WITH regard to the Kidderminster to London train service during the 1950s and 1960s, there were three departures from Kiddermin-ster, at 7.57, 13.57 and 16.57, from Monday until Saturday.

All these started from Wolverhampton (low level) and called at Hagley, Churchill and Blakedown, Kidderminster, Hartlebury, Droitwich Spa, Worcester (Shrub Hill), Oxford, Reading and ended at Paddington.

The 7.57 Kidderminster departure was later terminated at Didcot and replaced by the 8.19 departure, the "Cathedrals Express" and attached to the 7.40 from Hereford at Shrub Hill, to go onward via Oxford and Reading to Paddington.

Until the "Cathedral Express" there was no direct return service to Kidderminster - passengers changed at either Shrub Hill for all stations to Wolverhampton, or Foregate Street for the semi-fast service from Cardiff General to Birmingham Snow Hill.

The Wolverhampton to Paddington was hauled mainly by Castle or County class locomotives, and the "Cathedral" was hauled by Kidderminster 85D MPD (Prairie Tanks Mainly Diagrammed) as far as Shrub Hill, Worcester.

Regarding "Forest Flashback" (Shuttle/Times & News, October 10), Mr Finch told of a Birmingham New Street to Paddington service in the early 1990s (BR Network South East).

There was one through return journey, arriving at Kidderminster at 16.31, then calling at Stourbridge Junction and Birmingham New Street, only from Monday to Friday.

GW EVANS

Castle Road

Cookley