crafty. Don't know which bit of Yorks you frequent, but I went to school in Ackworth near Ponte for 6 years. In 1981 or 2 (can't remember which) the North froze up real bad. They were air-lifting sheep out of the fields and we couldn't get home. Had to stay at school for an extra week! We woke up one morning and it was -10 indoors (heating busted!) and there was ice on the inside of the windows!!
The M62 was blocked, as was the Woodhead and the Snake. And even good old BR couldn't get the line cleared. Eventually a week later BR managed to get a snow plough onto the line and we got home, but it was like being on a train in India - every inch of the train was packed with human beings - breathe? Not until I got out at M/cr Picadilly!!
I'll be extremely surprised if I ever see weather anything quite like that again...