Madam,

It is with interest I see that the national media has been reporting activities taking place, I presume with the agreement of Network Rail, on the East Coast Main Line.

This is not a quiet branch line but the principal route between London and Edinburgh. with numerous services running at 125mph.

In spite of this, they are apparently capable of running a steam locomotive, the newly-built Tornado at 100mph and, even more astonishing, run four trains parallel to each other, one of them being the famous steam engine The Flying Scotsman.

One must applaud Network Rail for such enterprise.

Meanwhile on the Cambrian Line, where no train gets anywhere near 100mph, Network Rail are regrettably incapable or unwilling to devise a system that will allow a steam train to run between Machynlleth and Pwllheli.

The reason they will give is that this line is the test bed for the European Rail Traffic Management System, ERTMS. Following Brexit, is this still relevant?

Even if one day this system, don’t hold your breath, is rolled out through the UK, I bet the clever people looking after the East Coast line will in no time at all come up with a plan to ensure that Tornado and The Flying Scotsman will continue to run and give pleasure to both customers and spectators.

Perhaps one day the popular Cambrian service will return bringing both pleasure and visitors to West Wales.

Yours etc,

Roger Allen, Treflan, Aberdyfi.

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