[TO THE EDITOR OF 1115 "SPECTATOR.."] may venture to claim
to have some knowledge of the Highlands to their furthest limit, and I have greatly appreciated your excellent article upon the scenery of that favoured part of Britain in the Spectator of September 2nd. BatI ask leave to enter a protest against the heavy censure upon the railways. I take it that it is by a typographical error that the- Highland line alone is specifically named, though that is unfortunate, for no line in the kingdom has made such improvements in its service, and the general manager must surely feel disappointed to find his work so markedly overlooked,—that is, if railway managers have any feelings. Ify last journey from Thurso to Inverness ended in Inverness five minutes before time. There is sufficient answer to the charge of fewness of trains in the sparseness of the population, even when the tourists are all included. The West Highland line, and the Caledonian line from Dnnblane to Oban, and from Connel Ferry to Ballachulish,
are all that remain to answer to your pinralised criticism, but from a very recent experience I can testify to a running that is at least not worse than that of many other companies at holiday time; while the fact stands to the credit of the companies concerned that the 7.55 a.m. from Oban to Euston is usually within a few minutes of its time on arrival, and the last time (in July) that I travelled by it the arrival at Willesden was three minutes early.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Cockermouth. F. J. PATE.
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