Long wait…….

All was going swimmingly until I got to work. Still only just after 8am and hoping to get an early start to allow me to get away earlier than normal this evening.

As I drove up the hill and rounded the last bend I could see a string of cars stationary right at the top. This is most unusual. On approaching I could see people standing around in the mist. Also very unusual.

I got to the back of the queue and hoped out to see what the problem was. Of course the barrier had failed to open, but, it wasn't frozen.

A few people had already made it in, but, as this is the only vehicle access and the sole emergency pedestrian access is round the back and a half mile hike through the country park, we were there for the duration.
So, we stood around while someone inside came out to see what the commotion was. He then went on to get the keys that give access to the gate control system and he came back. After ten minutes tinkering with the lock, he disappeared back inside to get the right set of keys.

More tinkering inside the box and he then decided that is wasn't the control system. Half a dozen engineers had been muttering for twenty minutes that it wasn't the control system, but hey, nobody listens to engineers…

Finally the keys were handed through the gate and the cabinet to the barrier opened and the barrier raised manually using a small spanner. Fifteen people queuing to get in, all desperate for a cuppa!

Discussions later in the day revolved around what would happen if it failed to let us out. My idea of the loan of a hacksaw from the workshop came out top.

This image was taken while I was waiting. Apparently, it had been much better just a few minutes earlier.