Penny-worth of fun on the railway line

Before Dr Beeching slashed the railway lines in the sixties, I lived in Bexhill, east sussex. There was a branch line from Bexhill West to crowhurst that went over a beautiful viaduct called ‘the 17 arches’ — self-explanatory. There was no health and safety in those days, so a group of us boys aged around ten would hang around the viaduct placing old copper pennies on the track lines. We’d then await the steam train, which trundled over the viaduct to flatten them. This passed for entertainment in those days. Quite often the coins were flipped over the viaduct into marshy ground about 50 yards down below. The line closed in 1964 and, sadly, the Victorian bridge was dynamited in 1969. I wonder whether any of the coins were found or are still hidden there. send for The Detectorists! Howard Thomas, Evesham, Worcs.

sold to Shahid Khan. How can it be allowed to write off such large amounts of public money that could be put to good use?

We have a huge national debt and a failing health service that would benefit from this cash. DAVID WARD, Swaffham, Norfolk.

War’s no game

I AM shocked that a reader demands his right to pose with chums dressed in Nazi uniforms for a Forties War Weekend recreation (Letters).

My father was in the RAF and saw a Nazi death camp. He would have been appalled that idiots would feel the urge to dress in German uniforms. PAUL CHARLES COOK,

Huddersfield, W. Yorks.

Street of shame

LIKE Libby Purves, I am sick and tired of the doom and gloom that has taken the fun out of Coronation Street (Mail). I have watched the show since it started and used to love waiting for the next episode.

With its Northern humour, it was the highlight of the week and I made sure I recorded it when I went on holiday.

Sadly, I have decided to stop watching it as afterwards it leaves me feeling depressed. The storylines do reflect what is going on in society, but that’s not what you want to see for entertainment. I sigh when there is a pre- show warning that the episode contains scenes that may be upsetting. We see enough of that on the news. As Libby put it: ‘ Give us back our chuckles, chuck.’

E. McCORMICK, Wigan, Gtr Manchester. TV SOAPS and dramas that depict violence towards women will always attract a female audience (Mail).

The reason for this is the expectation that the perpetrator will get his just deserts. This anticipated conclusion is reassuring, especially when justice of this kind is a rare commodity in the real world. JANET ENTWISTLE,

Chelmsford, Essex.

Hedgehog dilemma

I BLAME badgers for the demise of hedgehogs (Mail). Three years ago, I had two adults and three hoglets feeding on my lawn, only for them to be killed by badgers. We have a choice: save the hedgehog or the badger.

A. BALL, Warminster, Wilts. MOST people no longer see hedgehogs because their gardens are surrounded by 6ft high fences. ALAN J. HARDWICK,

Croydon, Surrey.