Alec to his parents:

Dear Mum and Dad,

Well here we are again with thanks for the weekly letter, and this week’s contribution from this end. Do not understand why the letter arrived second post – shall have to take matter up with my postwoman.

Carol is sleeping a lot better at nights now, in fact the last session reported to you was probably the last lot we had. I have always had it in mind to use wine to break up catarrh ever since I noticed it had that effect once when I had it badly. Susan being older did not seem to have been affected by it so much but she still has a cold or something about her. Otherwise we are in fairly good order as well as are age and the times permit?

There is no doubt that Susan likes school. She does not say an awful lot about it, but from time to time things come out. Carol seems to know all the people and all the songs etc that are sung, so Susan must be telling her something.

I really do not know what to think about the mishap. Doug told me to make a claim, and that his firm would take the matter up with the other chap. I am now told that they will not do so as being the back car I would be held responsible and suggest I should write and ask him for the cost of repair. Jackson the garage chap said if someone pulls out of a lane in front of you and causes a collision, it is their fault. Be that as it may, he has given me an estimate of £29-18-0 for repair which seems to include the kitchen sink. The Insurance co do not like the sound of that one, contending that it is far too much so I got a second estimate from the big garage in Victoria Road. They say they can do the job for £9-0-0. I know that for a brand new wing it would only cost £6, and for new headlamp £3 -10 -0. The valance would have to be beaten back into shape, but the deviation is not noticeable anyway. There are some graze marks on the bumper, but it does not justify a new one. I suppose that respraying could be set at £5 and other labour charges another £5 making a total of about £19-10-0.*

I have since heard where the house in Ruislip was struck by lightning. It was in South Ruislip near the station. There is a road directly opposite the station and the house was second turning on the right from there almost out to the West End Road this side of the Western Avenue roundabout. We heard the fire engine bells when we were that way last Saturday. I hear the firemen were there with the hoses before the occupants knew they were on fire.

Note what the wind did to your garden, we were more fortunate – less garden – less damage. The weight of the rain bent over the few remaining chrysants (border) and I shall have to tie them back or someone will be swinging on them. Nothing damaged in the dahlia bed. They do not seem to be flowering in profusion as last year but there are signs that they will speed up shortly. I can cut about 20 per week now and the rate should be at least 10 per day when all plants are flowering.

I had not heard that Percy Lidbury had died. A former colleague and fellow cricketer of the DSO died last week I doubt if you knew him – Fred Mance. He could not have been 40, cirrhosis of the liver. Hope the spelling is correct. had not seen Lidbury since 1955 when he was supposed to represent Bristol on the Bryer committee. We did his work for him as Leslie Edwards refused to let him leave Bristol at the same time as Price. Incidentally I saw Price in the Shakespear that day we went to Bristol.

By the way you should see the minutes of that meeting. I think my name is mentioned about twenty times directly and a couple of times by inference. Welchman gets one mention, and the others nil each. Of course it is all due to the London Divn being the only ones in step. I understand that Beeching wants all BR to be work studied and incentive schemes applied by the end of 1962 at the latest. This must be done and divisions are to state their staff requirements to enable this to be done. of course McD referred the G.M.s to his letter of some months previously asking for his staff to be increased to 99. This was passed over at the time, but they will have a job to skid over it this time. We have got to be ostentatious about Paddington. The travelling public will not be allowed to miss this one, so I should not be surprised if this gets a TV or press comment.

We gave the L.D.C. an appreciation course last week – Notley gave some of the lectures – took them round to the pub and told them what a good lot of chaps they were, and they can not do too much for us now. I think they will be a great help.

Never met Rodney Hallam. The name does not ring a bell either, so guess he must be attached to Engineers or Signal and Telegraph.

The job I applied for is in the Traffic Headquarters (new name for Assistant General Manager Traffic). I do not think I shall hear anything more about it and in any case things seem to be on the boil in my own world. The effects of our work are so drastic that it will always be difficult for the staff to believe that our proposals are possible even when they have been conditioned over a long period. For example I think we can run Paddington Yard with one twenty-four hour pilot and seven men as against two twenty-four hour engines and twenty-four men. All this apart from supervisory inspectors who are more plentiful than wasps around the jam pot. There are approx 800 men on Paddington station to be catered for, and my guess is that there are about 500 too many.

Bill Aston not so bad as at first thought then. I expect he was pleased with the news. Hope your day with Don went well today. We had good weather and a certain amount of sun. altogether not a bad day at all.

Sorry you have not definite news of Arthur’s movements. No doubt you will let us know in due course. As an additional complication, or burden, depending on which way you look at it, we thought it might not be completely ruled out of court if we suggested we left Susan with you for a week. We could all come down on the weekend when arranged, leave Susan with you and I could pick her up the following weekend. If you feel you could cope with her and would like to have her with you, we will arrange accordingly, but please do not hesitate to say no if you do not feel up to it. I need not tell you she needs some watching.

Glad your runner beans are now ready. Have seen none this end. I do not think we shall get the drawings (paintings) that Susan did, more likely they will be thrown away. Not much sign of any education yet, in fact the reverse is the case as they are beginning to talk through the nose, and clipping their words just like the Londoner.

Note the moves regarding the relief clerks etc. Fancy George Burge senior relief?

Re Mum’s tailpiece, we have not been hampered by the mishap to the car, and although it does not look so posh we have done the weekly shopping in it. Sounds as if it was very hot in Bristol on Wednesday when you went to Newman’s.

Well will close again with love from us all (nearly left it too late this time).

[*To put this in context, Alec is originally quoted the equivalent of £700 for the repair. The second quote he receives is closer to £210. His own calculations produce a sum in the region of £450.]