AS a former railwayman and long time railway enthusiast, I was fascinated by the railway articles in your newspaper by the town’s former mayor, Steve Wakefield.

I wrote to him as I felt that these articles on Swindon’s rich railway heritage were of much interest to anyone who moved into the area.

Telephone conversations and letters were exchanged between the (now ex) mayor and myself which culminated in him inviting a friend and I to the Mayor’s Parlour in his last week of office.

ON Wednesday, May 20, my friend Ken Mumford and I (both members of the growing Abergavenny and District Steam Society), were soon put at ease and made to fell most welcome by the Mayor and the Mayoress in the Mayor’s Parlour. Coun Wakefield first complimented my friend on the standard and presentation of The Coal Tank, which is the quarterly magazine of the aforementioned society, which I had presented to Coun Wakefield a few weeks beforehand.

As we enjoyed light refreshments the Mayor shared snippets of his writings and his father’s railway career continuing with tales of the former days of steam trains. We both showed the Mayor and Mayoress photographs we had brought; both of them showing much interest and which brought back to us all happy memories of the past, so much so that Coun Wakefield asked for copies of some of my photographs which my friend Ken is in the process of providing.

Ken gave Coun Wakefield two photographs - one of which was produced on page 18 of your newspaper edition for Wednesday, May 27. Although credited to myself, this photograph of 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and 5029 Nunney Castle climbing past the village of Llanvihangel near Abergavenny on Saturday, May 16, was actually taken by Ken Mumford.

Along with many other railwaymen and enthusiasts in the Swindon Advertiser circulation area, we’re sure that Steve Wakefield ‘s articles will continue to provide interesting and historical information.

BOB GRAINGER Kingswood Avenue Park North Swindon