YOUR correspondent Mr Pearce of Thormanby wrote about his Bank Holiday train trip from hell, aboard a Transpennine service to Scarborough (September 2).

I had an identical experience when returning from Aberystwyth earlier this year, via Arriva Trains Wales.

The phenomena of these trains often operating with only two carriages has been with us since the days of British Rail.

It was HM Treasury who decreed then, that two-coach Sprinter diesel units would replace the high-capacity locomotive-hauled trains, which had formerly operated to Scarborough. Privatisation has worsened this scenario for the train operating companies (TOCs). They now have to lease the trains that they use, principally from three private companies.

A two-coach Sprinter costs many thousands of pounds a year to hire. This encouraged the TOCs to tailor their needs to off-peak use, and to reluctantly accept the need for crush loading at peak times.

Also the UK's train-building market collapsed, and existing trains had to be thinly spread among the Train Operators.

Now the tide is turning, as new imported trains become available.

Transpennine is leasing 51 new German-built class 185 trains for its core route, and investing heavily in maintenance depot facilities, to the tune of £250 million.

The company has also been able to lease some Sprinter units, formerly used by Scotrail and Central Trains.

These will reportedly be refurbished to the same standard as the main Transpennine fleet, and can perhaps be used to strengthen seasonally loaded seaside services, more regularly than is possible at present.

Thatcher's rail-privatisation legacy has come home to roost, and it still won't be easy to woo day trippers away from the overcrowded A64.

Paul Hepworth,

Windmill Rise,

Holgate,

York.

Updated: 10:05 Tuesday, September 06, 2005