WITH reference to 'potential Leigh busway and new Labour party pledges', in The Journal (April 3 ,1997).

Who are the brainless halfwits who have concocted this stupid scheme? Are they the same mob who before the 1968 General Election opposed the Tory plan at the time and called on all constituents to vote Labour and they would guarantee no more road closures of any shape, size or form? And Doctor Beeching out.

But what happened? As soon as they got in they slapped him on the back and said good lad Dicky, you are doing a good job, sharpen your axe and chop the rest of the railway up, you have our full support.

And he did do - on May 5 1969 - with the closing of Manchester Central and Exchange stations and branch line Eccles, Monton, Worsley, Tyldesley, Leigh and Kenyon junction.

This deprived local inhabitants of their railway service, as shown in the excellent book 'A Lancashire Triangle' by Mr Dennis Sweeney. They said it cost too much to keep open - what is it going to cost now in 1997?

In my view, and I am sure many others, the complete idea is a waste of time and expense - money down the drain - but what is money when it is not yours to spend.

Why not leave things as they are, with the present good bus services to and from Manchester and Leigh.

As an old railwayman, now retired after 37 years service, I feel depressed and forlorn when I look back to the good old days and see it now.

Look at the Tyldesley station site, it's a wilderness. Unlike the movie 'Back to the Future', in our case it's 'Forward to the Past'.

Mr Yates

Wareing Street,

Tyldesley.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.