Predicted Storm Leaves Wincanton Largely Unscathed
The forecast was for severe storms, structural damage to property, fallen trees and more than likely damage to power lines. You may recall our weather forecasters missed the previous great storm that reduced Sevenoaks in Kent to Two and a Half Oaks. With that in mind they bombarded us with warnings to batten down the hatches, secure anything that is loose, and last of all they told us that unless our journey was urgent we should consider staying home on Monday (28th October) to allow time for the emergency services to cope with the aftermath. So in fairness we had all been warned.
The news on Monday still managed to come up with some dramatic pictures in other areas, but not a lot about Wincanton. However, on Monday evening driving to Buckhorn Weston via Common Road our route was blocked by a "Police Road Closed" sign at the junctions of Snag lane and Common Lane. Being dark we couldn't see whether this was an accident or storm damage.
The next morning at Common Road to the south of the A303 overpass the road was still closed, and there was a Southern Electric van and a second vehicle equipped with a cherry picker hoist parked in the closed zone. Dangling above the road was a power line at about 15 feet. Clearly the cable should have been much higher.
A closer examination and a chat with the engineer on site revealed that the storm had brought down a large tree in Common Lane. On its way earthward the tree had caught the overhead power cable and pulled it hard enough to uproot hausers securing the pole by the entrance to The Coach House, causing the pole to list badly and the cable to droop well below the safe level. This also caused distortion to the cables and poles along the line in Common Lane. When the issue was discovered Southern Electric turned the power off for safety reasons, until repairs could be completed.
The engineer expressed concern at the number of vehicles of varying sizes (including at least one lorry) that decided to drive through the road closure area, despite the clearly visible "Police Road Closed" signs. The cable dangling over Common Road was an insulated cable, so electrocution was low risk, but until it was confirmed that the cable insulation was intact the power was switched off. For the sake of a short detour via Moor Lane we have to question the reasoning of those drivers who were guilty of ignoring the road closure signs.
It seems that Wincanton has fared considerably better than surrounding areas and we have to be thankful for that. If you know of any storm damage elsewhere, send the Window your photos and we'll add to them below.
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