Readers' letters - May 4

Motorists today, who were driving in the 1950s/1960s, would remember the triangular pennants sold in all major towns and cities.

They had the names printed on them and drivers would place them in their car windows to show where their car had travelled to. (No cheating allowed).

Not being a car owner then, I was quite ‘chuffed’ to display Scarborough and Anglesey on the toolbox lid on my BSA Bantam (remember them?)

The BSA Bantam was a major seller for the BSA company. It was in production from 1948 to 1971.

Like any product, it was improved and facelifted. It started off with a 125cc two stroke engine in 1948.

In 1954, a Bantam Major was introduced. Engine size now had grown to 150cc. All bantams produced after 1958 had a 175cc engine.

Working at Leyland Motors, a chap approached me and asked if I would be interested in buying his Bantam.

I travelled to Burscough one Saturday to view the bike. It was a 1957 Major, five years old, and with a mere 5,000 miles on the clock. A deal was struck, and at £25, I had a bargain.

This bike became my personal transport for two and a half years.

In September 1962, Leyland Motors had a long weekend holiday. Finish work Friday, re-start Wednesday. The Bantam would take us to Scarborough and, with 23 stone aboard, it would have to work hard. Leaving Friday evening, we spent a night in Skipton. On Saturday, the journey took us over Blubberhouse Moors onto Harrogate and a lunch stop at York. About 40 miles on, we arrived at Scarborough.

I think it was the third guesthouse, we secured two single rooms for bed and breakfast. I remember leaving Scarborough Sunday morning. It had started to rain, and Preston was 140 miles away. A strange headwind plus the rain, meant a lot of the journey was done in second gear. A warm meal in Skipton was most welcome, and yes, it was still raining. The little bike had done well!

E.H. Simister

Bamber Bridge

brexit

So much for democracy

There is now a concerted effort to overturn the majority result in our 2016 EU referendum, by those who will not accept the result.

Members of the House of Lords have inflicted a damaging defeat on the Government by passing a ‘wrecking amendment’ by 335 votes to 244, which is designed to keep Britain in the EU indefinitely. Even PM Theresa May is considering signing up to an agreement that is likely to lead to an ‘EU Mark Two’ Brexit agreement, leading to Britain becoming a ‘vassal state’ of Brussels.

Between the Government and the Lords, they appear determined to ignore the democratic result of the referendum and keep us shackled to the EU, only without any power or representation. The problem is that successive governments have been happy to outsource our laws and everything else to a foreign power and many in the Lords receive EU pensions, which they are likely to lose! So much for democracy!

Phil Griffiths

Broadcaster and Commentator

energy

Horror scenario

Regarding Phil McVan’s letter (LP Letters, April 27), turning the Fylde Peninsula into the largest gasfield in Europe would necessitate dozens of superpads like Preston New Road, Little Plumpton, each hosting numerous multi-level, multi-directional fracking wells, totalling in the region of five thousand plus.

The health and environmental damage done would destroy our bathing waters, our tourism industry, our drinking water and our farming industry. The effects of earthquakes that would be generated can only be described as terrifying. Scientific and legal evidence from mature fracking locations worldwide proves that the above scenario is a certainty not a possibility. Please refer to the ever increasing List of the Harmed on the internet!

Peter K Roberts

Warton

energy

Get facts right about fracking

In reply to Derek Rogerson’s letter (LP Letters, April 20), I have to say he should get his facts right in the sense that fracking can alter things underground in ways we, as yet, do not understand. He writes about being subject to foreign sources of power, but of course, we can upgrade our nuclear power stations.

And I have to say he may have forgotten the two earth tremors near Blackpool.

Edward Beardsworth

Morecambe

nostalgia

Photo did not date from 1910

The photograph of Preston Royal Infirmary, pictured inset, could not have been taken in 1910, as stated (LP Looking Back, April 2). The tramcar in it was one of three which were purchased second-hand by Preston Corporation from Lincoln Corporation when the Lincoln system closed in March, 1929.

Geoff Hewitt

Penwortham

royalty

Sell off the Crown Jewels

I have come up with a good idea that will see every UK resident with a nice increase in their bank balance. Sell the Crown Jewels to the highest bidder. Instead of them being locked away, we could all benefit. Offers over £100bn to start it off. Any offers?

EB Warris

via email