Snow good excuse for a holiday from school

SIR – When I was teaching in Kent, a seven-year-old pupil once traipsed to school through the snow to tell the teachers: “I can’t come to school today because of the snow.”

I expect he is now a valued employee on snow days. Barbara Pimblett

Lymington, Hampshire

SIR – The Victorians had steam trains capable of ploughing through any snow less than a foot deep.

What a wonderful sight the Flying Scotsman or the Duchess of Sutherland would have made this week, taking commuters from Norwich to London and back again. Susannah Woodnutt

Reepham, Norfolk

SIR – Stories about trains delayed because of frozen points never fail to bring back memories of my early commute into London on what is now the Chiltern Line.

In those days of steam railways and hand-operated signal boxes, the problem of frozen points was addressed by the station master, who, during cold spells, kept a kettle on the boil. He was frequently to be seen, in boots and uniform jacket, bearing a steaming kettle towards the front of the waiting train. A few moments later he would return with an empty kettle, the signal arm would thump and the train chug on its way. We were very rarely late into Marylebone Station. Sally Gibbons

London SW19

SIR – I was amazed to see our postman, David, bearing down on us on foot on Wednesday morning. What a hero!

The roads were treacherous, with more than a foot of snow in places. Conditions have been made worse by the lack of hedgerow plants, which were taken down to ground level this winter, leaving no wind break for the snow or shelter for animals and birds. HM Mckenzie

Fakenham, Norfolk

SIR – Because of the weather, my copy of The Daily Telegraph was not delivered yesterday.

It has been like Christmas Day, but without the new socks. Alan Witt

Charing, Kent