With weather warnings issued by the Met office today it seems a good time to remember the Great Storm of 1987 which occurred on the night of 15–16 October. Hurricane-force winds battered England, France and the Channel Islands as a severe depression in the Bay of Biscay moved northeast. As well as causing fatalities and a huge amount of damage to property the storm felled an estimated 15 million trees.
Among the most damaged areas in England were Greater London, the East Anglian coast, and the Home Counties. Contractors employed to clear the trees in the South of England loaded the logs onto trains some of which arrived at Shrewsbury. These pictures show us loading them onto wagons to be hauled to Bishop’s Castle for milling.
It’s a Yellow weather warning in operation for our area but wherever you are, take care.