The chaos affecting both rail routes to the north of England and Scotland after Christmas only serves to underline the lack of alternative mainlines (Report, 27 December). It adds to the strange recent decision to give the Virgin-led consortium control of the east coast mainline to Scotland, when it is already running the west coast mainline, making a mockery of any idea that privatisation brings competition. To solve both of these problems, why not restart the Midland route – St Pancras to Glasgow – by bringing back the Thames-Clyde Express? The tracks are all there, and have been largely recently souped up at great expense. Suitable trains are there too – the Intercity 125s. Plus lucky travellers would traverse the incomparable Settle and Carlisle line, ridiculously under-utilised by merely local passenger services. All aboard!
Benedict le Vay (Author of Britain From the Rails)
London
• Ricky Tomlinson (Saturday interview, 27 December) says he was converted to the left by reading The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. That book has never been out of print and has similarly influenced hundreds of thousands, including George Orwell. Will no one undertake to celebrate the centenary of its publication before the year is out?
Gerry Abbott
Manchester
• No matter how many times the European Space Agency refers to 67P as a comet (The Rosetta mission, 29 December), it does not enhance the cause of science – 67P is an asteroid. A comet is totally different, both in its composition and essentially in its orbit round the sun.
John Bowler
Cheltenham
• I’ve changed banks twice now but the “old” banks refuse to close my accounts (Letters, 30 December). My father died in 2008 but his bank refuses to close his account despite my having power of attorney and writing and phoning numerous times. What is it up to?
Mick Kusmidrowicz
Combe Martin, Devon
• Further to the passing of Mandy Rice-Davies (Letters, 26 December), may I recommend Fool Britannia, the sublime 1963 LP featuring Peter Sellers, Joan Collins and Anthony Newley, which lampoons Harold Macmillan and his government. It is a masterpiece of political satire.
Martin Barnett
Leominster, Herefordshire
