Travel progress

Having wandered in the hills and vales of Burns' country for the past few days, we were then held on the trans-Pennine highway for four hours after a car about 30 vehicles ahead of us sideswiped a tractor. There are no local services at the peak of the road, and a helicopter had to be brought in, and then the accident team had to be called in and take their measurements and photos, and then the surface had to be treated before the road could re-open.

Now this sequence of disruptions to posting might now be considered over, since we have reached Heathrow. But the UK Met Office is now predicting the imminent arrival of a storm known as St. Jude. How much this will disrupt traffic in the morning remains a big question. I will report on progress, below the fold, tomorrow as it happens.

8:00 am. There were sounds of heavy winds at about 6:00 am, but planes are flying, and the traffic outside seems to be relatively normal.

10:45 am Talking to the taxi driver on the way to Terminal 5 he said that the storm was worst about 6:15 am and lasted about half-an-hour. A tree branch almost hit the cab then, and a small child was blown down the road, before her Dad could grab onto her. But now it is sunny and appears to be turning into a very nice day.