biting in Garforth it had snowed all day in Sheffield. I was tremendously grateful that the taxi driver at Sheffield Station was prepared to risk taking me towards home. He wasn't prepared to chance going off the bus route because even that was a couple of inches thick with snow. Off this the roads were about six inches deep.
By Wednesday, when the snowman was built, the snow was fifteen inches deep and we reluctantly postponed the course in Birmingham scheduled for Thursday. There was only a light dusting there and the trains were running less than 30 minutes late but there was no safe way to get to the station in Sheffield carrying a laptop and all the paperwork or, more importantly, back to my house in the evening. I worked at home Wednesday and Friday and, given that it was -10C last night, the pavements and roads are icy, and I don't fall gracefully, I am working at home today, hence the catch up. Tomorrow I'll attempt getting to Birmingham. Because there is only so much stuff that is outstanding.
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