I WISH to strongly protest about the National Railway Museum's public appeal and their application for Lottery funds for "keeping the Flying Scotsman locomotive in Britain".

To assume that they are the only custodians of British heritage, and that without them the locomotive will definitely be exported is to say the least childish. Indeed, there are others, such as myself, who are willing, and able, to make a fair offer for the engine and make sure it remains in this country, open to the public.

Furthermore, the NRM is claiming that under its ownership, the Flying Scotsman would continue main line operations and visit heritage railways across Britain, as well as periodically going on display in York and the museum's base at Shildon, near Darlington. Surely they are aware that to do this is to invite an annual overhead of more than £400,000.

Is the NRM going to go cap in hand every year for this as well?

By all means, fund the NRM to keep the Flying Scotsman in this country, but not while there are other people, trying to do exactly the same without public funding.

Moiz Saigara,

Lenton Lodge,

Wollaton Hall Drive, Nottingham.

Updated: 10:52 Wednesday, March 17, 2004