Letter: The Great Storm Trapped Me In Reigate

Published on: 17 Oct, 2017
Updated on: 17 Oct, 2017

From Paul Robinson

In response to: The Great Storm That Wreaked Havoc 30 Years Ago Across The County

I spent that night trapped in Reigate. I was on a half night’s leave from from my job as an aircraft engineer in the hangars at Gatwick.

I remember in the early part of the evening remarking, “Is it warm in here (the hangar) or is it me?” I left for home in Guildford at about midnight. Driving up to Reigate from Gatwick I noticed a few small beech trees in the road but I wasn’t that concerned and it didn’t seem extraordinarily windy.

I drove through Reigate town centre and up the hill to join the M25. Halfway up the police were attending a fallen tree across the road, so I turned around and thought I’d use the A25. I got to Buckland – tree across the road. Plan C was to head towards Redhill and join the M25 at Godstone. Just past the Reigate council offices, after the traffic lights – tree across the road. Plan D – back to Gatwick and join M23. Just after joining the A217 in Reigate, three trees across the road.

That was it then, hunker down for the rest of the night in Reigate town centre. This was in the days before mobile phones but I did think about ringing my wife to tell her of the situation. However, the only call box was by the clock tower in the middle of Reigate and the tower was surrounded by scaffolding, so I didn’t bother calling just in case the scaffolding collapsed on me in the phone box.

I should add I had taken the leave to go to my niece’s christening in Cheshire. When I rang my parents, after I eventually got home at about 8.30am to say we may have difficulties getting there, they knew nothing of the night’s events and I had to tell them to turn on the television and see the news.