No need to go off the rails during a heatwave

sir – I am amazed that the weather is being given as an excuse for delays in the rail service (report, June 26).

In 1960, I was put in charge of the long-welded rail programme for the Western Region of British Railways. We were replacing track with “continuous” lengths of over 900ft.

To tackle the problems caused by a rail expanding with the heat, each end was fitted with a breather switch that expanded or contracted according to the weather.

In addition, wooden sleepers were replaced by concrete ones. These were heavier and better able to contain the problem.

My team produced 300ft lengths of rail at a site in Westbury, Wiltshire. These were transported to site on a Saturday and unloaded on a Sunday.

I currently live close to the main line between Bath and Paddington, and I can tell by the sound when a train has entered a long-welded section of track. Jeff Popham

Bath, Somerset

sir – Since its introduction in the Sixties, the duvet has become an extremely popular form of bedding, and certainly makes sense during the winter months.

However, during summer nights, even lower-tog duvets are far too warm, and one can see the sense of the old system of sheet, blanket and eiderdown. It provides three options, with the sheet alone being all that is needed during the current hot spell.

Hotels and B&BS in the main do not provide any option other than a duvet. They should at least provide a sheet for use in hot weather. Bob Kingsland

Stroud, Gloucestershire