Chelmsford Snowy Scenes in March 1979

Out and about with a cine camera in Chelmsford

[@Doctor_Kissworthy]

Wow! Thank you! I was 16 in 1979. My Dad used to go to the Country and Western club on Friday nights at the Three Cups hall round the back! I walked past there for the 30 years on my way to work every morning until I left Chelmsford to move to the Highlands in 2021. I lived in Shelley Road at that time so most of these roads are very familiar to me.

[@aswclassicsdorset1743]

When most cars and vans were rear wheel drive, and no winter tyres, a lot still used cross ply tyres

[@peterjones2761]

Just brilliant, I had 2 months left at school before I started my Marconi Radar apprenticeship in July that year. I loved seeing the old cars and vans. Brings it all back.

[@sennapod9]

thanks for posting. Vintage footage of Chelmsford is rare. Bought my first suit from this DEbenhams just 5 months after your film was taken.

[@essexboy5520]

Excellent quality. Great seeing Chelmsford as it once was.

[@deborahphoebus4735]

I remember that winter, we have some photos of myself and my sister uo to our thighs in snow, we were driving from Chelmsford to Southend, and Dad stopped the car, and we took a walk. It was our last Winter in UK, emigrated to Australia soon after

[@joannebrenchley1858]

Thoroughly interesting. Great footage.

[@leetree2054]

Fantastic! Thank you.

[@simonbirt6121]

People seemed to be able to drive on snow in 1979!

[@neilhurn2685]

Yes many drivers rely on all the safety features on there cars now to save them

[@speakfreeley4473]

All proper cars back then. No complicated electronic gismos to give even the best mechanics headaches. Front-wheel-drive cars spotted on rough order shown was a Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 304, Renault 16 (two seen on this), A Mini, plus a Mini van & Clubman & a few original Audi 100s. A common site back then & would have started to be available at bargain prices.

[@redburban1394]

Mike thanks for the video loved seeing all the vintage vehicles,but being from New England I know how to drive in the ice & snow. lol cheers

[@RosaBeha]

I find videos like this fascinating. It's too easy to forget what it was like back then. An example: People had no problem walking in the snow because they put on proper non-slip shoes. Today you are sued if someone lies on their face in front of your house because they walked in the snow with their slippery office shoes or dancing shoes.

[@nickyboy.]

I think I saw 4x Audi's which is quite a lot for 1979. Back then they werent as common as nowadays when every Tom Dick and Gary has one....

[@heshter]

Brilliant, thanks. Used to work in Debenhams there, selling lawnmowers.

[@paulnolan1352]

Brilliant, snow, viva vans, commer vans mk3 cortina’s, I remember it well. It just needed your film to reaffirm my memories!.

[@markfox1545]

One Cortina, two or more Cortinas.

[@minimaxi802]

The yellow Datsun OLA160L would have started first time, had a good reputation for reliability but poor reputation for rust scrapped before 1983. The Bedford HA van is a S reg only a year old with a dent.

[@benwherlock9869]

Totally forgot about Burmah garages! Back when we had real snowy winters.

[@garyconstant4234]

Great footage 👍

[@nwoerad3806]

Just go back for a day.😊

[@nwoerad3806]

Ha, brilliant,no abs and no bullshit ether,just simple Life.

[@crazyleyland5106]

Good seeing all the old cars and vans, when there were a great deal fewer of them, and they looked more distinctive. I noticed the buses in the bus park. I assume that the bus companies would have been less windy then about running services in snow, but I saw no buses running. Was this a Sunday?

[@satsubass3497]

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[@neilhurn2685]

Did there used to be a road on the left that le to where the taxi rank is now and where it is pedestrianized?

[@mjr2505]

Yes, you used to be able to drive in to the right just before the Charringtons sign. It was 2-way I believe and you can see a car coming out at 50 secs into the video.

[@peterc2248]

What on earth happened to the Anglian Water van rear wheel at 2.20? Looked like it was coming off :-)

[@acptelford1307]

Distortion caused by window glazing.

[@daddyjoe8519]

You ever wonder what ever happened to all of those old automobiles 70s 80s 90s models? How the world had millions of them but as soon as new 2000 tech is introduced they just all suddenly vanish? I get they melt them down and stuff but all couple million?

[@Frank972833]

You what mush?