Comfort test

It also cannot be overstated that the inflicting 25 years ago of these wretched trains on Scotland’s long-distance travelling public represents a sin that few of us regular travellers feel likely to forgive.

Built down to a price rather than up to a standard, these trains bear an inadequacy and an unloveliness that has become legendary – as legendary indeed as the consistent refusal by First ScotRail to report their hopelessness to Transport Scotland.

Historians will surely record how First ScotRail and Transport Scotland determinedly shut their faces to sub-standard long- distance travel being an issue with us travellers.

The same historians might also wonder how we, the put-upon travelling public, managed to thole the use of such rail rubbish for so many years.

Gordon Casely

Crathes

Kincardineshire