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Rail idea for Honda site

In the run up to the last general election there was lots of discussion over what use the massive redundant Honda car production site could be put to, and at the time I happened to listen to a speech being made in Corby, Northamptonshire by Jeremy Corbyn the Labour Party leader, who made reference to building the next generation of electric trains in Britain. However his party had already pledged to turn the Honda site into a car battery manufacturing plant for the next generation of cars as part of his party’s ‘green revolution’.

I have never believed that electric cars are likely to be a viable alternative to the internal combustion engine and production of the batteries to power them is certainly not, or their disposal after use, and then there is the obvious problem of the time period for charging a battery vehicle, and the limited mileage problem on top of that. In fact some of the original early cars were electric but were never a success for exactly the same reason, and so were dropped in preference of the internal combustion engine. I would also see mass unrest against any government that brought in any type of legislation aimed at forcing the population to give up internal combustion engine vehicles, however hydrogen fuel cells may possibly have a limited but viable future.

However the speech by Jeremy Corbyn gave me an idea that could save the Honda site if it was purchased back from the company by the government, and with the advent of HS2 having recently been given the go ahead it would make an excellent railway works to service the trains that will use the route. The main railway line runs right next to the site with sidings in to the site, and it would certainly be big enough with the minimum of structural modifications.

There is a ready and able workforce of skilled Honda workers, and there is a lot of similarity between building motor vehicles to working on locomotives and rolling stock, and Swindon would then have a another similar site to BREL or British Rail Engineering Limited that we once had and the basis for what the town was originally founded upon. There is no argument in that the country does need more manufacturing type jobs, and there is a ready workforce raring to go.

With such a foresight and a willing jump in imagination by the government would cure the problem of finding alternative employment for Honda workers at a stroke, it may be something for the Unite trade union to lobby the government for as a suggestion. Finally does anyone else agree that this could be achieved if the will to do it was there?

Graham Woodward, Nelson Street, Swindon

Coronavirus panic

I note that relative to the coronavirus situation, there has been some issues with ‘Panic Buying’! I realise that if one is expecting ‘The Beast from the East’ again, then there could be a need to take in a ‘few extras’, especially the elderly and less able.

We have been advised not to panic but it seems that there are a few selfish people around who do not care a hoot about anyone else as long as they are ok.

What is the matter with the brains of these people?

I wanted some Sanitising Gel and Toilet Rolls the other day and the shelves were empty apart from a ‘Special Offer’ on ‘Brains’ which were on the shelves. I purchased one of these ‘Brains’ to try it but when I cut it open, there was absolutely nothing inside!

The label did state that one must wash it under hot water to enable all lack of intelligence to be cleared to make it eatable!

Enough said I feel!

Chris Gleed, Proud Close, Purton, Swindon