IT WAS reported last week that another £500,000 is going to be given to the Vale of Glamorgan Heritage Railway, bringing the total spent on it to nearly £5 million.

Will more money be required to build a shunt line at the Hood Road station if the Health and Safety Executive stop the engine from push/pulling the rolling stock?

How much income has been generated from visitors using the railway?

I have yet to see a profit and loss account published for the years that it has been running.

When the Knap Pool was closed it was said that it was costing £5 for every person using it and it was only used for a short period in the summer months.

How much does it cost per passenger to use the train?

It too is only open in the summer months, but unlike the pool, which opened daily, it is now open mainly on weekends from 10am to 4pm.

If a small proportion of the money given to the railway had been given to refurbish the pool, we could have had one of the best tourist attractions in the area.

With the provision of a large wave machine and lighting, this could have combined swimming in the summer months with three all- year-round activities: a sub-aqua training centre and a facility that would be unique in Britain - a 100 metre indoor surfing centre combined with a canoe slalom course which I am sure would attract thousands more visitors to Barry than the railway.

The large amounts of money paid to contractors and in consultancy fees have prompted me to suggest renaming the railway as The Barry Gravy Train.

Tom Clemett 22 Church Road Cadoxton Barry