REGARDING the article about leaves on the rail line by Katie Emslie (November 3), I can remember all grass and trees had to be trimmed at the rail side, because during the steam trains era the grass was set on fire by raking the fire-box.

Many a fire has raged until the services arrived to put it out in years gone by. You heard nothing about trains being stopped by leaves. It's ridiculous.

The rail companies don't seem to bother now about the masses of foliage that collects near the track side.

Most branches are dealt with by trains constantly going past clipping them off, otherwise I have not seen any type of work done on rail track embankments or cuttings.

Keith Chapman,

Custance Walk,

St Benedict Road,

Nunnery Lane,

York.

Updated: 09:59 Monday, November 08, 2004