A reader has shed light on why the Heart of Wales railway line escaped closure under the Beeching Axe. According to Peter Griffith of Droitwich, the proposal to shut the line was being nodded through Harold Wilson's cabinet when George Thomas MP intervened. Thomas reportedly saved the line by pointing out that it ran through several marginal constituencies.
Griffith notes that Thomas, a lifelong Methodist, would never have approved of wine being consumed on the line, a reference to Adrian Chiles' recent column. The anecdote offers a glimpse into the political manoeuvring that preserved a key Welsh transport link.
In other letters, Bryn Hughes of Wrexham suggests that Steve Coogan's libel settlement over the Richard III film could open the door for a claim by the king himself against the Royal Shakespeare Company. Meanwhile, Jeanette Hamilton of Buxton sees rising food prices as a potential nudge towards healthier eating, as many of the biggest risers are meat, chocolate, or butter.
Jol Miskin of Sheffield questions Labour's priorities, noting that Rachel Reeves' trip to Saudi Arabia prioritised growth over human rights. Finally, Suellen Pedley of Stanford in the Vale reports that her Yorkshire terrier, Hamish, is vocally protesting the clock change, which delays his morning walk by an hour.
