Stanhope Ford, Northumberland..

[HarryMann]

Was in good flood as we drove past at the beginning of November, showing about 2.5 feet.

Anyone here been through and if so, what conditions

[Zebedee]

I think its permenantly closed now:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11697555

[HarryMann]

Thanks for that Zeb, we did think that there might have been quite a few incidents there, seeing the depth markers, prominent signs etc

Shame, would love to drive over when appropriate, but maybe this sums it up...

However, only hours after re-opening on 1 April 2008, two off-duty soldiers became trapped in their car after trying to drive across fast-flowing water.

[v-lux]

1 April

Honestly...they could've chosen a better date to re-open it on.

[syncrosimon]

More from the BBC.

'The restrictions were imposed after several drivers needed rescuing when their vehicles were swept away by the rain-swollen river.

People living nearby say the problem became worse when sat navs started directing motorists across the fjord.'



No wonder conspiracy theories do so well.

[v-lux]

problem became worse when sat navs started directing motorists across the fjord

That's just natural selection that is.

[Syncro G]

Theres a fjord near my perents around Stratford-upon-Avon thats now got a warning sign saying its impassable at all times, though the road isn't actully shut, and it doesn't say no vehicles - a good compromise I think. If you've got a proper 4x4 and its not in flood its fine, done it solo in a petrol Land-Rover (I was slightly bothered when the exhaust went under how long before the plugs got wet but surprisingly it never even lost a cylinder - One of the joys of having a machanical fan on something with a front longitudinal mounted engine is water only has to reach the bottem of the fan to spray around the engine bay - Rover V8's are worst for it as the dizzy is just behind the fan).

Needless to say the signs first apeared not long after it was in the local paper that someone parked a Peugeot 307 in there when the depth guage clearly stated about 1m.

My dad had a friend killed in a ford near Pershore when his Volvo estate was swept away in flood (the 2007 flood I suspect, I'm sure theres an artical online somewhere) but why he even entered the fyord in the first place was completely tragic as the depth guage was showing near 2m of turbulant water, and he used the road regularly in normal conditions - I wouldn't go near that with a Unimog in such conditions - people obveously rarely think "where will that come up to on my car" as "over the roof" is clearly not going to work.